Maxwelton Beach

This is my favorite set of photos from our trip to Washington, because this is where I grew up. Maxwelton Beach on Whidbey Island. It just might be my favorite place in the whole entire world. My Nanny and Papa owned a house right on the beach—though it's now owned by my uncle—and we spent every single summer bunking in their garage. Their doors were always open, and it was always a giant Stone Family party. We spent the days on the tide flats—building sand castles, catching flounders, sinking our feet into the sand until we were deep enough to find shrimp, clam digging, row-boating in the Sound, salmon fishing, crab-potting—you name it, we did it. By night, we gathered in the sand for a beach fire and told stories while roasting marshmallows.

Those were the days. My mom and dad were still together, my brother was a tiny kid and was as sweet as can be, and my sister and I didn't have a care in the world—not even about the sand that always seemed to fill our shoes... I didn't intend for this to get all nostalgic, but I just can't help but think back to all the amazing memories. I can't wait to take my kids back there some day and make new ones.

Anyways, I just can't get enough of that place—the rocky, seaweed-filled beaches, the piles of driftwood, the American flags flying from a pole in every yard, the eagles swooping overhead or the agate hunting. Oh—the agate hunting! Every single day—regardless of the weather—our family went for a beach walk. But we weren't just going for a beach walk, we were hunting for agates! When we hunt for agates (read more about them here), we walk with our heads bent over, scanning the ground, looking for that characteristic glow that makes agates stand out from the rest of the ordinary rocks (if you need proof of the glow, see the photo above!). On any given beach walk, we can find anywhere between 1-10, though sometimes—but not often—we went home skunked without finding a single one. If you go to any of our family's homes, you'll find large glass dishes filled with collections of agates. A trip to Whidbey is not complete without an agate hunt!

See more photos of Maxwelton Beach below, with captions below a couple of them.

American flags along the beachside backyards.

Seagulls lining the pilings at Nanny and Papa's beach (same view as this photo).

The beach outside Nanny and Papa's house.

Beached driftwood.

Daniel found a little jellyfish.

Shirt: c/o Olivia Wares

Oh, Whidbey. You're my favorite.

Washington Trip 2013 Posts:
Whidbey Island │ Maxwelton Beach │ The 4th │ Pike Place Market │ Seattle