Wells Beach, coastal Maine
Fifth annual trip to Wells Beach, Maine
Wells Beach is a perfect beach. I don’t say this lightly, or casually. My husband and I have a special relationship with Wells Beach. The southern coast of Maine—Ogunquit, Wells, York, and Kennebunkport—are an annual trip for us. It’s an absolute treasure of a place, and I cannot imagine summer without a trip to Wells. If you’ve ever been, you’ll know what I mean. If you’ve never been, come have a look around. Let me show you the magic.
Mile Road
Before you arrive on Wells Beach, you travel down Mile Road. Separating the town (businesses, hotels, etc) from the beach is the Wells National Estuarine Research Reserve, which is a very long-winded name for a marshland. During high tide, the water is deep enough for small boats to navigate. You’ll often see kayakers passing through the area. There’s one restaurant smack in the middle, Billy’s Chowder House, an iconic seafood restaurant.
While you drive through the reserve toward the Atlantic, the excitement of the stacked little houses builds. This is a place that endures many months of severe winter weather just to be the most glorious place you’ve ever been come June. The air is breezy, crisp, salty, and cool. The sky feels like a big dome.
The tides
At high tide, the beach isn’t much. The difference between high and low tide here is enormous. The water goes out and the beach becomes a vast, flat open space to exercise and explore. I took these photos standing in the same spot on the same day, at high and low tide exactly. It was a foggy day, but it certainly illustrates how much beach is gained and lost between tides.
Life on Wells Beach
Facing due East, the sun rises magnificently over this glorious beach. It is so comfortable. The sand is firm and flat, you can get a great walk or run in, barefoot or with any shoe. The sun will warm your skin but the wind will keep you cool. The waves are awesome, and you’re surrounded by people but you have space to walk and do your thing. If you like people-watching, it’s top tier in Wells.
Older people saunter through retirement, appreciating every moment, soaking it all in. Kids run and scream. Teenagers walk in groups, trying to be cool. Mothers and fathers are basking in the joys of their children and the fleeting summertime. It feels a lot like watching the Aristocats, the different personalities walking back and forth down the beach each with their own mysterious story and vibrant life. Nobody talks on the phone. It’s so spectacular here that you don’t want to be anything but present in the moment.
In the morning and evening, dogs are allowed, and it becomes a “doggy parade” as my husband calls it. All sizes, all breeds, all puppy personalities.
There’s also a great presence of water sports. Paddle boarding, surfing, kayaking, and wind surfing. There are boats off in the distance, but there’s no anchoring on the beach. I’m not sure why that is. Here, the water is crystal clear to the bottom. Each day brings all sorts of fascinating mistiness and sunbeams.
The rocks
I remember the first day I arrived on Wells Beach, there was a large rock poking out of the sea. It was high tide at the time. When the tide went out, not only was I blown away by the size of the beach, I was also baffled by the enormous rocky structure that popped out of the water.
The waves crash over the rocks with great power; it’s obviously too dangerous to approach the area. We did see some kids on paddleboards climb up on the rocks, and a brave lifeguard went out there after them. Everyone made it back to the beach in one piece.
When I got my zoom lens for my camera, I was particularly excited to get a closer look at the rocks. I find them very fascinating. From far away they look very beautiful and impressive, and they’re mysterious and alluring to me. Up close, they are very slimy and covered in bird poop. Some things are best left undiscovered.
Wells is always a tough place to say goodbye to. I already can’t wait to return next year. Until then, I’ll be enjoying these photos.