The Beach-Personal Narrative

According to my first impression, the most prominently “cliche” point in Zadie Smith’s essay, “Find Your Beach”, is Smith’s paradoxical anti-romantic view of New York City. The writer, Smith, seemingly carries on this stigma that every New Yorker suddenly becomes incredibly miserable to the point that they become delusional and admit that it is not misery.

We’re standing on a beach, a layer of rocks following the coastline. They’re sharp to the touch and as I pull my finger away it draws a tear of blood. Age has not dulled its surface, nor the sea as its waves crash unrelentlessly against the rocks.

The sun was shining so warmly when my Mom, my Aunt Connie, her boyfriend Zach, and his daughter Willow arrived in Rodanthe, North Carolina. Rodanthe is a very small town located on the Outer Banks of North Carolina near Cape Hatteras. We love going there every summer because it is away from all of the tourist areas, it’s small, and we get to know all of our neighbors.

The soaring sandstone cliffs never cease to amaze me. They offer a freedom from everyday life. After being cooped up in a classroom all of January and February, I needed a break. Going to the slot canyons to the east of Zion was the perfect way to start that break. Spring break. Today my uncle Wade, older brother Tyler, and cousin Silver were going to climb cougars cliff, which is near Snow Canyon. This was the third time that I had ever gone rock climbing, so it seems reasonable to attempt the daunting 135 foot cliff. I climbed into a harness. Wade tied a double fisherman’s knot, and then the four of us approached the wall.

When the sun begins to hide behind the horizon there is only one environment on the planet that harnesses the power to leave oneself in complete and utter awe. This one of a kind place captures all of the elements in their perfect and most striking form. The sky bolsters with eloquent colors, the warm sand caresses your toes, and the soothing waves break with the most perfect noise as to not break your focus on the sunset; it is just as captivating as a north poles aurora borealis. A certain feeling drifts along through a slight breeze on this sunset beach as you observe the sunset above the water. It is a warm and comforting feeling that most people can relate to when they experience the affects of love for the first time; a sudden rush of

The ocean strokes land with calm and reassuring hands, lacing water with sand and lifting seashells in its wake. My heart urges me forward, to walk among the peace, to capture the sweet smell of sea salt. My brain reasons with the rest of my body. Turning sharply from the churning water I force my feet to leave the warm imprint they have grown to love

Have you ever dreamed of doing something but never thinking it would happen? Have you ever wanted to do a whole list of things but never had the courage to do it? Have you ever woke up every day feeling like you were living a fantasy? Well I did and here’s my story.

Aw yes the cool breeze in the air, and the hot sun in the sky. The warm ground I laid on I knew I was in the right place. I walked in the warm water where I saw the beautiful fish swim all around me. All the beautiful shells, and the sounds of birds singing. The way the water sounds I wish I could stay here forever. Then it was time to go. As i walked I turned around and said ‘“I have to come back to this beach again.”

It’s all right, kid,’ he says. ‘You’re in my boat. I didn’t want to scare you, but I have your stuff; it was all over the beach. I’ll bring it over.’

I quickly got out of my parents car, got my suitcase out, and ran straight to Anna. I want to share with you the time that my best friend and i went to Ocean Isle Beach for a week.

On a rainy afternoon, A man is sitting at a diner. He’s well dressed, wearing a blue button-down shirt and grey pants with suspenders. His face is looking down at the table with a zoned out expression, his hands are clasped together as he fiddles with his thumbs nervously. He looks up and observes his surrounding. The diner was decorated in vibrant colours of red, blue and yellow, however, the lighting and the cloudy weather made the diner look sterile. He hears the entrance door behind him open. He anxiously turns around to see who it is, a girl -in her late twenties, early thirties- enters through the door, the rain had drenched her, her blue dress stuck wet on her statuesque body and her brown hair hung soaking and untidy. The water from

This photograph was taken on Waikiki Beach in Honolulu, Hawaii in 2015. It was taken during sunset and as the tide had gone out, revealing a wider coastline. The world-famous beach is manmade and since 1951, over 80,000 cubic meters of sand has been imported to replace sand lost through erosion from heavy rainfall, sea swells, wind and tropical storms.

I walked along the beach. As I was walking I could feel the fresh smell of the beach like it was an air freshener but it also smelled that gave me a tingle in my nose. As I kept walking along the beach I could feel the light breeze coming against me. This fresh air felt warm as I felt like I was sleeping in a comfortable bed. I kept walking in the beach, as I did it felt like an escape to all my problems and also my stress. Beach felt like a solution to all my problems and could be open with anything.

The place where I feel most comfortable is a place where I am calm. A place that is peaceful in its own ways. It is the place to go to get away from all my troubles. It is the one place where I could sit forever, and never get tired of just staring into the deepest blue I have ever seen. It is the place where I can sit and think the best. A place where nothing matters but what is in that little moment. The one place capable of sending my senses into an overload. This place is the ocean.

The warm breeze of the ocean air flies past my face. The heat of the yellow sun was sizzling, beating down against my skin, tanning and burning it within seconds. Beach goers were crowded around in all directions. Seagulls gliding past the groups of people, scouting for dropped or forgotten food to eat. Their little footprints marking a trail in the sand all over the place, going in a million different directions, searching for their next meal. I take in the exquisiteness of it all, the blue-green waves crashing into the sandy shore, making white foam and bubbles wash into the sea, little boys and girls that are digging in the bright white sand running away from the small waves before they get wet. The beach is a stunning place to be; there's just something about the ocean waves and the sand between my toes that makes me just want to stay there forever.