Category: Beach

Beauty And The Beach

Traveling has always been an outburst of joy for me. Over the years I have seen and encountered so many wondrous experiences while traveling. Traveling begets I kind of happiness in me. Yet, over the years one major challenge has taken shape. Due to my extensive traveling expeditions, it is increasingly becoming hard for me to find new and exciting places that I haven’t been to before.

This time around too I was wallowing in this kind of dilemma when my friend came to the rescue. He nonchalantly suggested I visit Udupi and experience a different kind of culture than I am usually used to. Of course, he subtly suggested that I hang out with him in Bangalore and then head to Udupi.

Udupi is exactly the kind of town I enjoy. It is a coastal town surrounded by palm trees and beautiful beaches. It is also known for its popular temples. Located in Karnataka, it is about a 9 hours drive from Bangalore. The idea of sandy beaches and the fresh sea breeze convinced me to pack up and head to Udupi to enjoy its laid-back life.

Udupi

I arrived at Udupi, pretty early in the morning. My instant thought was to shrug off my weariness and instantly dive into the flavors of this new unexplored town.

Udupi is not only known for its pristine white beaches but also for its precisely and intricately cute stone-carved temples. The whole town smells of divinity as I see a lot of pilgrims making their way to the temples.

Shri Krishna Matha

I got off my ride and walked alongside the pilgrims. I have always been a big fan of mixing with the locals since they are the ones who know what to do and where to go in a town that is new to me. I could hear the divine devotion and radiating spirituality through their chants. As I reached closer to this famous temple, I was met with hordes of pilgrims who bowed their heads in devotion.

This temple is dedicated to Shri Krishna, and one unique charm of the temple is that- the idol is worshipped through an intricately carved window called the Navagraha Kindi.

This place of worship was founded by Vaishnavite saint Shri Madhvacharya in the 13th Century.

I was completely engulfed by the spirituality that emanated off the walls of this temple and relished the sweet lip-smacking Prasadam that I was offered. The temple opens as early as 5:30 am. Before heading off to my second spot, I decided to go back to my hotel, freshen up, and then head back here.

Maple Beach

Beaches are what I live for. I have always been a water baby, and everything about a beach attracts me instantly. May it be the mighty waves crashing, or the sand, or the millions of seashells scattered around or maybe just the birds that fly around, everything captivates me.

As I entered Maple Beach, all I could think about was how clean it was. There were food stalls everywhere, yet the beach was pristine- which is a very unlikely situation in India.

I stepped into the clean sand and immediately helped to the delicious seafood that these stalls were offering. After one bite itself, I was in love.

The beach has all kinds of water sports that one can dream of enjoying. This is a beach that is perfect and offers everything that the heart desires

As I was walking through the beach, I suddenly spotted a little starfish lying there right near the water. It looked so beautiful and regal just lying there under the sun with the sea as its view. I too lay down like the starfish and enjoyed the unbelievable peace that overcame me.

I wanted to stay so much longer and revel at this mystical beach, but. I did have another place to go. So I reluctantly got up and headed to my next stop.

St. Mary Island

This secluded island can only be reached through a boat ride- which makes it even more intriguing. The island is not inhabited at all and is only open to tourists. Just before our boat was parked at the shore, we were asked to give up all kinds of plastic bottles to make sure that the area was not littered.

As I jumped off the boat and into this magical island, I knew I was hopelessly in love. Everything from the water to the hexagonal rocks to the white sandy beach was exactly perfect. It was like watching God’s finest work.

Water sports are very limited here, but the sheer beauty of it makes up for everything that it is lacking in. I climbed one of those hexagonal rocks and got the best views ever.

I just sat there on the beach relishing every moment of the azure sea water and wanting to never go back.

Note- The ferries do not have fixed timings, but the last ferry from St. Mary Island to the main town leaves at 5:30 pm. The price per person is Rs. 300

Kaup Beach

My final stop was at Kaup Beach. It is known for its breathtaking lighthouse that stands proudly on one side atop some rocky hills. I took it upon myself to climb the stairs that lead to the lighthouse in time to enjoy the sunsetting. The lighthouse offers amazing views of the coastline, and I was just in time to join other revelers who gathered to watch the sun descend into the horizon.

It was truly a sight to behold. The sun broke into a thousand shades of yellow and started its descent. The sand of the beach turned golden, and the seawater started glittering as the hues from the sun spread all over. The little boats with their sails up made up for the perfect addition to this beautiful phenomenon. Everything about this was ethereal.

Leaving Paradise

My time in Udupi had come to an end, after a scrumptious breakfast the next day. To say that I enjoyed Udupi, would be an understatement. I fell absolutely in love with this little beach town that keeps on giving. There are some places that I missed due to lack of time, but every part of my heart is now gearing up to visit these places and come back to Udupi as soon as possible.

