On the beach

I have a week of vacation coming up in early September and am thinking about
heading for Washington's pacific coast for a night or two of observing
(seems the skies would be pretty dark). At this point, I am thinking about
the Ocean Shores, Washington area. . .probably renting a room in a little
motel to sleep in most of the day and then setting up the scope at night on
the beach within shouting distance of the motel (security is an issue with
me).

What are the good and bad sides of observing on the beach?


Martin

"Starstuffed" wrote in message
thlink.net...
I have a week of vacation coming up in early September and am thinking
about
heading for Washington's pacific coast for a night or two of observing
(seems the skies would be pretty dark). At this point, I am thinking
about
the Ocean Shores, Washington area. . .probably renting a room in a little
motel to sleep in most of the day and then setting up the scope at night
on
the beach within shouting distance of the motel (security is an issue with
me).

What are the good and bad sides of observing on the beach?


Martin


I view at the beach all the time, except on the other side of the country.
The upside is that you get at least half the sky (in you case the western
half) with little or no light pollution. The downside is the dew problem
(take a dew heater with you), the sand which is easily picked up in the
breeze and the distraction from the mermaids.:-)

Al

"Al" wrote in message
et...

"Starstuffed" wrote in message
thlink.net...
I have a week of vacation coming up in early September and am thinking
about
heading for Washington's pacific coast for a night or two of observing
(seems the skies would be pretty dark). At this point, I am thinking
about
the Ocean Shores, Washington area. . .probably renting a room in a
little
motel to sleep in most of the day and then setting up the scope at night
on
the beach within shouting distance of the motel (security is an issue
with
me).

What are the good and bad sides of observing on the beach?


Martin


I view at the beach all the time, except on the other side of the country.
The upside is that you get at least half the sky (in you case the western
half) with little or no light pollution. The downside is the dew problem
(take a dew heater with you), the sand which is easily picked up in the
breeze and the distraction from the mermaids.:-)

Al



Ewww, I saw She Creature. Mermaids are naughty.

Best regards,
Bill

On the beach? Ocean salt water beach? Aren't you worried
about salt spray and salty air settling on your optics?
Look how rusty the auto's get that are in those regions.
Don't think I'd want to do that, or risk that, with a scope.
Clear Skies,
Tom W.


Al wrote:
"Starstuffed" wrote in message
thlink.net...

I have a week of vacation coming up in early September and am thinking

about

heading for Washington's pacific coast for a night or two of observing
(seems the skies would be pretty dark). At this point, I am thinking

salt air readily attacks aluminum coatings
$.02
jc

The thing that surprised me most about being near the beach was the amount
of slime that built up on everything. After just a couple of days we had
to wash the slime off our windshields before driving the car. And the car
was parked a few hundred feet from the shore. This was Gulf Shores,
Alabama on the Gulf of Mexico. I'd keep everthing inside as much as
possible and keep it well sealed in plastic when not in use outside. Then
I'd give everything a good cleaning when back home.

Bryan

Starstuffed wrote:
I have a week of vacation coming up in early September and am thinking about
heading for Washington's pacific coast for a night or two of observing
(seems the skies would be pretty dark). At this point, I am thinking about
the Ocean Shores, Washington area. . .probably renting a room in a little
motel to sleep in most of the day and then setting up the scope at night on
the beach within shouting distance of the motel (security is an issue with
me).

What are the good and bad sides of observing on the beach?


Martin

Slime? Maybe you parked your car under a dirty tree?

I have a summer home right on the beach and my car is parked there for weeks
on end. Guess what?...no slime. I honestly have no idea what you mean
about slime, as I have never seen it before.

Al

wrote in message
...
The thing that surprised me most about being near the beach was the amount
of slime that built up on everything. After just a couple of days we had
to wash the slime off our windshields before driving the car. And the car
was parked a few hundred feet from the shore. This was Gulf Shores,
Alabama on the Gulf of Mexico. I'd keep everthing inside as much as
possible and keep it well sealed in plastic when not in use outside. Then
I'd give everything a good cleaning when back home.

Bryan

Starstuffed wrote:
I have a week of vacation coming up in early September and am thinking
about
heading for Washington's pacific coast for a night or two of observing
(seems the skies would be pretty dark). At this point, I am thinking
about
the Ocean Shores, Washington area. . .probably renting a room in a
little
motel to sleep in most of the day and then setting up the scope at night
on
the beach within shouting distance of the motel (security is an issue
with
me).

What are the good and bad sides of observing on the beach?


Martin

Al wrote:

Slime? Maybe you parked your car under a dirty tree?

I have a summer home right on the beach and my car is parked there for weeks
on end. Guess what?...no slime. I honestly have no idea what you mean
about slime, as I have never seen it before.

Al

I guess it all depends on where on the cost are you. Here on the west coast
(or at least the places where I've been) things are pretty bad. One to two
hours are enough to make the car windshield a complete mess, even if the car
is parked few blocks from the beach. After a walk at the beach I have to
wash my eyeglasses thoroughly with soap - wiping doesn't help. I hate to think
what this salt (or whatever it is) can do to a scope mirror or lens coatings.

- Alex

No, it was parked in the car port under the condo (the condo is up on
piers). No trees anywhere in the viscinity, just sand and a few small
patches of sea oats. Only surfaces facing the gulf got slimed. We had a
good stiff breese blowing in from the gulf and the "slime" was the residue
left after all the fine mist carried by the wind evaporated. It was
almost like a thin coating of bacon grease. We've been there few times
and when it's calm, there's no problem. It was just those couple of
really windy days that got us (the kiters really had to dig their heels in
to hang on to their big kites).

Bryan

Al wrote:
Slime? Maybe you parked your car under a dirty tree?

I have a summer home right on the beach and my car is parked there for weeks
on end. Guess what?...no slime. I honestly have no idea what you mean
about slime, as I have never seen it before.

Al

wrote in message
...
The thing that surprised me most about being near the beach was the amount
of slime that built up on everything. After just a couple of days we had
to wash the slime off our windshields before driving the car. And the car
was parked a few hundred feet from the shore. This was Gulf Shores,
Alabama on the Gulf of Mexico. I'd keep everthing inside as much as
possible and keep it well sealed in plastic when not in use outside. Then
I'd give everything a good cleaning when back home.

Bryan

Starstuffed wrote:
I have a week of vacation coming up in early September and am thinking
about
heading for Washington's pacific coast for a night or two of observing
(seems the skies would be pretty dark). At this point, I am thinking
about
the Ocean Shores, Washington area. . .probably renting a room in a
little
motel to sleep in most of the day and then setting up the scope at night
on
the beach within shouting distance of the motel (security is an issue
with
me).

What are the good and bad sides of observing on the beach?


Martin