Studland Beach

Today was one of those days where you set out to go somewhere and it takes you way longer to get there than the actual time spent there! At 9:45am, we boarded the bus headed for Sandbanks with Margie. 25min bus. Then watched as the ferry for Studland Beach left. But they come every 20 minutes, right? Right. But, apparently we needed to take a bus once on the island 6-7mi. to get to the beach and that bus didn't come for another hour. Might as well board the bus that then boards the ferry. So, we got some tea and killed some time. Then, when we went to board the bus, the driver told us that it is 2 Pounds cheaper if we buy a passenger ticket for the ferry and then board the bus after the ferry arrives on the other side. Um, ok, sure. For the love! By the time we arrived and walked down to the beach, it was around 11:45. For a sunny but cold week day, the beach was packed! (Probably due to Easter break holiday.) Hailey napped and ate lunch in the stroller the whole time but Ethan was in his element digging, making sand castles and frolicking in the water (there is just no way around him not getting wet when we go to the beach). At one point he was rolling in the shallow water?! Usually, I bring a change of pants but of course I did not have it with me today so I went and got him some shorts at the gift shop since his jeans were soaked! And it was a good thing due to the journey ahead...

We waited and waited and waited for the 1:40pm bus (and wondered if we were waiting at the right place) and finally it came over 30min. late. After the ferry, we discovered that the bus didn't come for another 45min. By the time we got home, it was 4:30pm and we (Ethan especially in his shorts and rain boots and Margie's towel) were cold and wet. Super late for naps but by golly they were going to take one. :)

I think we will stick to going to Bournemouth Beach, which is really nice and just 3 train stops away and a 20min. walk. Much less of a goat rope (and transportation expense)/all day endeavour!

Here is the ferry that is a chain link type ferry (it runs the whole distance over to Studland using these two huge chains to pull it across)-had never heard of this/seen this until today. By the way, the ferry ride itself is super quick-just a few minutes. It was tempting to just swim over there (or a row boat I guess). You can also see its kind of foggy/breezy outside.