It was a sweltering summer day, the kind where it’s almost too hot to walk, and most kids were inside playing games or having fun at the beach. But unlike most kids, I was moving our stuff into our new house. The house was pretty sizable for a beach cottage, but when you walked in, the stench of a cat assaulted your nostrils. Luckily, we had some air freshener that could clear away the smell. Carrying boxes was boring and exhausting. I would’ve rather been playing video games at that moment, not lifting tons of furniture through a small doorway. For hours, all I did was take a box out of the truck, and deposit the box into the house. It was a tedious process, but necessary, if I wanted to have a comfortable living space. Taking out all our boxes and furniture took up about half of the precious day, time I could have spent playing games.

About a day later, when we got all of our furniture and belongings set up, my whole family was talking about the beach. We were all excited. The beach was one of the reasons we moved to Hermosa Beach. But it had been a while since my brothers and I had even been to a decent beach, so it wasn’t on the top of our to-do list. What was, however, on the top of our to-do lists was getting our Xbox One set up. The day before, when we had seen the Xbox in the back of the moving truck, it was like we had found an oasis in an arid desert of boredom. We immediately wanted to play it, but the TV wasn’t even set up yet so we knew we would have to wait.

After what seemed like years of waiting, the TV was finally set up and ready to go. We were so excited to finally play. We were like kids in a candy store. Then from the kitchen, I heard, “Come on boys, it’s time to go.”

Go? Go where? I thought as my dad came into the living room with his swimming shorts on.

Oh, I realized, we’re going to the beach. “Aww, mom we were all going to play Minecraft together,” I whined.

“Just hurry up and get your swimming stuff on, oh and don’t forget a towel,” my mom said, only slightly annoyed.

While trudging along the smooth concrete path to the beach, I thought about all the amazing things I could have been doing on Minecraft. As we tread farther towards the beach, the smell of the salty ocean water wafted up my nose. It was like a welcoming hug. I soon felt the soft grittiness of the sand at my feet, and heard the gentle crashing of the waves hitting the shore. This is really soothing, I thought. For once in my life, I was glad I was doing something else besides playing video games. Then, after endless hours of enjoying all the beach has to offer with my family, it was, unfortunately, time to go home. That day I realized that spending time with your family and having fun, is better than playing video games at home.

For me, the beach has been the place to escape to and have all my worries melt away from me like a snow cone in Phoenix on a summer day. It is my place that lets me feel free and like I can fly with the birds that fill the blue sky. Whenever a problem arises in my life, a trip to the beach has always been the answer. It is like as soon as my bare feet touch the sand, all of my worries and obligations go away. My head becomes clear, just as if the waves of the ocean that flow out to sea also clear my mind of any debris. Every time that I have been to the beach at the Hilton Resort, I see that the visitors are also joyous and calm. So, I decided to go there again.

As I walked down the sidewalk from the entrance of the Hilton to where the beach was, my nose picked up the salty scent of the sea. I looked ahead and saw the glistening waters of the endless sea in the distance. I took a moment to put my thoughts on hold and just look around at what nature had to offer me. I reflected upon all of the other places that I could have been instead of being there on the beach and concluded that this was the right place to be.

Memories flood into my head as soon as the smell of the salty air filled my nose. Then my eyes were clutched to the breathtaking beauty of the sights of many visitors. Some people were laying down on beach lounge chairs catching the rays of the sun and attempting to get a tan just as the mighty orange sun is starting to slowly go over the ocean, and others were children whimsically building sandcastles with their hands and playing with a beach ball, tossing it back and forth to one another and kicking the ball in the water as their parents are nonchalantly sitting on the beach chairs conversing with others, probably because injury isn’t thought of much while on the beach because there is a bed of sand to land on if a child should fall while running. As I can imagine, that’s probably close to what the children are thinking to themselves as well, not having a care in the world.

When I begin to sit in my beach chair, my eyes fill with images of what is happening now and reminiscences of my past. Seeing the children running in the sand, playing and laughing. Memories fill my head from when I was a child. The thought of those memories brought a smile to my face. My ears were filled with the sounds of the children playing, along with the singing of birds and the sound of the steady waves created a calmative effect.

I decided to lay down on my chair, but not before first taking the contents of my pockets out, and placing them on a small round beach table that was placed next to the chair. As I lay down on the chair, I looked at the sky seeing streaks of clouds, there were colors of purple, pink, and orange mixed into the clouds. The sight was astonishing, something that some people will only see in a magazine. The sun that is now beginning to set has a luminous face that reflects onto the glistening water of the ocean, which was enclosed by the rock walls that border the beach.

I was very glad to be in the place that gives me strength again. The decision to go to the beach at the Hilton Resort was definitely the right one.

