I sat back in my seat and looked out at the ocean. It was a hot day during spring break on the ocean near Turtle Cove. The waves crashed into the boat like they were trying to break in. “Mom, do you think there will be a shark?” I asked as I felt goose bumps spread across my body. “No, I don’t think so,” she replied calmly, as her shirt moved in the wind
The wind sliced through my hair, as I sat on the mesh net in the front of the catamaran, my body sinking into the holes. I squinched my eyes, trying to see with the bright sun. We were on our way to Turtle Cove to snorkel with sea turtles during our trip in St. Thomas. It was a nice, sunny day, and the water was crystal clear.
Along the way I had been freaking out that there was going to be a shark, I mean, we were in the ocean.
“Are you sure there aren’t any sharks?” I croaked.
“Yes, I’m sure,” she snapped, I could tell she was annoyed. “We can ask the workers if you don’t believe me.” I knew I was turning 10 tomorrow and shouldn’t be scared of
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“Are you sure I um, um, um, “ I looked for an excuse to stay on the boat.
“Evie be a big girl,” my Mom said, her blue eyes twinkling, making me want to agree. I Took a I deep breath.
“ I will,” I stuttered over the words.
My Mom gave me a huge hug me like she never wanted to let go. I smiled, trying to convince myself that everything was going to be fine. You’re 10, your’re 10, you’re 10, I kept thinking. I finally put the rubber mask on and got in, the smell of saltwater filling my nose. It was really fun seeing the sea turtles in their beautiful, natural habitat.
I floated to the top of the water to talk,“Ok,” I said, anxious to get to back to the boat, “We can go back now.”
“No Evie keep going,” smiled Dad. I sighed, which was hard to do even above water because of the mask.
“I’m going back to the boat where Gavin is,” my mom gestured excitedly toward the boat where Gavin, my little brother,
The smell of the restaurants faded and the new, refreshing aroma of the sea salt in the air took over. The sun’s warmth on my skin and the constant breeze was a familiar feeling that I loved every single time we came to the beach. I remember the first time we came to the beach. I was only nine years old. The white sand amazed me because it looked like a wavy blanket of snow, but was misleading because it was scorching hot. The water shone green like an emerald, it was content. By this I mean that the waves were weak enough to stand through as they rushed over me. There was no sense of fear of being drug out to sea like a shipwrecked sailor. Knowing all this now I knew exactly how to approach the beach. Wear my sandals as long as I could and lay spread out my towel without hesitation. Then I’d jump in the water to coat myself in a moist protective layer before returning to my now slightly less hot towel. In the water it was a completely different world. While trying to avoid the occasional passing jellyfish, it was an experience of
As my family and I sped along the coast, the sour smell of sulfur vents and sea salt pungently gusted through my nostrils. My clothes were damp from the constant spray of seawater. My sense of balance was overcome by the sequential hop from wave to wave and – combined with the
The lifeguard that hangs onto the red float the says LIFEGUARD in big white letters asks me,” Are you ready?”
I hopped in and pushed off the shore ready for a month of relaxation. I looked to my right and saw a fish jump and break the surface of the water. The mosquitos were buzzing everywhere around me, and the sun glared off the lake into my eyes. That was when I knew I was going to have the best three weeks of my
There I stand on the Atlantic Ocean beach in Daytona, Florida. It’s 7:49 A.M, June 28, 2015. I feel my size ten feet sink into the frosty sand. With my board in my left arm, and sand covering my body, I seize my direction towards the blue ocean. As I halt at the base of the monumental ocean, I gaze in both directions, not a life in sight. I feel at peace, solitude, in my own meager world. As the crisp ocean mist wipes my sand replete face, I bounce into the ocean with my board under my body, cruising into the profound blue sea.
Even though we were in Florida, the sunshine state, it was still March and wearing two wetsuits didn’t keep my teeth from chattering. So we went back to the boat. After ten minutes the others in my group came back. Which meant the young couple with us came back. A date with manatees, why not? I would love that. During the time it took for them to get back I had watched a manatee go under one of the other boats resting in the lagoon. I was thankful all the boats were required to have covers over the propellers. Capt. Stacey started the motor, and the boat puttered out. Once we were back at the docks by our hotel, we walked to our rooms and I promptly fell on my bed, exhausted like I had just ran a mile
The sound of the waves grew louder as we got closer. I heard my dad say, “Just over that hill”. I couldn't stand the excitement, we were almost there. I felt the breeze go threw my hair as the sun broke thru the trees at the top of the hill; I squinted until my eyes adjusted. There it was, Lake Michigan.
