Personal Narrative Essay: The Day At The Gold Coast

I first encountered the ocean in 1958; I was ten. Being a map enthusiast, I knew exactly where Florida was, and I was excited to swim in the salty Atlantic Ocean. Born and raised next to frigid Lake Michigan I understood a large body of water as well as a sandy beach, but no book or encyclopedia prepared me for understanding the flavor or immensity of an ocean and its adjoining shore. Arriving at the beach I raced across the hot pure white sand to keep my feet from burning, stopping in wonder when I saw ocean waves gently caressing a seashore that seemed to go on and on forever. I knew I was somewhere special.

I dove through the cold currents, feeling my hands create an opening through the water. I closed my aching eyes and let the water submerge me, pulling me in. The sun cast shadows on the floor of the pool, shifting every now and then. I could feel the warmth of the sun as I swam further. I sighed, deeply content.

A plethora of Christmas tree lots are ready to sell a variety of tress for this upcoming holiday season.

Summer of 1994. New York City smelled no different than hot rat piss and looked accordingly. Fresh off my 15th birthday and wandering the Brooklyn streets with Hakeem, we followed the music wherever it played. Our community cherished music through constant airplay. Anyone with loud speakers, either in their car, apartment, or boombox, blared any of the anthems from the future greats. Whether it's Nas, Wu-Tang, Biggie, or Tribe, the list is blissfully endless. Hakeem’s brother, a well-connected music promoter, gave Hakeem two tickets to this secret show he was putting on for Ice Cube, who, despite being the first notable west coast rapper, carries a rage within him that the east coast entirely recognizes.

I run into the water and tumble into the waves. I feel them strongly hitting against me,I see my sister riding against the rough waves. I taste the salty sea water I got itchy sand all over I stood up just to be knocked back over.

I was a young child sitting in abandoned house waiting for the black blizzard to pass.I went to get wet towel to put over my face.

I had figured out how to get the leash on my ankle and manage to pick up my washed-out blue foam surfboard. Ultimately, I had the courage to get turned around and face the shore. All three of us when to the water’s edge, and each time the waves crashed it looked as if they were attempting to grab my ankles and sweep me into the water. After being pulled out on the ancient board, I felt as if I was getting farther and farther away from existence.

As the powerful abyss consumes my convulsing body, my arms and legs propel me through the dark emptiness. The sloshing water lapping my ears, drowns out the sounds of the rushing water above, as I break to the surface. Tackling the sunlit board with one arm and hauling my limp body aboard the smooth, water-beaded paddleboard, a calmness immediately claims me, as I gaze above to the piercing blue sky. As I regain my footing on the wobbling yellow board, I can feel the sun’s rays dance over my skin and dry the water that cascades down my soaking frame. Leaning back and plunging the paddle within the depths of the Colorado River, my sinewy arms mechanically take shape, and thrust me forward.

She looked up at one of the biggest waves and just sighed at the look of it. "Yeah, Dad, we practiced all right... At lower tides.". She picked up her board (Which seemed heavier from all the anxiety) and lunged into the stampeding ocean. She spat out some salty water that had entered her mouth and began to paddle deeper into the vast sea. Her eyes launched side-to-side as she'd learned to use great caution while doing this. She searched for a couple of minutes before seeing the perfect wave. She turned her board around and began to push her surfboard rapidly forward. The wave picked her board up and before she knew it, she was above it. Amber carefully got up and stood on the board as the tide slowly decreased in height. Her confidence was boosted, As though she felt like she was on top of the world! Amber felt the warm breeze of air brush through her face as she smiled with delight. However, this feeling will not last long. Soon after this happened, Amber placed her foot on the wrong spot and slipped into the iciness bellow her. Amber began to panic and she now bloodshot eyes was trying to look for a way back up.

The waves end at my ankles and the water and sand rushing through my toes feel great. I shiver and shiver until I finally get used to the water. I make my way farther out to where I'm leveled off to my waist. Quick breathe, then dunk under. I quickly pull my soaked head of the salty sea and comb my hair back with my wrinkled fingers. My sun kissed face makes my freckles pop when you could never see them. To be safe, I slowly get out of the salty wetland and make my way under the colorful umbrella my mom set up when I was away from them, enjoying the water.

Immediately, I angled my position and went for a dead sprint toward the water. I jumped off the cliff. I never felt anything like it; the trajectory had me flying through the air for longer than I expected. A surge of adrenaline pulsed through my body, bringing a new sense of life to me. The scorching heat went away as gravity pulled my body toward the water, bringing me a pleasant breeze through my fall. Then, I finally hit the water. I didn’t stick a solid landing, as I went head first into the water. I panicked and opened my eyes under the murky water, only to see nothing but dirt and sediments float around me. I kept sinking and saw a monstrous fish swim right in front of my face. At that very moment, my body went into overdrive, and I managed to project myself back up to the

10 members of 3 CDSG Signal Squadron have recently returned from completing the West Coast Trail, on Vancouver Island, BC as part of the Squadron Adventure Training which ran from 29 April to 09 May 2017. Arriving in Victoria from Dets scattered from Shilo, MB to Chilliwack, BC, the team had one day to gather last minute supplies, and distribute shared items to spread the weight.

The sound of the emerald green ocean water crashing against the shores filled my ears. Children ran along the shore, smiling from ear to ear while laughing amongst each other clearly enjoying their day. Some people were searching contently for sea shells, that were visible for miles. I looked out at the ocean, it stretched out far into the horizon; as far as my eyes could see. There were jetty’s that were perfectly placed within the ocean. I could smell the salt radiating off of the water. I had been waiting for this moment for a long time; I dashed into the ocean I’d been waiting for for the past

When I was eight years old my family and I went on our annual cruise to the Bahamas. Eight year old me loved cruises. Not necessarily the drinking and partying, but the part where I met some of the coolest people, at the kids club. Yes, the kids club. This is where we would make slime and where some kids would cry, but for me it was heaven. This particular year I didn't really like the kids, they weren't that fun. I did meet one girl there, her name was Alex. She seemed to be pretty normal and extremely unimpressed by the group of kids. So I went up to her and introduced myself, told her my name and where I was from, “I am from the United States, Syria, and Paraguay”. She was puzzled so I explained, “I bet you think I just said cereal, but I said Syria it’s a country in the middle east, that is where my dad is from. My mom is from Paraguay, a country in South America and I was born and raised in Miami, Florida.” Bewildered she told me that she was from Dallas, Texas and so were her parents. I couldn't blame her for still being confused, most people I met usually were. We spent the first three days together hanging out at the kids club, playing video games. We became close friends.

I throw on all of my gear on my back and shuffle to the end of the boat to jump off into the deep ocean below. I hold my mask and regulator tight onto my face as I take the plunge. The underwater world takes on a new persona as its inhabitants are magnified through my goggles. Bubbles float up past my head as I slowly and deeply breathe through my regulator while keeping my body neutrally buoyant to prevent myself from touching the marine life below. My fins cut through the water as they attempt to propel me against the strong ocean current over large kelp forests. Fish of all shapes and sizes swim up to investigate who I am and what I am doing in their underwater world.