Christina Rossetti’s poem, “Goblin Market” is a perplexing, fairytale narrative that the didactic literature and irregular form creates a heightened effect of alluring imagery to draw the reader in. There is incestuous abuse, illicit love and temptation. In my imitation I choose to pick the first 15 lines of the poem to expound upon the goblin’s ploy to tempt people with their fruit. In the beginning of Rossetti’s poem, it says “Morning and evening, Maids heard the goblins cry:” (Line 1 – 2) it states that maids hear the goblin’s cry, but no other gender is mentioned. This is a recurring theme of the goblins enticing or going after one audience. In my imitation “Girls […] merchants cry” In relation to what I said, I am intentional with it being known the merchants are after a targeted audience (i.e. women). The Goblin’s cry out “Come buy our orchard fruits, Come buy, come buy:” (Line 3 – 4) is a gateway to the incantation to attract people especially in this sense a specific audience. It reminded me of Spring Break when me and a group of friends went to South Beach Miami and merchants everywhere on Ocean Drive were using every sales trick in the book to get our attention and to purchase their products ranging from food and drinks, excursions, parties, etc.

I attempted to recreate Christina Rossetti’s iambic tetramer because it has a loose sounding flow meaning it flows closer to a telling a story compared to a rigid poem, which allows me and to have longer phrases within the lines; while, maintaining the rhyme scheme. In the original poem, Rossetti list of fruits are long and contains interesting adjectives. The poem states, “Lemons and oranges, plump unpeck’d cherries […] Pine-apples, blackberries, apricots, strawberries; –” (Lines 6 – 14) In this moment in the poem the goblins are trying their sales pitch. How the peaches are compared to cheeks, the mulberries are personified and how the pineapple is separated by a hyphen to give the impression of separate fruits. The listing of fruits of all kinds makes it entice to the senses regardless of it being fresh or in season. The description of the goods makes people want to indulge even more. A recreation of the words I used in my imitation to mimic the style and grammar of this portion. The hyphen’s in this section acts as a pause in speech. The irregularity in the iambs in each line makes it closely related to a childhood narrative than an actual poem aside from the rhyme scheme.

Likewise, I mimicked Rossetti’s rhyme scheme by playing off the irregularity of the rhyme scheme and dactylic dimeter rhythm which adds to the effect of incantation to attract people (i.e. Miami Spring Break). Again, the last line of the original poem, “All ripe together” (Line 15) gives the impression of an expert salesman. The interesting factor is that the fruits listed in the original are seasonal and would not be ripe at the same time. This is hinting at the temptation factor that comes later in the poem by Rossetti. The way the goblins describe their fruit is stated in a suggestive, sexual commentary directed towards words like ripeness and voluptuousness. In my imitation when I said, “Margaritas and shots, boat rides and yachts […] Ocean drive, Mercedes” (Lines 5 – 8) The evocative language is intended to seduce women by encouraging them to imagine the pleasure of indulging in their product and services.

The use of increasing the speed of the poem carries it forward and creates a breathless speech by framing the “cry from the goblin/merchants” using couplets and triplets it draws attention to nature of listening. The theme of attracting people to this “market of goods” showcase the same satire and imagery like Rossetti throughout the poem. Rossetti’s choice of words and repetition highlights the force of temptation that I try to recreate in my imitation poem of Miami merchants on Ocean Drive persuading people to indulge in different things young, college students find “attractive” similar to a goblin persuading people to buy this enchanted fruit.

Using the irregularity of the rhyme scheme and loose iambic tetrameter allowed me to be creative with word choice, sentence structure and grammar to mirror Rossetti’s style. The grammar in the poem is intentional showing the connection of these two different worlds. The phrase in the third and fourth lines, “Come buy, come buy” are considered imperative statements that have compliance conditions; by imposing their will on women this sets the tone of the poem. The context of the phrase, “Come buy, come buy” plays on the meaning to come purchase or by homophonic relation, to come by – as in to come over. This adds the tantalizing quality of the goblins call like the call of the merchants by rendering the same style in my imitation. The infamous call can be interpreted as a request or a command. A typical poem uses a change in meter levels that is comforting to the reader’s eye; one that is routine, domestic and not problematic in structure, it is comfortable and consistent. The poem’s metrical form encourages analysis through its irregular and songlike theme. The unpredictability of the lines, rhymes echoes the unpredictability of the goblins in the narrative. Word themselves are unstable and ripe like the fruit which entails the entrapment we feel when reading and the feel my friends and I felt in Miami.

Rossetti’s meter is tense, action-filled that is fragmented into grouped phrases that resembles the power-struggle and conflicting interests of the antagonists and protagonist. Likewise, the rhyme scheme acts as a catalyst for the changes in pace and tone which creates the two dichotomies in the poem of balancing steady, calmness and frantic, fast- winded qualities. This approach adjusts the narrative which deals with the struggle between the reckless nature of indulgence and the value of maintaining control over one’s urges and sense. I picked this section of the poem because it is the recurring theme of capitalism and the exchange of goods and services and the temptation of consumerism. I wanted to highlight the same instances I used in my imitation of her poem to emphasize the temptation of consumerism and the exaggerated examples that play on human emotions and senses to pander individuals or an audience (i.e. women).

