Late spring in New England is a special time. Much like plants, humans come back to life. People begin to leave their couches and head to the great outdoors.

The spring of 2023 was a bit different, however. In the Northeast, air quality was extremely bad due to the wildfires raging in Canada. News outlets throughout Southern New England were warning people not to spend much time outside.

However, one unsuspecting evening I decided to take a chance against the adamant warnings of the NOAA. I traveled to Horseneck Beach, one of my favorite spots on the SouthCoast of Massachusetts to get a nice ride in.

Equipped with my trusty camera and bicycle, I didn’t realize was in for a real atmospheric treat.

Aside from the spectacular cotton candy haze looming in the troposphere, what made this particular evening even more special was the fact that I seemed to have the entire beach to myself.

It was just me, the setting sun, and a few Piping Plovers traipsing along the bike path.

Without the sound of vehicles in the parking lot, or laughter in the sand, I could clearly hear the beach grass flowing in the wind.

Even during the depths of winter, I’ve always encountered at least another human at this beach. So, it truly was a pleasant surprise that no one else was there on this warm evening.

Since then, I haven’t had another night of solitude on Horseneck Beach.