Last November I thought what better place to take Asa, an up and coming rock star, than Singing Beach in Manchester by the Sea, Massachusetts. Dogs are allowed during the off-season of October 15 – April 15. Although I probably should have done my research before taking Asa there to perform. The name Singing Beach is rather misleading to those who want to put on a concert!
However, before I tell you about the beach, let me explain the rather specific name of the town. Incorporated in 1645, Manchester was primarily a fishing community for more than 200 years. However by the 1800s, it started to become a destination for summer visitors from Boston who built “cottages” by many of the best architects of the time. This lead folks to want to differentiate their Manchester from the industrial community of nearby Manchester, New Hampshire. Therefore, in 1877 they informally began calling it Manchester by the Sea. It took awhile, but in 1989, yes 344 years after incorporation, this Massachusetts town officially voted to change its name to Manchester by the Sea!
Now about that other name, Singing Beach. Apparently it isn’t called that so folks who fancy themselves singers can put on a show. Nor is it called that because it has particularly good acoustics. Instead, it is called Singing Beach because of the sound the dry sand makes when you shuffle your paws through it. Personally, we have old toys with a better squeak, but humans are easily amused, and this is what they call it.
On the November day that we visited, this half-mile wide beach was packed with dogs. It could be because dogs are only allowed on this beach from October 15 – April 15, and everyone was making the most of that sunny November day. According to the rules, “dog owners must maintain effective verbal control of their dogs and always be able to see their dogs when they are off-leash.” We did not find this to be the case. There were several dogs, who clearly did not play well with others, but with no humans taking accountability for their actions. However, there were also many well behaved dogs, with attentive owners. Perhaps we caught it on an off day with these rogue dogs? But it is something to keep in mind with this off-leash beach, and a reminder to everyone to please follow dog beach etiquette, so that we may all continue to enjoy these places. As always, clean up after your dog, at this carry out beach. And remember that dogs are NOT allowed on Singing Beach from April 16 through October 14, so you’ll have to wait for autumn to visit, as summer rules are in place now. For more information, including parking, please visit Manchester by the Sea.