The poems major themes are temptations, desires and resistance. It explores how evil and goodness exist in two parallel worlds. The temptation is presented in the form of catalogues; the list constructs a vision of abundant nature that is seductive in a variety of outlets. It raises the question of interpretation: Rossetti’s listing of fruits goes beyond the surface idea of being compared to the forbidden fruit in the Christian biblical story Adam and Eve, but reveals the overwhelming sensuality of the natural world and that it is dangerous because it may confuse moral judgment, therefore imperiling salvation from the evil world (i.e. Goblin Market; Ocean Drive).

Women in the Victorian era in England were expected to follow a standard of conduct and failure to meet these standards led to the depreciation of a women’s worth. Fast forwarding into present day not much has changed with the narrative surrounding women’s worth and what is deemed acceptable. In my imitation I wanted to emulate Rossetti’s style of how she played upon sensory desires of the material world. She placed the setting in the physical world and expounded on the spiritual and moral issues of the major theme in the poem and set the mood.

The Genesis Christian College’s Sports Committee wants to hold the first-ever GCC Beach Volleyball tournament now that the school has 2 Beach Volleyball courts. However, there are some major issues with different areas of the sport, including the uniforms, sexploitation of women, and the media coverage of women’s sports. Figueroa’s framework can be used to identify and break down these issues so that some recommendations and strategies can be made to help rectify these issues.

Figueroa’s Framework is a tool developed by Peter Figueroa, it is used to investigate issues relating to access, equity, and equality in Sport. There are 5 levels of the framework: individual, interpersonal, institutional, structural, and cultural. All five levels connect with each other and they all influence the shaping of the overall effect. They show the different functions that strengthen, make, remove, and eliminate barriers and imbalances within sports and physical activity. The cultural level of Figueroa’s framework is concerned with assumptions, beliefs, and values about issues of race, gender, and socio-economic status and how norms and values affect the recognition and treatment of diversity. These norms sometimes unknowingly restrict or influence our perceptions and actions about involvement in exercise, sports, and physical activity. One of the main assumptions that restrict involvement in sports is the ideal of femininity and masculinity. The structural level of Figueroa’s framework examines how social status affects access and equity through issues such as rewards and resources distribution and power, relationships, race, gender, and disability. The main institutions that influence the distribution of sporting resources and rewards include the Government and the media. The institutional level refers to the way that society and its institutions, such as schools and sports clubs. When new situations arise institutions can be very slow to respond to change. One example is the time taken for schools to adapt to the increasingly large proportions of students who stay on beyond the minimum leaving age. At an institutional level, schools are slowly starting to meet the needs of students in years 11 and 12 who do not want to complete courses that provide a means of entering university. The interpersonal level looks at how factors such as how we relate to our peers, and prejudices and stereotypes can cause us to construct as well as discriminate and exclude particular groups. These factors are formed by our socialization from a young age through the process of learning and social development with our interactions with others at the core of learning to conform to what our culture values as ‘normal’ or ‘acceptable’. In sport socialisation occurs in sport and via a sport, meaning if you are introduced to sport from a young age you will learn how to conform to how that sport and others are structured therefore shaping your ideals into the future. The individual level refers to attitudes and beliefs held by the individual about his/ her potential sporting performance. These attitudes and beliefs can contribute to inequitable situations when people are treated on the basis of stereotypes rather than as they are.

Sports media continues to be a male-dominated domain. With 92% of sports coverage centering on male athletics, while only 5% of that is focused on women’s, with the remaining 3% accounted for by gender-neutral sports. Not only is the ratio of women’s sports coverage greatly underrepresented in contrast to male sports, oftentimes, the media attention that female athletes receive, focuses on the sexualization of the female athlete, and their experience of sport, as opposed to her athletic ability. This approach extends negative ideals suggesting the merit of female athletes or value, lies in characteristics such as her appearance or relationships, thus taking away from the attention paid to her athletic ability, contributions to the sport, or achievements. This links back to the institutional level of Figueroa’s framework. As the media is controlled by organizations and TV networks that decide what the public is shown. Some of these networks have said that men’s sport is preferred by the public, however, for multiple reasons, this isn’t true. The only reason that men’s sport is watched more is because it is on more frequently than women’s sport. When a group of 25 year 12 students were surveyed 76% said that they would watch both genders play or would prefer to watch women.

