Greeting Sir Neptune
The Boardwalk Neptune Statue is my first stop on this tour because it is usually the first major landmark that I see, and take immediate note of, upon arrivating at the oceanfront; it sits in the heart of the most touristy and busy section of the oceanfront - the boardwalk. Thus, I conceive of it as a sort of indication that I have officially arrived at the beach; it summons and symbolizes the beach/a beach day. In this sense, witnessing it usually incites within me positive emotions of excitement and eagerness. Because it is such a looming, impressive, and popular landmark, I (and others) also utilize it it as a relative checkpoint for navigation and direction purposes on the oceanfront. The statue, for some context, is very large - about 34 feet high and, thus, intentionally larger than life/divine-like - and made of heavy bronze. It was designed by popular Richmond sculptor, Paul DiPasquale, and finally casted and finished by 2005. It stands at the front of Neptune Park, on 31st Street, and depicts the mythological god Neptune, the god of freshwater and the sea according to Roman religion/mythology. Of the statue, it is stated "Surrounded by creatures of his realm mighty trident in hand, Neptune's gaze rests affectionately on the shore. His heroic visage honors the maritime legacy of Virginia Beach while also standing as a vivid reminder of the community's duty to respect and protect our natural blessings." Here, we see Roman (distinctly Western) mythology directly supplanting whichever creation stories, myths, or figures that have been associated with this area among those who are Indigenous to the land (presumably, the Chesepians). By placing Neptune here as the presiding (and, in some ways, domineering) figure of the beach and oceanfront, it concretizes his presence and - by extension - the presence of Western thought, myth, tradition, and peoples (settlers). This could be read as an interesting move to settler nativism - it instantiates the notion that figures, like Roman gods/goddesses, associated with the West, are native - or at least relevant - to this area; there is no room left for any Indigenous figures or cosmologies here. Further, by associating this statue with the "maritime legacy" of the city/area, this narrative takes up the notion that history started with colonization, or the arrival of Western peoples, thought, and mythology. To elaborate, I found that, early in the colonial period, the economy of this area centered around the growing and selling of cash crops including wheat, oats, corn in addition to the production of pitch, tar, and turpentine for their maritime uses. Thus, the sense that Neptune honors the 'maritime legacy' of Virginia Beach relies on a conceputalization of spatial history that starts with colonization, or which starts with the ways in which the space was utilized during early colonization to the elision of its uses and meanings pre-European arrival and settlement.All of this is interesting espeically considering how, as I stated previously, this statue has served the purpose of summoning my beach day - it was the starting point. This has a lot to do with its placement, in addition to the generally domineering and overseeing air which the statue is meant to embody. On a final note, I did a little more digging into DiPasquale to try and get a better sense of his work beyond this statue. Interestingly enough, I found that he is also known for completing a large statue called Connecticut, a work of a crouching, peering Indigenous man with (literal) red skin and a rather stereotypical appearance. One source describes him as a "giant Indian brave," which makes sense considering how the statue was set up in the Diamond, Richmond's ballpark, where it became the city icon and mascot for 25 years. Now, it sits atop the historic Lucky Strike Power Plant and overlooks the James River tidal basin to purportedly pay homage to original Americans. Thus, both the Neptune and Connecticut statues are meant to be formidable works paying homage to a certain legacy; however, where the Neptune statue stands overseeing and possessing the oceanfront, the Connecticut statue crouches and peers - courageous and not necessarily defeated, but not quite in control or in power. I would argue that this difference is a reflection of settler colonial narratives which simultaneously romanticize and valorize Indigenous peoples - and their struggles as warriors - while simultaneously gesturing toward their inevitable defeat/lack of prowess once confronted with the "stronger, more durable" Western society.Image(s): Neptune Statue; Connecticut Statue
Let's Grab Lunch!
Taste Unlimited is my second destination on this tour, as it was often my first actual stop during a beach day. Originally opened by Peter Coe as a wine and cheese stop in 1973, I would stop at this (now-turned) sandwich shop with friends to grab lunch before settling on a spot at the beach. My order was almost always the "Northender" consisting of honey smoked turkey, hardwood smoked bacon, Havarti cheese, avocado, romaine, tomato, and basil mayo on French bread along with a cold cream soda. As it was typically very cold inside the establishment, I would find myself shivering, as I was usually only dressed in a bathing suit and a basic dress or oversized t-shirt with flip flops. It was always worth it though!After peering through the Taste Unlimited website, I found that its mission statement is to "Cultivate Community through the Good Life, with an unmatched guest experience offered in authentically local spaces that inspire the good life every day." I found the use of the phase "authentically local" to be interesting here; Taste seems to pride itself on being authentic, genuine, and loyal to the community it serves, yet the "authentic" community here is, of course, the settler colonial - and largely white - community. Also emphasized on this site is the fact that the owners of the establishment, now the Pruden family, are passionates advocates of voluteerism, philanthropy, and the betterment of communities. I found this interesting consideirng that ethos was never necessarily front and center within the establishment itself whenever I visited. Overall, there wasn't much here to point out in terms of the relationship between this space and Indigenous peoples, realities, or histories.Sound(s): Store/Restaurant BellImage(s): Facade of "Taste" Building in Virginia Beach
Some Mystic Shopping...
