Moonlight sailing on Rehoboth Bay in 1939

This romanticized illustration of a full moon sail on Rehoboth Bay graced a postcard that was mailed from Rehoboth Beach in 1939. The scene captures a moment in time when recreational sailing on Rehoboth Bay was at least as popular, if not more so, than recreational motorboating. 

The scene also sparks a sense of unplugged adventure in the magical and mysterious light of the moon, outdoors, at the beach, lightly clothed, all senses stimulated by the beauty of the natural world - salty warm breezes, waves lapping and indistinct conversation bouncing over the water from young people gathered around small fires, the taste of splashing water on the lips - at night in the height of the summer.

The full moon this month falls on Saturday, July 24.