Pulling up to their house and climbing up the steps, I noticed that it seemed tremendously smaller. The house was as similar as my foggy memory allowed me to recall: white couches faded to tan with butt imprints, a table for two jutted up to the equally small kitchen, two beige rocking chairs in front of a TV from two decades ago. The question in the forefront of my mind was, “Where are we all going to sleep?” I shortly found out both of the couches had pull out beds. My mom and I eventually made our way down the beach and I excitedly ran down the steps into the tunnel, yelling at the top of my lungs and slapping my sandals on the concrete. My mom was yelling at me to stop, I was certain I experienced deja-vu. As we walked onto the beach, I noticed our lot was private and there were fancy hotels on either side that had lavish beach chairs. Over the years I had developed a fear of the ocean since I had been in Florida when I was younger, so the beach was not as magnificent to me as it used to be. However, the water looked amazing; the waves crested as they hit their peak and then crashed down with power. I loved the smell and taste of the salty air, the squishy sand beneath my feet, and the remarkable view. This was a place I would never forget and somewhere I could see myself at in the
It was the middle of winter, and to get away from the cold my family and I decided to take a vacation somewhere warm and enjoyable. We decided to go to Florida and enjoy the warm and beautiful beaches. I pictured the ocean as being a place of peace and serenity. It was my first time visiting the ocean, and all I hoped for was the ocean to be as beautiful as the pictures I had seen of it. As we arrived at Clearwater Beach in Florida, the eagerness of seeing this peaceful place was rising. I couldn’t wait to smell the fresh salty air, and feel the soft sand between my toes.
"If she did then why did you have to almost force her to go with you. I think you are taking this cool thing a little to far."
I recall in vivid detail the scenery around us as we embarked on our perilous journey down the Nantahala. We arrived at the drop-off point in the early afternoon the next day. The sweet smell of fresh pine trees was floating in the air and a soft midsummer breeze was brushing against our faces. After receiving directions and safety precautions from our rafting instructor, we geared up, boarded our raft, and set out for our voyage down the treacherous Nantahala. Sharing the experience with me were my mother, aunt, uncle, and cousin; along with out rafting guide. We were all ready for a fun and safe ride down the Nantahala.
...k. Scared and moving back a little more, the shark was in a freeze position no flipping or wobbling, the only thing that was making a move was his gills. Wanting to know more I asked what kind of shark it is and was told that it’s a Caribbean Reef Shark. After the adult left all the children there, we start to poke it with a stick and was touching it with our hands and feet to feel the skin, which felt rough like I was touching sandpaper. When the kids were poking the reef with the stick I thought it would react in a very aggressive way but that wasn’t the case, it was still calm until they start getting aggressive their self. I sacred cause that’s when the reef begun to start snapping at every movement that was making. It was getting too much for me to take especially since it was going out of control, so I left and have no clue as to what happen to the Reef Shark.
We got into our lines, behind groups of excited families and happy little old men and women. As the line ascended up the ramp onto this enormous water vessel, pictures were taken of every group of passengers. Smile, laugh and look happy! Riiight. As a matter of fact, I was pretty anxious. I'd never been on a boat like this, and especially not for a whole week.
As I walked down the worn dirt path to the ocean, I was astonished by how many people were lounging by the water.. As I got closer to the water’s edge, I contemplated why more people don 't swim and decide to tan in the sun instead. The feeling of being alone with the ocean and my thoughts played in my mind.
I will never forget the first time I went snorkeling, it was something I had been afraid to do up until the moment I touched the water. Beforehand all I could think about was what if I got attacked by a shark? I was too young to die and I felt like I was tempting fate. Then once I made the plunge into the water everything washed away, as if the waves carried the fear with them as they folded over me. I remember that day so clearly, rocking back and forth, up and down, I sat on a small glass bottom boat. The enormous ocean waves making me nauseas as I put my snorkel gear on. I hurried as fast as I could, knowing my nausea would go away as soon as I entered the water. This wasn’t the first time I have gotten sea sick, but it only shows up when the boat is sitting still. As soon as I got my equipment on I jumped into the water, fins first. I felt the sensation of goose bumps shivering up my whole body, tiny bubbles rolling over my body from breaking the surface, they ran from my toes upwards to break free at the ocean’s surface. Once the bubbles cleared, I looked around to see a new blue world I have never experienced before. I heard the sound of the ocean, mumbled by the sound of my deep breathing and the tanks of the more experienced scuba divers below me. It’s a very relaxing and peaceful sound, and if I had not been in such a new and unusual place I could have floated with my eyes closed for hours.