Half Moon Music is another meaningful site to me - though I didn't visit here very often, I distinctly recall coming with a very close high school friend of mine to do mostly window shopping. As we were young and without jobs, all that either of us usually could afford were a few sticks of incense and maybe a piece of jewelry. Usually somewhere in the middle of a beach way, we would meander over to this shop to browse, looking through its collection of used records, the great majority of which neither of us were familiar with (though we would never admit to it).This little shop, located on 16th street and rather close to the water, has been around since 1988. It was [o]riginally a music shop focused on tape swapping and hard to find imports" until the owners (huge Grateful Dead fans) "slowly branched out into more clothing and gifts." Now, it has a "much larger location just a block away from the origial, where [the owners] can host open mic nights, smart art festivals, and stay involved with [the] local community." Also noted is how the store sells "hundreds of twirling skirts, flowing tie dye dresses, bohemian tops, and festival gear" and exclusively has the murals on its building painted by local Virginia Beach artists, presumably to ensure the authentic Virginia Beach-ness and community oriented-ness of the shop. Again, a particular construction of community authenticity surfaces here. Thinking of the relationship between this space and Indigenous peoples, realities, histories, etc., what sticks out is the general aesthetic of the shop - and a few of the products it sells. The shop is meant to be spiritual, mystic, supernatural, and free in some ways - evoking a "woke" and "third eye open-ness." This is evidenced in some of the products sold here - brightly patterned "bohemian" clothing, crystals/crystal jewelry, beaded jewelry, candles, and so on. Many of these products actually have roots in non-white Indigenous cultures; for instance, sold here are sarongs, dream catchers, and ponchos, each of which have distinct roots in non-white Indigenous cultures. This leads me to think about how Indigenous people are often conceived of as those who are tapped into a natural sprituality or mysticism and who are in tune with the Earth in a way that others typically are not. As the shop is attempting to portray itself as a mystic, spiritual, and "earthy" site, I would argue that it draws on Indigenous tools to help materialize and, in some ways, legitimate, that atmosphere and aesthetic even as actual Indigenous peoples, histories, meanings, etc. remain invisible. To go even further, I typed the word "Native" on the site's product search bar out of sheer curiosity. What popped up was a series of products drawing on very stereotypical images of Indigenous people, mostly male chiefs. Many of these products utilize images of Native peoples as spiritually awake and warriors. One particularly interesting product is a tapestry depicting a Native person over an America flag with the description "Native American USA We Were Here First." The description seems to beckon toward some recognition of the violence of settler colonialism and the ongoing survival and resistance of Indigenous peoples; nonetheless, the U.S. flag - which covers most of the image - feels violent nonetheless. Also interesting is an image of a sticker of a stereoyptical Native American chief with a description including the phrase "Born Free." Again, this invokes the sense that Indigenous people are inherently freer beings, in terms of how they navigate space, engage with one another/the Earth, and exist spiritually. This seems to disallow, or at least render invisible, the very real violence, surveillance, and confinement Indigenous peoples have faced. Sound(s): Grateful Dead SoundCloud PageImage(s): Half Moon building facade; "We Were Here First" tapestry, "Born Free" sticker
Vedging on the Beach
During any visit to the beach, the large majority of my time is usually spent, of course, vedging out on the beach. I initially did this on the main beaches which attract tourists, but as I became a more seasoned and regular beach go-er, I came to realize that the North End Beaches are more desirable in many ways; they are less touristy, have free parking if you know where to look, and are less crowded and messy. These beaches extent from about 32nd Street to 88th street, but my focus here rests more specifically on 60th Street and its opening into the beach. I have come here for a variety of reasons over the years.For instance, my high school friends and I took to coming to this section of the oceanfront whenever we wanted to have a beach day; we would bring food, drinks, and speakers with the knowledge that we wouldn't be bothering anyone or be bothered by anyone. Also, at one point during the summer of 2017, my (now) ex and former best friend brought me here to watch the sunrise and later have breakfast at a local restaurant called Citrus. This was just days before our final year of high school and about a month before we officially started dating. We sat on our blankets, wrapped up in our windbreakers, and watched the sun come up while chatting about random things; it is a very fond memory for me, as it distinctly felt like the beginning of something. After we broke up several months later - and I was going through the motions of my