Battle of the Beaches

With Scituate being a small town located on the coast, locals engage in a common debate: Which beach is the best? Many factors weigh into people’s opinions, such as sand texture, water quality, facilities, and location. To settle this argument, we decided to interview SHS students to establish the “best” beach and understand the reasons why some beaches are more popular than others. 

After discussing this topic with students, we discovered the most popular beach among those surveyed was Minot Beach. According to senior Jamieson Hodlin, Minot is “best for playing games such as spike ball and cornhole because of the flat surface.” Freshman Maya Korman stands by Hodlin’s statement, as she believes Minot is the best because “the beach is vast, leaving tons of room to play games with your friends.” Both claim they “enjoy the sandbars that appear at low tide.” The sandbars provide beachgoers with shallow water to swim in along with perfect waves for skim boarding. Minot Beach features a series of large rocks suitable for jumping into the water–the two most popular commonly referred to as “Chicken” and “Prachi” by the locals. For generations, these rocks have served as popular hang-out spots for all ages. Sophomore Pat Leonhardi, expressed his fascination with the rocks, claiming, “They are natural waterslides where many kids enjoy sliding off them into the water.” Clearly, Minot Beach has something for everyone. 

Coming in second place as the most popular beach is the Spit. Known for its natural beauty, the Spit is a peninsula at the tip of 3rd Cliff that offers so much more than just a place to swim: It’s a versatile place to anchor down and enjoy a beautiful Scituate summer day. Senior Jakob Henderson stated that he “likes to play in the tide pools.” Similarly, senior Michael James spoke about the Spit’s “vast room to roam” and how ideal it is for popular beach games such as spike ball. Senior Reid Fulton stated that the Spit is the “hardest to get to,” but it has the “best” sand and waves. (A twenty-minute hike down a man-made boardwalk keeps the Spit somewhat private.) The Spit makes up for its secluded offshore location with amenities no other Scituate beach possesses: tide pools, minimal rocks, flat ground, fabulous sand, and even better waves. If you’re looking for a beach day packed with adventure, the Spit is the Scituate beach for you. 

Located just across the bridge from Scituate Harbor, Peggotty Beach is tucked away on the back side of 2nd Cliff. With its prime location and its walking distance from the food and other conveniences in the Harbor, Peggotty has secured a spot in the top three favorites among Scituate High students. Senior Otto Voelger stated that Peggotty is his favorite beach because of its proximity to his house. He enjoys “the convenience of food options being down the street,” making his beach experience even more enjoyable. Peggotty has a variety of sand textures, making it popular among visitors. Senior Colin Morley noted, “The sand at Peggotty is the best.”

Despite SHS’s varying opinions on the “best” beach, many students agree that Scituate is home to the best variety of beaches on the South Shore, making the summer in Scituate special. No matter the tide or the season, Scituate beaches will always have a place in students’ hearts.