Grains of sand wiggle their way between my impatient toes
The glimmering ocean waves three yards away
Surreptitious seabirds sidle towards a fisherman’s catch
Timid crabs scuttle from one eroded rock to another
But I am oblivious to all else save the adventure ahead
Sleek, orange kayaks are nestled in the shore
Anxiety pricking at their bows
I clamber in, eager to be cast upon the sea
The tight fabric clinging to my skin
A shove from experienced hands, a pull from reaching waters
And then we are free
Free at the expense of the ocean
One swell after another rocks the boat, toying with our fear
But I am not afraid
The mercurial ocean rests its playful attitude for the time being
I can sense the tension building beneath the surface
Onward we paddle, towards the leaping figures
Shimmering wet, spouts of water shoot from their noses
Coming back down in gentle splashes
And dripping off of their whiskers
Honks and yelps chorus on the rocks
You might think it was a New York intersection
Cutting wide and turning around
Streaks of neon flit beneath our boats
Back towards their home
We follow, caught in a moment of insouciance
Stopping short and gaping down at the open ocean
Climbing their way from the sandy bottom
Bulging into slimy spheres
A giant forest of kelp, stretching for miles around
A splash nearby, not anything old
Not seabirds, or fish, or sea lions
A gray fin cuts through the foam
Gliding towards us, propelled by curiosity
Keeping their distance, satisfaction takes over
Indefatigable as they chatter infinitely into the setting sun
I pull my eyes away, remembering this day
That feeling of being one with the ocean
Mastering the waves and breathing the salty spray
Riding out into the unknown.