You never forget your first love. It may be decades later, but you can still hear the sound of their laughter in the echoes of the night. You remember the addictive taste of their lips and the feel of their skin on yours. When you looked into their eyes, you were captivated as if under a spell. You can probably even remember the smell of their hair when you embraced, as if for the last time. That is what it feels like for me every time I explore a new beach. That place, and moment, when the land meets the sea is truly magical.
The Anticipation
It starts with anticipation. What will I find? Who will I meet? What will I discover? Usually, the first sign of the beach in the distance is its smell in the air. It’s a distinctive, musty, salty aroma that mixes earth and water, both rotting and alive. At the same time, the air changes. The moisture welcomes you, and the air becomes a little heavier, like a kiss from a cloud. Then, you start to hear the sea. It calls to you, like a thousand crowds applauding in a distant land, voices mixing, interrupted by an occasionally powerful wave as it crashes into the sand below. It sounds like a bass drum in a symphony of nature and awakens your senses.
The Chosen Path
I’ve taken hundreds of paths to beaches all around the world. I’ve walked through dune grass as tall as me and over succulents just starting to flower in the Springtime. The leaves and grasses dance happily in the wind, but then, why wouldn’t they? I’ve walked through sticky silt, climbed over boulders, crossed fences, and even trespassed to get my fix. Nothing can keep me from my one true love.
Love at First Sight
There’s nothing quite like that first sight of the ocean before you. It feels like returning home after an extended trip away. The watercolor changes from blue to grey to turquoise, and each shade is as unique as the sand below it. That first step onto the sand causes me to remove my shoes instantly, allowing my toes to relish the sensation of becoming one with the beach. The pleasure of earthing, or grounding, reenergizes every cell in my body and makes me come alive, as if from a deep sleep.
Each One is Unique
I’m a connoisseur of beaches, like some people study fine wines. I’ve explored white sandy beaches, beige, black, rough, muddy, powdery, pebbly, and as fine as powdered sugar. From Goa, India to Brac, Croatia, Ensenada, Mexico to Turkey, Greece, and the Canary Islands, every beach is different, as are the people, the shells, and birds. Some shorelines are dramatic cliffs; others have giant rocks, secret coves, protected bays, or expansive flat beaches that go on forever. Whenever I first step onto a new beach, I usually stop for a moment to look around and decide which way to go. Sometimes I want to socialize; other times, I long for solitude.
People Watching
The beach always makes for great people-watching. Kids see the wonder in every little thing at the beach while the adults tend to sunbathe or snooze in the sunshine. I enjoy watching buff surfers choose their waves, boogie-boarders playing in the surf, children constructing a masterpiece sandcastle, kiteboarders catching big air, dogs chasing a ball with unbridled enthusiasm, and opulent yachts floating gracefully beyond the waves in a lifestyle I don’t understand while I’m perfectly content to walk hand-in-hand with nature. I’ve watched camel caravans on the beaches of Dubai selling their handicrafts to tourists and little boys selling chicklets in Mexico. Every person, every dog, and every child imprints on my mind and becomes part of the artwork.
The WildLife
It’s always the wildlife, though, that steals the show. I love watching the birds and all their antics. I smile when I see Pelicans flying in formation just inches above the waves and the Marbled Godwit’s poking their long beaks into the sand for delicious morsels of who knows what. The flocks of Cormorants nesting in the cliffs above are a stark contrast to the shy Snowy Plovers nesting below. I’ve seen bald eagles and vultures fighting over a dead Humpback whale. I’ve watched coyotes searching for food, California Sealions soaking up the sun, bears foraging for clams on the coast of Alaska, and elk wading through knee-high water in Willapa Bay.
Treasure Hunting
My favorite thing to do is to beach comb for treasures. When I was fourteen, I found shells larger than my head on the beaches of Northern Australia. I’ve discovered white sand dollars and black sand dollars. Sometimes the critter still calls the shell home, and I help them get back into the sea, feeling a sense of relief that is likely not centered in reality. Other times, the shell has been vacated, and I take it home for my collection. I love the way the shells hide in the heaps of kelp and other seagrasses. It reminds me that sometimes life’s most valuable treasures are hidden in the muck, just waiting to be discovered.
Sunsets and Sunrises
Of course, the icing on the cake, the encore performance, is a brilliant sunrise or vivid sunset over the sea. For most of my life, I’ve watched glorious sunsets over the Pacific, but in other places, like the east coast, it rises over the Atlantic, sometimes in the most spectacular fashion! When the colors spread brightly through the clouds and reflect on the water below, it’s like a living painting and takes my breath away every time.
When my walk on the beach is over, I must turn away from Mother Ocean and listen to the wind as I find my way back to where I started. Sometimes, I swear I hear it calling my name. It always feels like leaving my lover at the airport, anticipating their return, and looking forward to their next embrace. It’s bittersweet and leaves me longing for more.