(Art) Wilbur-By-The-Sea

I grew up in a town where the beach was just a short bike ride away. Since moving off of the coast a few years back, it's always been a little weird to have to "plan a trip" just to go to the beach. That and the concept of paying to go to the beach just seems a little screwy.

Last week, we reviewed our beach options for a new one to explore. A friend recommended a name that I'd saw, but had never had an excuse to visit - Wilbur By The Sea. Quite an odd name for a beach town, and especially interesting to me since it carries my own. I found that we had something in common beyond our names - we're both cheap (no beach fee) - so that settled it as our destination.

It has a real historic feel to it, with houses (not high-rise hotel buildings) right on the beach. However, a glance down the coast shows that developers are just waiting to strike. Most of the beach has sand that is red and packed hard like concrete. It wasn't the most comfortable, but fairly tidy - that was nice.

I wasn't able to find any information on the history of the little town, but I'll continue to wonder. Did my great-great-great-great grandpa and ma settle down on the beach front to catch some rays and decide not to leave? Or did he catch a fish in Wilbur Bay large enough to cause the townsfolk to give it his name? It might be more fun not to really find out...