A Swampscott Oasis on a Warm July Afternoon

The free-water dispenser at Red Rock Rock Bistro Beach Food is an oasis on a hot day in July. It's also a Swampscott summer tradition. 
Beach-goers, especially, like to stop and cool down with a cup and perhaps a cone.
That's what Natasha Roman did with her baby and young child and her friend and her friend's two young children.
About 3 p.m. Thursday after a day at Fisherman's Beach they stopped at the beach stand, what use to be called Lime Rickey's before new ownership moved in this summer.
After water and ice cream Natasha coaxed her red wagon-load of kids to journey to Linscott Park and ride on the swing set.
Residents and visitors make the water cooler a stop on a hot summer's day. A place for a cup and a cone.
The traffic was brisk over an hour late Thursday afternoon.
Among the visitors were Lynn teenagers Emily Bucklin and Stephanie Bryson.
They like to walk the beach and stop for water after they are done.
The water is cool and clean, said Stephanie.
Mike Lione of Connecticut was visiting the stand for the first time. He was a double-fisted drinker, downing two cups of water as he rehydrated on another scorcher of a day.
It's not just people who enjoy the stop in the shade. Dogs avail themselves of drinks from two silver bowls filled with water.
The watering hole promises to be a busy place the next few days as the week-long heat wave continues making an endless summer of warm days.
Temperatures are expected to climb in the high 90s on Friday and stay high through the weekend before cooling off at the beginning of next week.