Most people think of the ocean as white sea foam swaying back and forth or intricate seashells hidden within the rocky shores. Although it may seem like this to most people it can be the complete opposite. I laid on the moss like ocean floor pondering what I should do that would be a perfect end to summer. As I submerged to the surface of the icy cold water, I got chills all over my goose bump covered body. I looked down into the dark, mysterious water and it felt like a creature was lurking beneath me. Then when I came back into focus I directed towards my friends on the warm beach. One of them, Britlyn, was flailing her arms in digress as she yelled something that I couldn’t decipher. The other, Eden, was pointing behind me as she bit a huge chunk out of the ham sandwich that all three of us added to the quaint picnic we created earlier that sunny Sunday morning. When I turned around, frightened of what I was going to see salt water rushed into my nose and mouth. I gasped for air just before I was thrown deep down into the now ferocious waters. My head hit the ocean floor that before had seemed so soft, but at that moment felt as hard as a brick wall. The ocean didn’t seem too dreamy anymore.

When I finally managed to get my head above the water, I spit out all off the sand and salt water and replaced it with beachy air. It felt so good when my lungs filled with air and all I really wanted at that point was to make it to shore before another wave like that came upon me. Rubbing my aching head, I doggie paddled to my two concerned friends. After they saw that I was okay, we actually all started t laugh. Although the experience had been hectic, it allowed me to gain insight and knowledge about the ocean that I never would’ve completely understood before. I finally got that the ocean can change at any moment from calm, flat waters to treacherous waves. After I got home that night i decided to research ocean safety and I learned a lot. I am thankful for this experience because even though it hurt at the time it gave me more gain than pain. In the future I will know how to handle most situations like this and I’m interested in maybe even becoming a lifeguard one day.

No matter what happens to me in the ocean I will always love it. I look at it as the most beautiful, best gift mother nature could possibly give to our world. I spend a lot of time at the beach and one day I even hope to live on one. I feel so privileged to be near an ocean because many people never have been to the beach in their life. I find it really important that we don’t take the beautiful sea for granted.Photo taken by me on the beautiful island of Bora Bora.