A Day at the Beach in Cape Hatteras, North Carolina

When I woke up in the morning my mind began to run wild; imaging my fun filled .  I imagined the warm sun wrapped around my back, as the warm sand rolled through my toes.

I smelled the salty sweetness of the ocean waves that would soon carry me to bliss.  I saw parents with their children laughing and playing along the shore, as small waves crashed against their ankles.   I could not wait to get to the beach.

After my mind calmed down, I quickly jumped out of bed and ran to the window to see the sun of my thoughts.  To my dismay, the sun was not there.  My eyes moved rapidly, searching for any possible sign of the sun’s rays.  All I could see was numerous thick gray clouds suffocating the sun and its rays.

I told myself I would not let a few clouds interfere with my day at the beach.  I moved with haste, as I put on my favorite orange swim trunks outlined with blue stripes.

I threw on a white tank top, grabbed my float, threw my big blue beach towel across my back and headed for the beach.  When I got out the door I heard the faint sounds of thunder in the distance.  I then turned up my nose and sniffed the air for any odor of rain to come. I only hoped that lighting was not far behind.

I did not know how the weather was going to behave so I grabbed my float and tucked it under my arm and ran into the ocean.  My body began to shiver as I felt the cold waves rush against my feet. While my body adjusted to the temperature change, I sat on my float legs dangling on each side and waded close to the shore. I watched parents as their faces changed from gleeful smiles to concerned glares, as their eyes searched the dubitable sky.

All of a sudden a loud crack of thunder pierced my ears. My body reacted immediately, as I jumped and slipped off of my float. I wasn’t too far from the shore, which enabled my feet to hit the surface.  I eagerly looked at the sky and saw a flash of lighting.  I grabbed my float and began to swim back, as I saw disappointed children reluctantly go inside from the beckoning call of their parents.

Before I could put my feet back on sand, the sky immediately cleared up.  The sun came roaring out from behind the clouds announcing its return.  The gray clouds dispersed quickly as if they were afraid of the sun’s strength.  I gazed throughout the sky looking for any sign of bad weather.  To my surprise the day began to turn into my early thoughts of the beach.

I was extremely happy with the new turn of events.  I reached shore and threw down my float and began to run through the sand.  I was so ecstatic that I stepped on three sandcastles, and tripped over a red shovel and bucket that one of the children left in the sand.  I rejoiced, as I ran down the beach along the shore.  My feet were moving swiftly, as I swung my arms to catch as much wind as possible.

I stopped a half a mile down the stretch of the beach, when something clear and shiny caught my eyes.  I walked over slowly to the unknown object, careful not to disrupt its peace.  The closer I got, the more I began to realize what was before me.   This was my first encounter with a jellyfish.

The jellyfish washed up close to shore because of the slight storm.  The waves must have carried it in. I was about to examine the jellyfish, when the tide rushed in and pulled it back into the ocean.  Just being able to see a real jellyfish in its natural habitat made my day at Cape Hatteras beach one the best.