The beach is great...but we can't drink the water

For the first time, these previously land locked dogs have experienced the beach and ocean. While Lake Champlain was great, it is nothing like the Atlantic off the coast of Costa Nova. Here the beaches are wide and long, and the waves break strongly right on shore. The dogs weren't allowed on the beach until October 1, but now they are good to go until June. We have taken them running there a couple of times, and while we go slow and get tired easily in the sand, they run circles around us and can't seem to get enough digging, chasing, and wrestling. Tazzy, who is an avid swimmer and loves the calm waters of the rivers and lakes at home, ran into the ocean and was immediately knocked over by a wave. She is much more cautious now, and prefers to wade rather than swim in the rough water. Both dogs quickly learned that there is something different about this water. It tastes funny. They keep testing it to see if anything has changed, but a tiny slurp and they realize the water bottle from home is much better.

One of these days I'll try to remember to bring my camera and post a picture or two of them playing, it is great fun to watch.