I grew up with the beaches of the Rockaways in Queens, NY, and hadn’t found anything near Boston that could come close to comparison until yesterday’s discovery of North Scituate Beach. Packed, soft sand; minimal broken shells; minimal rocks; warm, gentle water that rolls toward the shore. I still miss the waves of my childhood beaches, but now I’ve found a place where I can walk on the sand without having to worry about getting a hypodermic needle shoved up my foot. Warning: resident parking only, sadly. Make a friend in the area so you can borrow their driveway.