Cost – Free!
SHE SAID:
I must have been half asleep when I agreed to watch a sunrise, because normally I would not voluntarily wake up before the break of dawn on a weekend. I find if I can force myself to break the sleep barrier, I’m actually quite happy I woke up early, but that barrier is not easily broken.
If you share in the same disdain for all things morning related, a hot, caffeine enriched drink is a key ingredient for you. We went the cheapy way and made our own tea in traveler mugs, but if that’s a deal breaker for you, there’s sure to be enough change under the sofa cushions to grab a cup at your local coffee shop.
I have a beautiful drive to work every morning and wanted Brad to experience it as well, but somehow we hit the road too early (6:30am) and out drove the sunrise. So, we went for plan B and headed to Lawrencetown Beach. In hindsight, this should have been our original plan because the sunrise against the waves was spectacular. However, when we were planning this I was secretly trying to avoid the beach because I find it particularly eerie in the dark.
Since we were originally planning to stay in the car and be driving as the sun rose, I didn’t dress very warmly. When we arrived at the beach and saw how beautiful it was I couldn’t resist getting out of the car to take a few photos, which don’t do the sunrise justice at all. Within a few minutes I thought my finger had frozen to the shutter button and regretfully got back into the car. I’m thinking a snowsuit and a thermal blanket would be best for the next visit, or maybe just visiting during a warmer season.
If you need a reward like I do for getting up early on a weekend, going out for breakfast afterward is the perfect finale for your early morning date. We went to Kempster’s in Halifax afterward because I was craving their delicious blueberry pancakes and I was not disappointed.
I’m really glad I agreed to this date for several reasons. Not only did I get to see a breathtaking sunrise, but more importantly I also got to spend some quality time with Brad amidst the busyness of life. Plus, since I was up so early that day I got way more work accomplished than normal and even got to nap in the afternoon. We enjoyed it so much we plan on doing it again. If you’ve done this before or do so in the future, let us know of any other great spots to check out a sunrise from.
HE SAID:
Susan and I are an “opposites attract” type of couple. Never is that more evident than early in the morning. I love getting up really early, especially on a cool fall day. I have learned over our few short years together that she doesn’t necessarily share in my love of early mornings to put it lightly.
I know you’re probably thinking that you get up early every day and head off to work as the sun is coming up. Why would you get up on a weekend to see the same thing. You would be right. However, this is something entirely different.
After driving out towards Porter’s Lake, Susan decided we had left too early to see the sunrise the way she does throughout the week. We took the next exit and drove around randomly before deciding to just drive to Lawrencetown Beach. As soon as we rounded the corner and saw the huge waves I knew we had come to the right place. The water seemed to almost be glowing in the little bit of light that was beginning to show. I was really surprised at how big the waves were. We sat on the big rocks that are normally a good distance away from the water, but we had to run out of the way of the waves a few times. There were also a few (crazy) surfers out. I don’t know how they do it because I was frozen with a jacket and a sweater on.
If you want to try this out there are few things to keep in mind. One is that it takes a while for the sun to come up. From the moment you begin to see light on the horizon to the time it feels like the sunrise is over it can be about an hour. Also, if your local sunrise time is 7:00 am for example, that’s the time that it’s pretty much over with. You’ll want to be at your location by 6:30 at the latest. Check this website out for your local sunrise time.
It sounds cheesy to drive to the beach and watch the sun come up, but it’s actually a lot of fun. It’s not like in the movies (at least for us) where you sit there hand in hand while the orchestra music swells up as the sun fills the sky with bright colours. Not that there’s anything wrong with that. We walked around and explored the area, enjoyed the company of a few nature photographers and other morning people, and just had a fun time. Of course, you don’t have to go to the beach. Just go to your favorite spot and enjoy. If you’re not a morning person, then pump the caffeine into your system and get out there. If you’re like me and enjoy getting up early then you shouldn’t need much prompting to give it a shot.
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