first heartbreak - I decided to return to this site partly with the same intention: to watch the sunrise. But, of course, I was different in that moment, forever changed. I came alone and felt the urge to journal in silence; I craved a stillness that would only be intruded upon by the sound of the waves crashing upon the shore and the sun peeking out over the horizon. I think I chose this site, one where we had been together those months before, because I knew that it could provide a certain solitary closure and sense of completeness for me; sitting there watching the sunrise once again, I meditated on the cyclical nature of life - trying to accept difficult endings while also embracing and remaining optimistic for new beginnings. By this point, I was on my way to college and had just gotten my driver's license. Thus, while I was navigating the difficulties pertaining to the ending of my relationship with my ex, I was also pointedly aware of - and revelling in - my newfound freedoms and abilities; I was able to journey to and from wherever I wanted without having to depend on anyone and was soon to be out of my parents house. All of this came to me in that moment watching the sunrise. This area is not ony marked by personal beginnings, but also broader historical and political developments. As stated in the introduction, Cape Henry, a cape on the Atlantic shore of Virginia located in the northeast corner of Virginia Beach, is the site where English colonists led by Captain Christopher Newport in three infamous ships (The Susan Constant, The Godspeed, and The Discovery) landed for the first time in April of 1607. Thus, the coastline of Virginia Beach is a significant site insofar as it marks a beginning in the process of English colonization; it is the "first landing." This is commemmorated in the city in various ways; for instance, there is a "First Landing State Park" and "First Colonial High School," both of which pay homage to this moment in city history. While the Chesapeakes are celebrated through the naming of the "Cheseapeake Bay" and the city of "Chesapeake" as such, their actual realities and histories are invisible.Further, I think it is worth mentioning that the North End, also a neighborhood, is overtly white and affluent, consisting of several multimillion dollars properties which, in part, derive their value from being in close proximity to the beach and even having private beach access. In this sense, the beach itself is a privatized, commercialized product associated with market value. This functions to limit who can access certain parts of it along lines of wealth which are, of course, racialized as well. Sound(s): Ocean WavesImage(s): Photo I took of sunrise during August 2017 visit described above; two photos from subsequent North End beach trips; photo of Cape Henry
Getting Crabby
My final point of interest on this personal tour of the oceanfront is the Virginia Beach Boardwalk Fishing Pier located at 1413 Atlantic Avenue. This 400 foot pier was built in 1950 and has since been only by three families: the Murdens, the Lachmans, and the Bonneys. It is essentially a site for people to come and fish at the oceanfront while also taking in its sights, particularly during the night when the stars are out and most visible over the ocean. During this time, it comes alive with children running up and down the walkway, playing with glow in the dark toys and renting bikes to ride up and down the boardwalk. While this pier isn't quite a go-to of mine while at the beach, or even a place that I particularly enjoy, it has sentimental value for me because my first time coming was with my father and his long time girlfriend (basically his wife and my stepmom) to watch people fish one night. It was my father's first time seeing the beach, and he was primarily there to pick my sister and I up and bring us to Michigan in order to spend the summer with him for the first time, as arranged by an agreement made between him and my mom. Thus, I associate the pier with the beginning of this dynamic and, related, the beginning of a more robust relationship with my biological father. During this visit, I distinctly recall that we came across a man who had managed to catch around 30 or so crabs and was storing them in a large white bucket. This inspired my stepmom to buy two small hermit crabs from the local gift shop, both of whom died rather shortly later - sometime in the middle of the summer. As time passed, it became a tradition for my father to rent a hotel on or near the oceanfront whenver he visited to either pick us up or drop us off during the summers and for us to spend a couple days exploring the boardwalk. While I was unaware of this at the time, it actually costs money to fish here ($12 for an adult) and it costs $2 to simply walk along the pier and take in the sights. This urges me to reflect on the extent to which each aspect of nature, even down to existing within and witnessing nature, has been commercialized; this includes land, but extends past it into the water and even the cosmos. Though I know little about the Chesepians, I can rather confidently infer that fishing for sustenance purposes would not have been a commercialized activity, and neither would the activity of taking in the natural beauty of the oceanfront.Image(s): Fishing Pier Entrance; view of pier from a distance
