Live By The Currents, Plan By The Tides, & Follow The Sun

The sea, once it casts its spell, holds one in its net of wonder forever.

- Jacques Cousteau

The weekend has come and gone once again. What sadness. Although my Mondays/Tuesdays nudge me ever so gently into the week, it's still Monday! This weekend was much needed, even if it was a little exhausting. I decided once again to make the 170 mile (one-way) pilgrimage (alone) to worship the sand, sun, and salt water in the 75° weather. It was with the best of intentions that I packed up my books, beach towel and stunt kite and looked to see when the next bus was running.... "No current prediction for this route." Right. Saturday. This means the bus didn't even start running till 11:30am. My car is 3 miles off campus since you know, in 1790 whatever they were perhaps considering what wealthy lad would bring his horse, not his car. Parking here is absolutely non-existant, and I had forgotten to pick up my car the night before. At this point it's about 9:30/9:45ish and I'm absolutely determined to get to the beach. The sun is shining, it's warm, I'm going! I consolidated my bags as best I could (books take up space!), slung my kite over my back (thank heavens for the ingenuity of the Prism corporation), grabbed my keys and headed to my bike.

Now mind you, I was the genius that purchased a cruiser bike. This equates to being able to have a spacious basket on the back, but no gears unless I wanted to shell out over $225 for a bike. As I started my excursion I thought things maybe wouldn't be so bad. The street I was on was all downhill and I was cruising pretty. But always remember this my dear friends, what goes....uh, down must go back up. As I walked my bike up the freaking mountain (okay, okay it was a hill. But it's a lot more than anything out on the beach!) I realized the source of my sore throat was in fact, the pollution from all those cars whizzing by. Gross! As I crossed the intersection, nearing my final goal, I was ready to curse the city transit to the darkest depths. But you know what? I made it (at 10:30). I don't think sitting in my car has ever felt more heavenly.

Then I drove, and drove, and drove. Thank heavens it's 70mph for the majority of the trip! As I reached the nearest city and the speeds slowed, I opened all the windows. Oh sweet salt air and sunshine! I was home, if only metaphorically, and I was more than just a little stoked to be there. So much to the point that the traffic didn't bother me in the least bit. "Just another Saturday in the 'summer'," I smiled to myself. I broke from most of the traffic by deciding to drive a few extra miles to the south, away from the beaches where fundamental things like parking, are not free. While this beach did have a few hotels, and definitely rental houses, it looked to be a fairly local place. There were lots of beach-side houses with mailboxes and cozy neighborhoods that embraced everything it meant to live at the beach. And at the pinnacle of it all was...free parking.

I couldn't get out of my car fast enough. I got on the beach, found a spot, dropped my stuff, and like the little kid I felt like, plopped myself ungracefully down onto the sand and just sat there. There were families, lone sunbathers, groups, tourists, surfers, a pier, seagulls, sand, sun, waves, and wind. Oh God, the wind! We just don't have that here at school. I completely forgot about the sunscreen at the bottom of my bag (I thought I'd forgotten it in my dorm) and set up my kite. It's a big kite, but it's built light for winds just 1-10mph. And this day was not that. The gusts were just too much. Although I'd put on the heavier line set, I could feel it was too little at just 90lbs test. I put the kite away after about 15 min and set to the studying/sunbathing. To my credit, I think I did pretty alright in the studying department for being completely distracted by my surroundings. No y'all, I'm not talking about the "local scenery". Get your minds out of the gutter! The dolphins of course! And they were so close to shore. In all my years I don't think I've ever seen dolphins that close to shore.

After the sun started sinking to the west and the wind picked up I realized that no more studying was getting accomplished. So I threw on some jeans and a long-sleeved shirt (hey, I know that you need 3 different outfits for unseasonal beach days) and just "was". I climbed the lifeguard tower (oh so different than the ones where I live. Plus they take ours down in the wintertime), watched the surfers and dolphins, took pictures, watched the waves, and just in general took great notice of how few days I'd ever fully appreciated that I got to live at the beach. Some people live for getting to come to the beach for a week in a year, maybe every two years. I got to be there every single day. I didn't have to wait. Now I have driven twice this semester 240 miles round-trip to get just a few hours at the beach. It's been worth it every time. My friends and I are planing a weekend when we can go down together as a group. Probably in April some time with the way all of our schedules look. But I look forward to it all the same.

I was finally driven off the beach by the facts that I didn't bring a jacket and hadn't eaten breakfast that morning. Chilly and hungry...hmm... I found a local joint that smelled promising, and surveyed the parking lot. This is always a must when deciding where to eat at the beach. Why? Locals know best. Yes, I had found a place absolutely packed with local cars. The food was, as the locals waiting in line had said, very good. It was all too soon time to leave and make my 2hr and 15-30min trip back inland. In my time on one of the very most southern islands (certainly the farthest south I've ever been in the state) I was asked twice for directions, and then someone thought I was coming in for a shift at work at the restaurant. Guess I look like I fit in down there.

I was absolutely shattered when I got back to my dorm. I seem to have forgotten just what a day at the beach will do to you (coupled with a good many miles of driving). I smelled of beach and had salt stuck on my skin, my hair was windblown, and I managed to track sand over what seemed like every square inch of my dorm room in the span of 30 seconds. But there were shells in my pocket and I was happy...but freezing! I went to get my jammies on...and oh! There's the reason I was cold...and hot....and cold. My arms, shoulders, and chest were glowing a nice, light pink color. Sunburn. I was sunburned in the middle of February. It's the definition of ironic. Being the devoted beach kid that I am the Aloe Lotion never left my closest from the summer. Sweet relief...

Now the pink is nearly gone, the sand is swept up, and the shells rest in a bowl on my dresser. Tomorrow is supposed to be in the 50s, as is most of the rest of the week. But that's okay. As much as I'd love for this springtime teaser to stick around, I'll take anything I can get. It's just about 9 days till spring break, and my first midterm is in just under two days. If I survive them all I'll get rewarded with my very own beach. My home.

Remember to have random fun y'all!!

Peace,

Elina

My soul is full of longing
For the secret of the sea,
And the heart of the great ocean
Sends a thrilling pulse through me.
- Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

This photo is my very own, shot on my phone this weekend.