Life's a Beach

On one of my first days here, Jan took me to this amazing beach. You turn into this long dirt, bumpy road. It is lined with a thick mass of tropical trees. The awesome thing, like so many areas here on the island, you can look back and see actual WWII Japanese bunkers buried in the mass of greenery! We always stop to look at them wherever we may be. It is so creepy to look at them, knowing that 70 years ago there was a war going on right where we are.

Anyways, you finally reach the end of the road. When you get there, you are surrounded, in a circle by tall, fertile coconut and palm trees. The ground is covered by sand, grass, fallen coconuts, and leaves. You can smell the salt coming from the ocean just down the trail. When I hear it, I always want to stand there, close my eyes, and just listen to the sound that I love so dearly. The sandy beach trail is shaded by the palms, and being new to all this, I am totally amazed.

Finally, as my bare feet hit the beach, I stop in my tracks. I have never been anywhere that looked as if it came straight from a postcard! There were these big boulders sitting at the edge of the water in front of me. Scanning to the right, I saw nothing but cliffs and rocks and the greenest water. And to the left, it looked like the beach of coral went on forever. When Jan told me you could find coral there, I had no idea what she meant. My first glance of a small piece of in tact, full coral, I had to catch my breath. There, every step of the beach was coral! I mean, literally. Walking on it, seemed like a sin, or something I should be in trouble for. I kept asking her, is it ok to take the coral? I felt like something this earthy, and beautiful should be illegal.

For the first time, I took off my cover, and walked in just a bathing suit. We had the place to ourselves. If i didn't have to worry about the sun, I would have stayed there all day! The weird thing is, the water breaks far away from the beach.... leaving this shallow pool of water a good 50 yards out. As you walk through the calm waters edge, you can see with every foot, these huge, black sea cucumbers. I believe thats what they were. They were long and looked like they would be slimy, but weren't. Because you know I had to find out!

We left with a backpack and paper sack full of shells, sea glass, and coral. I almost felt stingy, but when I did, a good look around the coral infested beach, reminded me that there was more than enough to go around.

I have always liked the ocean and the beach. Until now, I hardly ever really made it there. But here, I seem to respect it a bit more. There are no people there, there are secret beaches that only a few people really go to. And with each one, there is something spectacular. Whether it be the caves and mounds of coral at Ladder beach, or the cliffs and rocks at Wing Beach, each one is special in its own way. And with each one you get to see a part of where you are differently.

I wish more than anything that my family could be here to see it. Hopefully one day some of them can. until then, all I can do is open up this mind to allow them, and everyone to witness it with me, through my words!