Triumph In The Sea

A refreshing ocean breeze came from the green sea.  Seagulls squawked and cawed around me.  I sat on a long terry cloth towel and stared out into the ocean.  The sun shined in the afternoon sky.  As it did, its rays reflected on the water’s surface, turning it a deep blue.  I spotted my friends out at sea as they either dove into the oncoming wave, or leaped over it. 

                  I wondered what it would be like to go ‘wave diving’, as my friends call it.  I sprinted to the shore where the water met the land.  I stood there and shivered as the cold water came up to my ankles, burying my feet in the wet sand.  I slowly departed from the shore, water rising higher around me, until I came to the spot where my friends were fooling around. 

                  At first, small waves came, which I had no trouble hopping over, but then… it came.  It was the biggest and roughest wave that I’ve ever seen.  Out in the distance, I could hear it laughing at me, taunting and telling me that I’ll never make it to the other side. 

                  The smaller waves around me cackled agreeing with the bigger one approaching.  My friend, Elena called from somewhere off to the right, “We’re going to dive soon!  Are you ready or are you chicken?!”

      Though the words were a bit insulting, they were also encouraging.  To her I replied, “Yes, I’m ready.” I silently prayed to the universe, ‘Please, oh, please let me live.’ I took a deep breath to relax my nerves, then, I dove in. 

                  I wore goggles to keep the salty water away from my eyes.  The ocean appeared foggy and dark green under the surface.  The sight of it disgusted me.  But, it was rejuvenating, refreshing, and relaxing swimming through the waves.  It was also so thrilling, feeling the rush off the wave going over my back. 

                  I emerged from the water, breathing heavily. 

                  “See, I told you it wasn’t hard,” Elena told me.  I just rolled my eyes, but inside I cheered, ‘I did it, I did it.’ For about 30 more minutes, Elena and I wave dove.