It’s beach day and I’m getting up way too early on vacation because the later it gets, the less likely you are to get a good spot by the water. My dad and older brother join me to set up our canopy and lawn chairs beachside, and as I haul our stuff, I catch a whiff of the ocean salt in the air.
When we make it to our spot, I strain trying to stand up the canopy and finally stake it down after too many failed attempts. By the time I’ve finished my job and we’ve set it all up, I realize my beach shirt is soaked in sweat from the humidity. Just around the time we finish, all the family joins us waterside and beach day is underway.
Before I swim, I need to apply sunscreen. I accidentally squeezed the life out of the bottle and now I have no choice but to use every ounce of the massive glob in my hand. After using it all, my skin is as pale as a vampire, but hey, at least I’m ready to swim.
Covered in a mixture of sunblock and sweat, I run into the water diving face first. After I’m submerged in the water, I rise up completely refreshed and ready to swim nonstop.
As I play in the water time flies and I am subconsciously becoming less aware of my surroundings. Suddenly I look over my shoulder after zoning out and see a wave, but it’s too late, while my nose is unplugged and mouth is wide open, the wave consumes me whole. After rolling around on the sea ground, I finally get standing as I gasp for air and cough up all the water I just swallowed, and as I do I begin to feel the salt burning in my nose.
I decide it’s time for a break so I make my way back to the shore and after letting my body recover, nothing sounds better than something to eat and drink. I open the cooler to these options, a water, a sandwich and a popsicle, I go with all three.
Somehow as I sip the water it still tastes salty even though it’s brand new. My sandwich consists of plastic-like American cheese and cheap deliham, and that’s it, which sounds gross, but on the beach that is as valuable as gold. Finally, I get to my popsicle, which is already half melted from the sun so I am forced to eat it swiftly.
I finish my gourmet meal and move onto a necessary beach task, building a sand castle. I spend hours formulating the most intricate sand architecture using many high-dollar sand toys in the process and it’s finally done. As I stand up and admire my work, misfortune strikes as a wave crawls the furthest up shore it has all day and the water washes away my castle, evening it back out with the sand.
Standing in my shock, I quickly become irritated with the sand all over me so I rinse off in the ocean. Rinsing off I notice how good the waves look and decide it’s time to boogie board.
I get a couple good wave rides, but I miss way more waves than I catch and it gets old fast. On the way to put up my board, I see my brothers tossing the rubber football and they call me to join in for some good ole fashioned ocean football.
After making some over dramatic plays and nearly drowning to death from each other’s tackles, we’ve finally had enough. As I walk back to the shore it’s starting to get dark and the day is coming to an end.
This time everyone collectively helps take down our set up in the breeze of the summer night. Preparing to leave, I’ve rinsed my feet and sandals three times, but somehow they are still sandy.
I look at the ocean one last time as I leave after a day full of adventure, that was completely chaotic and draining, but I’d do it all over again.
Walking on my way out I realize the beach left me with one last gift, a sunburn so awful that I’ll be applying aloe for the following week.