JFK once spoke of human ties to the ocean:  “[I]t is an interesting biological fact that all of us have, in our veins, the exact same percentage of salt in our blood that exists in the ocean, and, therefore, we have salt in our blood, in our sweat, in our tears. We are tied to the ocean. And when we go back to the sea, whether it is to sail or to watch it we are going back from whence we came.” This connection JFK speaks of soothes and renews me. Every so often I require a stress relieving,  mind easing, peaceful escape from the world, from society. My escape is the seemingly endless ocean.

Luckily, I live on the coast of California where the beach is only fifteen minutes away by car. There are a lot of places with ocean access, but my special place is Sewers (Spyglass Park), a nicknamed, hidden beach. Upon arrival, you immediately smell salt, seaweed, and fish. Below a cliff, a short walk over the reef and preceding beaches takes you to a stretch of sand about 100 yards long. On the cliff is a protruding sea-wall and several houses.

The beach I so often roam is never the same. The sea shifts the sands and claws at the rocks constantly. In winter, the sharp stones crawl out of the sand and stand as obstacles. In summer, the sand takes over and smothers the shore. Opposite of the cliffside is an immense, rolling, never-ending ocean. This is my favorite part of the special spot.

The echoing sound of a distant crash calms my mind as the waves tumble. I sit on the beach for a while before deciding to descend into the ocean. As I step in, the cold gives a jellyfish-like sting to my feet, hands, and face while the rest of me is protected by a wetsuit. Wading deeper into the water, the waves hit me harder, pushing me over as I stand in the break. For a few minutes, I am forced to sit and duck-dive in the white-wash. Once past the break, I arrive in the channel where the waves gently pass by. The ocean’s chaos ends here.

Here I am free, invincible. I bring a waterproof camera with me to capture the moments of bliss. Sometimes surfers pass by, zipping down the line of a wave. I swim alongside occasionally, photographing and talking to them. Other times I paddle through the open water, alone in silence. Of course, there is always a fear of the unknown ocean or creatures lurking beneath the surface, but that is all a part of the fun. When I can simply lie in the water still, floating, I smile in complete euphoria. Here I am relieved, eased.

After an hour or so, I slowly pull myself back to shore
Many people complain the ocean is too cold, too salty, too scary, too boring. I am the complete opposite. I find it exciting, comforting, challenging. The sea is my place of restoration and tranquility. It makes me feel of something bigger than myself, more connected to the world, more at peace with myself. Just as the ocean relieves the shores of sand every winter, it relieves me from everyday stresses and social problems.