Heda Beach
After we had checked into our lovely guesthouse we drove the short distance to Heda port where our host had suggested it was good to swim. At the entrance to the town we could see the beach on a narrow piece of land that protruded itself into the bay stretching away from the port like an outstretched arm with a lighthouse at the fingertips.
Dinosaur Waterslides
The car parks along the sea front were empty, except for a lonely camper van. So was the beach, apart from a few locals who were at the other end by the port, near some residential houses. Jerome was over joyed when he noticed the plastic floating dinosaurs in the water. Some were diving boards while others served as waterslides. Jerome was eager to get into the water and instantly swam over to the closest dinosaur. Chris followed him shortly after while I sorted our towels and bags. I sat down to watch them slide and dive in again and again and again….
Playground on the Water
I liked the fact that they had the dinosaurs as a water playground, I have always thought that some family beaches in Europe could do something similar to keep kids happy in the water. One of the dinosaurs had posts that looked like horsetails for children to hold onto when standing at the top of the slide, the other had a rope, like a horse.
Lifeguards
The swimming area was closed off by the rest of the port and had a net underneath the waterline to keep any stray jellyfish out. The water was calm due to its location on the inside of the bay and therefore made it a very safe beach for children of all ages to swim in. Lifeguards kept an eye out on the few swimmers from the highchair at the centre of the beach. The lifeguards also kept patrolling the beach and looked rather bored to me.
Lunch at the Beach Shack
After his very long swim, slide and diving, Jerome wanted something to eat and an ice cream so we strolled over to one of the two beach shack-like cafes. Outside the shacks flags advertised food and we could see a whole load of floaties for sale, inside was an open room laid with tatami mats and low tables. The friendly owners asked us to take a seat at one of the tables near the window overlooking the beach and we ordered some lunch and then kakigori (shaved ice) for Jerome and an iced coffee for us. We sat by the window, looking out onto the beach and the harbor with the fisher boats anchored in place.
A Moody Sky
Back on the beach, the sky darkened and we were worried that a summer storm was about to loom over us. After another short quick dip in the sea we returned to our car. The sky looked even more grey and moody with the sun just peeking through at the bottom, the light was eerie but also quite magical. A few others were watching the darkening sky from the sea wall.
Heda Harbour
We drove the short distance into the town’s harbour and walked along the harbour front waiting for the pending storm to go over or break. Some men were patiently sitting on the harbour wall, fishing rod in hand. The buckets were all empty as far as we could see. Heda town itself looked like a sleepy little town with no other attractions besides the beach. However it was full of charm and friendly people and it felt like staying in a very authentic place.
Dinner at the Guesthouse
Luckily it did not rain and the sky brightened on our drive back to the guesthouse for a home cooked dinner from our host. Jerome was already looking forward to more swimming the next day which you can read about in my next post.
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The floating dinosaurs are a wonderful idea. What fun!