Studies of the impact of structural level changes in sports organizations on the nature of cultures have been an important part of the sociology of sport in recent years, and such studies have come to rely on the concepts of class, commodification, and consumption. Sport 200 years ago existed in a very different form to what it does today. Amateur sports dominated. Notions of sportsmanship and a gracious attitude were highly regarded. There were no corporate sponsorships and sporting clubs generated very little money. So what changed? The arrival of mass media and the rise of mass advertising coincided with large increases in spectator numbers. Tobacco, liquor, sports merchandise, and companies like Dunlop and Speedo became big sponsors.

The Genesis Christian College’s Sports Committee wants to hold the first-ever GCC Beach Volleyball tournament now that we have 2 Beach Volleyball courts. However, a survey was conducted to view people’s opinions on the uniform requirements for beach volleyball and if there needs to be a change. The Requirements of the 2016 Rio Olympics states:

The TOP (as per Option 1) must fit closely to the body and the design must have deep cutaway armholes on the back, upper chest, and stomach (2-piece), respecting the space required for the manufacturer logo, athlete number, country flag/country code, and the place for the athlete’s name. The BRIEFS (as per Option 1) should be in accordance with the enclosed diagram, be a close fit, and be cut on an upward angle towards the top of the leg.

According to the federation’s beach volleyball rule handbook, the official FIVB beach volleyball women’s uniform “consists of “tops and bikini bottoms AND eventual accessories”, while the official men’s uniform “consists of tank top and shorts AND eventual accessories”. Why is there such a difference in the amount of clothing these athletes wear? Women’s beach volleyball gets a lot of attention, the majority of which is unfortunately spent on what the athletes are wearing and not on their physical talents.

According to the federation’s beach volleyball rule handbook, the official FIVB beach volleyball women’s uniform “consists of “tops and bikini bottoms AND eventual accessories”, while the official men’s uniform “consists of tank top and shorts AND eventual accessories”. Why is there such a difference in the amount of clothing these athletes wear?

Using these requirements GCC grade 12 students were surveyed to show their opinion of the regulations. The results of this survey showed that 88% of the women did not agree with the requirements, some saying that it was demeaning, and not appropriate. According to the federation’s beach volleyball rule handbook, the official FIVB beach volleyball women’s uniform “consists of “tops and bikini bottoms AND eventual accessories”, while the official men’s uniform “consists of tank top and shorts AND eventual accessories”. So the women are required to wear bikinis and cannot wear shorts and a singlet but the men can.

A tour is a pleasant experience. It makes us feel relaxed by reducing anxiety and stress. We should go for a tour with our family, friends or others. A tour also helps to increase our relational bonding. I personally a tour lover. I travel a lot. Whenever I find an opportunity to go for a tour, I try to do my best. Almost every year I go for several tours in various places. Last summer I went for a tour in Oregon Coast. Manzanita Oregon has a nice sea-beach and some wonderful places to visit. Summer is the best time for beach tour and every summer I go to beach. The beach of Manzanita Oregon was amazing that made my vacation. I did not stay at hotels as I heard that Manzanita Oregon Vacation Rentals provide better room for enjoying a vacation. I stayed Manzanita Beach Rentals for the first time to experience. It was a great experience to stay at Coast Cabins Manzanita. The view from the cabin was beyond my imagination. I also enjoyed watching the sun sets at the beach. It is kind of a heart touching feeling to come close to the nature. The nature always attracts me to go closer and closer to it. I fell in love with the natural beauty of the beach. Manzanita Beach Rentals provide premium quality of service at an affordable price. Manzanita Rentals have good room facilities. Like Cable TV, Bed and shower lines, WiFi equipment of barbecues, well-stocked kitchens and other essentials such as soaps, toilet paper, paper towels and much more.

I also appreciated their food. Manzanita Restaurants provide a variety of delicious and fresh food those are really tasty and healthy as well. I tried many new foods there as those were really unknown to me and I saw many dishes for the first time there. Fortunately, I loved the taste of all those dishes I tried. Fresh sea foods are rare to have. So, I tried to utilize that opportunity.

The interesting thing was raining at the beach. It was my first experience of rain at the beach. I cannot describe the feelings in words. I took showers in the rain. The rain water took all my stress away and made me calm. I felt the vibe of the nature inside me. It was not only me but also all the people out there enjoyed the day. I saw new married couples were dancing in the rain. It was a great experience of their life indeed. Manzanita Rentals is also a great place for Romantic Getaways. That is why, newly married couples go there to enjoy romantic moments. Eating delicious food on the cabin of the beach during rain was a wonderful feeling I got there.

The rainy day at the Manzanita Oregon is a great experience that every tour lover should have. I wish I will be there again in the next summer with my beloved person. I also suggest you to go Manzanita Oregon and make a memorable tour of your life.

