The Ocean

A couple of days ago, the Lovely Sharon and I spent the day in Newport Beach.  I had not been to the ocean for at least a year, maybe two.  We parked our car and went to the beach.  We took our shoes off and walked through the water along the shore.  Initially, the water felt cold but as I continued to walk it didn‘t feel as cold, merely cool.  The Lovely Sharon was cold and she walked on the warm sun as I walked in the water. There were a lot of people sunbathing on the sand and a lot of kids running into the water from the beach.  It is invigorating to walk in the wet sand with the tide running up to the beach.  The temperature was in the mid 60’s and the breeze across the water into our faces felt cool and refreshing.

I don’t get to the ocean often but there is something about the sea that draws me. I like the smell of the salt air and the sea breeze. There is something soothing about walking through the water with your toes digging into the wet sand.  I like it when the water comes in faster and higher than you anticipated and your pants get wet.

One of my favorite things to do is to climb over the rocks and though the tide pools on the 17 Mile Drive in Carmel, California. I have explored these tide pools a number of times over the years but my two favorite times was when my Son Alex was 11 years old or so. The time when Son Alex and I explored the tide pools he and I had taken a trip together to San Francisco and Carmel. We had a terrific time, just father and son on an adventure together. 

Another time I explored the tide pools of Carmel I was with the Lovely Sharon. I was courting her and this was our first trip together.  We shared a bottle of wine and ate some cheese and crackers while sitting on a log watching the waves crashing over the rocks. It was a sunny day and the sky was blue and the ocean was blue with white crashing waves.  Then we explored the tide pools together. After this trip I was totally smitten by this beautiful woman. I think of that trip together often. It was the beginning of us being a couple.

One of these days I want to sail on the ocean in a sail boat.  I have never done that and I hope to do that  before its too late.