Airline tickets...check. Carry on...check. Now what do I pack for a weekend trip to the island of Hawai’i? Simple...a few t-shirts, tank tops, shorts, swim suit, a pair of blue jeans with a light airy blouse and a pretty aloha print dress for a night out in Hilo town!
Toothbrush...check. Toothpaste...check. Shampoo, conditioner and deodorant...check. And of course, I can’t forget the most important part of my wardrobe...my rubber slippers! Okay, I’m packed and ready to go!
I cannot wait to fly out tomorrow! I am so excited and there is only one way to work off this kind of energy. Time to grab my backpack, boogie board, fins and set off for the beach!
After a thirty-minute drive, I turn into the parking lot of my favorite beach. As I get out of the car and walk towards the shore, that all too familiar smell of salt in the air hits me. I feel the wet sand under my feet as my face is caressed by the spray of the sea. This is it, my place of solace and relaxation. The calm before the ride.
Splash! I dive into an incoming wave and feel the rush of the water surround me as the ocean welcomes me into her embrace. Silence falls...I hear nothing but the muffled sounds of water moving overhead and my fins as they move back and forth. I can hear my heartbeat...fast at first, then slow and steady. It's quiet and tranquil, as if time has slowed down.
I emerge, holding tightly to my board as I swim out past the breaking surf. Now I sit and wait for that perfect set of waves. I look towards the beach and smile when I spot a sea turtle floating on the water's surface looking as though it were sunbathing. What a beautiful sight!
Then I see it! Here it comes...the perfect wave. I quickly turn my board around and begin paddling as fast as I can. Suddenly...my body is being picked up and pushed forward towards the shore. My speed picks up, faster and faster! Breath steady, heart racing and hands tightly gripping my board, I begin to maneuver...weaving in and out of the wave’s power. I use the momentum, the movement of the wave and all my strength to propel myself up into the air as I flip my body into a 360 degree turn. Splash! And I’m back on the surface again riding quickly towards shallow waters. With a final boost the ocean gives me the push I need to reach the shore. What a thrill!!!
Splash! I’m back again! The ocean is my playground and I am totally at home! As I swim out towards the breaking surf, I think about my trip to the island of Hawai’i and wonder what’s in store for me this time? What new things will I discover? My thoughts quickly fade away as I turn to see my ride...the next perfect wave!
A Hui Hou Kākou (until we meet again),
Island Girl
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