Folly Island, 20km south of Charleston, South Carolina, is a barrier island. It has marketed itself and its beach as the “Edge of America,” and attracts thousands of tourists each year. Folly Beach is Folly Island’s most valuable resource. Folly Beach acts as a barrier against storm damage, an economic source, a recreational area for thousands of people per year, and a habitat for a variety of wildlife. In 1896, the US Army Corps of Engineers completed the construction of two jetties in Charleston Harbor. According to Folly Beach Renourishment, the purpose of these three-mile-long jetties extending from Sullivan’s Island to Morris Island was to help the arrival of container ships to the port by preventing sediment from accumulating on the Harbor and therefore making ship movement easier and as expected, the port industry grew– but not without having negative impacts on the geological processes in the area. Sediment flow was disrupted, keeping Folly Beach from receiving the sand needed to protect itself from erosion. This has been even more aggravated by occasional hurricanes, most notably Hurricane Hugo in 1989. Since 1854, as recorded by the City of Folly Beach, the beach has retreated over 1,000 ft. landward, creating concern and sparking action in the form of beach renourishment funded by the US Army Corps and the local Government. In this paper, I will focus on the causes of erosion in Folly Beach, the measures taken to stabilize the beach, and what the results tell us about beach restoration in this area

Folly Beach— the rapidly eroding Edge of America

Located 20km south of Charleston, South Carolina, Folly Beach extends for approximately 10km (6.2 miles) (Appendix 1 Map) on Folly Island, a barrier island pertaining to the Sea Islands of the Atlantic Ocean. The formation of this island started approximately 5,000 years ago with the decline of sea-level rise caused by the melting of the Pleistocene glaciers (Hippensteel, 2008). This gave way to the formation of beach ridges, one of which eventually became Folly Island. In its original state, this island would have been inhabited by pine forest and backed by marginal-marine marshes or possibly a lagoon, and although pine forest predominated in the island during the Civil War, less than 20% of the island is wooded as of now. During the past 200 years, around the 1860s, Folly Island was breached by inlets and therefore subdivided into Little Folly and Big Folly Island. Little Folly is the smaller northern part, and Big Folly is the larger southern part of the island. Come the 1930s, this inlet was crossable during low tide, by the 1940s, it was not crossable only during the highest tide. A road was built over the inlet in the 1950s, merging both subdivisions to form what we call today Folly Island (Levine et al, 2009).

“Folly Island is a mixed-energy, mastoidal island that is approximately 8 km long and ranges in width from approximately 80 m to more than 800 m” (Hippensteel, 2008). The island is divided from southern Kiawah Island by Stono Inlet and from northern Morris Island by Lighthouse Inlet (Levine et al, 2009). Furthermore, a single road passage connects Folly Island to the mainland, crossing the marshland and four sets of what used to be fellow barrier islands.

Wind, waves, and sediment supply determine the beach’s shape and stability, but storm-created changes are clearly seen and easily acknowledged, while the less apparent long-term sediment transport patterns are mostly left unnoticed even though these are constantly reshaping the coast (Levine et al, 2009). Waves come primarily from the northeast and crash against the slight slope of the beach, producing a longshore water current that proceeds to flow towards the southwest. Moreover, Folly Beach has a mean tidal range of 1.6 m, and an average wave height of 0.6 m (the lowest being 0.2 and the highest 2.5 m). These processes are the ones in charge of shaping and reshaping the coast naturally.

Rapid erosion, storms, and sea rise.

Erosion is a natural process. Most of the barrier islands in the United States that protect our East Coast have retreated landwards over time as a natural response to sea level rise, storms, etc. (W.C. Schwab et al. 2009) But most of the problem in Folly Island originates from Charleston Harbor’s jetties (Figure 1). With waves that come from the northeast, the jetties sequester the sand brought by the longshore current flowing south-southwest and prevent it from accumulating on Folly Beach’s shore (Levine et al. 2009). The jetties also destroyed Charleston’s tidal delta, according to FBR, which once reduced the impact of waves and was a natural sand source. The rates of change in this part of South Carolina’s coast vary from 8.0 m yr -1 erosion to 0.35 m yr -1 accretion (W.C. Schwab et al. 2009). This modified flow of water and sediment caused Folly Beach to retreat, showing its first signs in 1930. In a report done by Restore Folly Beach and commissioned by the Charleston County Committee associated all of the erosion to the jetties. It is also reported that Folly Beach’s shoreline is now over 800 feet landward compared to where its placement would be if the jetties had never been built (Platt et al. 1991). An example of this is The Morris Island Light. This lighthouse once sat on land more than 1,000 from the shoreline, but it now stands on a tiny constructed island between the shores of Morris Island and Folly Beach, hundreds of yards out to sea and surrounded by water on all sides. The lighthouse has been decommissioned for years (Rackley, 2018) and now only serves as a photo prop for tourists and a stark marker of severe beach erosion plaguing South Carolina’s coast.

