Unknown

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.