Sarah E. Burr
The Oceans I've Seen
Born in the south, I gained a huge appreciation for the ocean. On a scolding, sunny day, the water whipped away the heat, its huge waves cradling me in a big, blue bed. Therefore, anywhere worth visiting for me has to involve an ocean! Unfortunately, the waves at my home in eastern Maine do not offer that same comfort as the warm Florida beaches. Cold and clammy, I’ve spent the last thirteen years of my life looking at the small, coastal waves instead of playing in them.
However, the Vacation State has plenty to offer for other bodies of water. I spend most of my summers at our family camp on Sebasticook Lake. The biggest lake in one municipality, Sebasticook also has problems with algae bloom in the late summer months, putting a damper on swimming (unless you don’t mind coming out looking like the Hulk). The town of Newport has been damming the lake in October, draining away most of the algae, so over the years, the water has shown improvement, making it more enjoyable to swim and play in. My father is very fond of his fifteen-foot Boston Whaler, so we do spend a great deal of time skimming over the tops of the waves, bouncing across the lake. I preferably like to take boat rides at the end of a tow rope in a huge tube, flipping and flying over the water. Even though it can be painful (I dislocated my knee once), the thrill is exhilarating!
Bermuda showcases beautiful beaches, but it’s what’s under the water that’s really worth experiencing. The Bermuda Aquarium, Museum, and Zoo rescues all kinds of wildlife, healing and helping animals transition back into the water. Seals, sting rays, turtles, and thousands of fish come to Bermuda to be rehabilitated. Many of these sea-loving creatures are released in the surrounding Bermuda bays, making any snorkeling trip colorful and memorable. The biggest find I can remember was a sunken ship of the coast of Grotto Bay, with a resident huge, blue lobster!
The Nile of Egypt was not made for swimming, but the culture that grew from its banks is amazing. The Go Ahead Tour group that I was with took a river cruise down the Nile from Luxor to Aswan. From the decks of the boat, we witnessed Egyptian children playing in the river while their mothers cleaned clothes, waving at us as we passed by. We also spied herds of water buffalo bathing and feeding in the reeds. The most exciting water adventure was the night pirates attacked our boat. Well, it wasn’t really an attack, but merchants would take row to our boat and trade with us from the water! The Nile is such a lively place in Egypt, sustaining many different life forms and cultural quirks.
The beaches of Greece were significantly more peaceful and relaxing. The Mediterranean Sea was crystal clear and warm, offering my classmates and me the perfect place to unwind after a long day of hiking to ancient temples and monuments.
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