In addition to ongoing erosion, South Carolina’s coast has suffered the effects of numerous storms. Located on the East Coast, this area of our country is very vulnerable to severe damage from waves. Firstly because hurricanes formed in the northern hemisphere originate at tropical and subtropical latitudes and then tend to make their path toward the west-northwest as directed by east-to-west tradewinds. Secondly, the Gulf stream runs along the East Coast with warm water from the tropics, which is perfect for hurricanes to fester and survive. Hurricanes in the area of Folly Beach tend to occur during the months of July through October, and northeasters, which also affect this location, take place from October through April (NOAA 1979).

The occurrence of continuous storms in the 1930s, 1940s, and 1950s caused property and infrastructure loss (Dean, 1999). Between 1950 and 2004, there have been 20 tropical storms (Figure 2), averaging one storm every two years (Levine et al, 2009). The most devastating storm to impact Folly Beach was Hurricane Hugo in 1989. This hurricane landed north of Charleston, and its southern part originated record storm surges of ~6 m along parts of the South Carolina coast including Folly Beach (USDOC, 1990). An example of the damage caused by the storm is the severe erosion of the beach and dune system, where much of the protective primary and some secondary dunes washed away and moved to the upper beach level (Stauble et al, 1991).

Another factor contributing to Folly Beach’s erosion is sea level rise. Data from the Permanent Service for Mean Sea Level housed within the National Oceanography Centre in Liverpool (U.K.) determines Charleston Harbor’s local Sea Level Rise to be a total of 3.46 in (~88 mm) in records from ~1980 to 2010 (Kana et al, 2013). However, as climate change continues, sea level around the world continues to rise. In part because of the water added to the ocean through ice-sheet melting, and also because warmer water temperature means water expansion, as warm water takes up more space than cold water. South Carolina’s shoreline has already migrated landwards in response to the rise in sea level (W.C. Schwab). Folly Beach is endangered not only because its maximum elevation is 6.2 m, making flooding considerably easier (Hippensteel, 2008) but the shore is also rather flat and very gently sloped, so the smallest rise in sea level can flood large areas of land (Levine et al, 2009). There has already been an increase in Folly Beach’s coastal flooding days as a result of climate change (Figure 3).

The global sea level has been recorded to increase at an average rate of ~2 mm per year during the 19th and 20th centuries (Douglas, 1997). However, records from Charleston estimate a rise of 3.28 mm per year, a rate considerably higher– as the sea level continues to rise gradually, waves and currents will inundate low-lying coastal areas, causing Folly Beach to continue migrating landward (W.C. Schwab).

Attempted Renourishment and Stabilization

The constant retreat of Folly Beach has put pressure to deploy protective measures in order to slow down erosion and protect the city’s infrastructure. The first attempts at this took place in the 1940s, about 10 years after erosion started to become visible as a result of the Charleston Harbor jetties (FBR, 2014). Groins of large rocks were set at the shore, destroyed by Hurricane Hugo in 1989, and replaced soon after– but the shoreline continues to erode at a rate of around 4 to 6 feet per year (FBR, 2014). NOAA’s “South Carolina Survey Report on Beach Erosion Control & Hurricane Protection” (1979) reads in regard to hard structures of this type: “These structures have at best resulted in a temporary solution to the problem they were meant to solve; however, the erosion of the beach strand and berm goes on, often at an accelerated rate because of the reflective nature of corrective structures.” The city now employs “soft” methods of stabilization, mainly beach renourishment (Levine et al, 2009). However, this method is extremely expensive and seems to be an ultimately futile short-term solution to a long-term problem as proved by the processes and outcomes of the several renourishment programs implemented over the years.

After the devastation caused by Hurricane Hugo, the federal government authorized Folly Beach’s 1993 restoration project (Gayes et al., 1998) and agreed to cover 85% of the cost (NOAA, 2008). The first several projects took place that same year, yet two-thirds of the newly introduced sand washed away by 1995 (FBR, 2014). Folly Beach County Park south of Folly Beach, for example, eroded severely due to storms while it received the dredged sand from the Folly River and the adjacent Stono Inlet during the 1993 project (NOAA, 2008), and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers spent $315,000 to pump ~68,809 m3 of sand to the park site. Later, in 1998, emergency renourishment for the park was needed (Gayes et al., 1998). This project cost $100,000 and was completed in 1998 (Levine et al, 2019). The exact quantity of sand used during these renourishment projects was dependent on the existing beach profile at the time of construction, but it is estimated that 1.5 million cubic meters of sand have been delivered to the beach (POCofC, 2008). In addition, another 37,463 cubic meters of transported sand was necessary for 1999 due to continued erosion which caused additional damage to the park’s infrastructure and cost $228,000 federal dollars (POCofC, 2008).

Folly Beach saw 5 storms during the 2004 hurricane season: Alex, Charley, Frances, Gaston, and Jeanne, and several other strong nor’easter storms affected South Carolina’s coast between July and September of 2004 (Levine et al, 2009). This series of storms once again eroded the beach’s shoreline, threatened infrastructure, and led to another renourishment project in 2005. This project placed sand from an offshore borrow area onto the beachfront and cost $12,500,000 (SCDHEC). Unfortunately, after Folly Island completed the 2005 renourishment project, two tropical storms (Ophelia and Tammy) struck and eroded the beach (Eiser, 2006). Ophelia washed away approximately the same amount of sand that had been previously transported during renourishment.

Each subsequent renourishment project has been eroded by storms and the lack of sediment supply caused by the jetties’ interference. While replenishing sand does keep the beaches from being eroded away quickly, erosion proves inevitable. Every time a powerful storm hits the South Carolina coast, sand is swept away from its place – in Folly Beach’s case, sand that cost millions of dollars to put there. Gayes said that since the first re-nourishment project in 1993, the process of combating erosion on this beach has cost around half a billion dollars.

Conclusion

Folly Beach is a quickly eroding Island on the coast of South Carolina. Most of the long-term erosion comes from the jetties on the mouth of Charleston Harbor, which starve the beach from sediment deposition coming from the south-flowing longshore current. There have been continuous attempts to maintain the beach since the 1930s by renourishment, however, the beach continues to retreat and the common storms exacerbate this problem. Although these methods might keep the shoreline somewhat stable for now, “without changing the environmental conditions that caused the Folly Island to erode, the beach will need to undergo repeated, future renourishment projects” (Levine et al, 2009). These projects are very expensive and ultimately pointless. Unless the jetties are removed, Folly Beach with continues to erode indefinitely, even though humans will preserve its shoreline.

Works Cited

1. Bruce C. Douglas, “Global Sea Rise: A Redetermination” Surveys in Geophysics. 1997 https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1023%2FA%3A1006544227856.pdf
2. The City of Folly Beach, “2015 Local Comprehensive Beach Management Plan.” 2015 https://www.scdhec.gov/sites/default/files/docs/HomeAndEnvironment/Docs/State-ApprovedLCBMP.pdf
3. Dean Cornelia, “Against the Tide: The Battle for America’s Beaches,” New York, Columbia University Press, 279 p. 1999
4. Donald K. Stauble, William C. Seabergh and Lyndell Z. Hales, ‘Effects of Hurricane Hugo on the South Carolina Coast.’ Journal of Coastal Research, SPECIAL ISSUE NO. 8. Impacts of Hurricane Hugo: September 10-22, 1989 pp. 129-162. 1991 https://www.jstor.org/stable/pdf/25735412.pdf?refreqid=excelsior%3A22090545b688d6ba721763e7f903e9ea
5. Folly Beach Renourishment, “Folly Beach Renourishment– Folly Beach, South Carolina” SC Picture Project, 2014 https://www.scpictureproject.org/charleston-county/folly-beach-renourishment.html
6. Kristina Rackley, “Beach Erosion Affects Residents, Wildlife, and Economy,” Carolina News and Reporter, 2018 https://carolinanewsandreporter.cic.sc.edu/beach-erosion-affects-residents-wildlife-and-economy/
7. Norman Levine, Charles Kaufman, Michael Katuna, Scott Harris, Mitchell Colgan “Folly Beach, South Carolina: An endangered barrier island” America’s Most Vulnerable Coastal Communities. The Geological Society of America. 2009 https://pubs.geoscienceworld.org/books/book/615/chapter/3805178/Folly-Beach-South-Carolina-An-endangered-barrier
8. Paul T. Gayes, Patricia Donovan-Ealy, Michael S. Harris, “Assessment of Beach Renourishment Resources on the Inner Shelf off Folly Beach and Edisto Island” Center for Marine and Wetland Studies, Coastal Carolina University. 1998 https://www.boem.gov/sites/default/files/non-energy-minerals/SC_1998_Gayes.pdf
9. Permanent Service for Mean Sea Level (PSMSL) https://www.psmsl.org/
10. Project Oceanica College of Charleston (POCofC) “An Educator’s Guide to Folly Beach, South Carolina, Erosion Data and Images” 2008 http://oceanica.cofc.edu/An%20Educator%27sl%20Guide%20to%20Folly%20Beach/guide/fberosion.htm
11. Rutherford H. Platt, Timothy Beatley & H. Crane Miller “The Folly at Folly Beach and Other Failings of U.S. Coastal Erosion Policy,” Environment: Science and Policy for Sustainable Development 1991 https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/00139157.1991.9933178
12. Scott P. Hippensteel, ‘Reconstruction of a Civil WarLandscape: Little Folly Island, South Carolina’ Geoarchaeology: An International Journal, Vol. 23, No. 6, 824–841. 2008 https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/gea.20238
13. South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control–Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management “South Carolina’s Annual State of the Beaches” (SCDHEC-OCRM) https://www.scdhec.gov/environment/your-water-coast/ocean-coastal-management-ocrm
14. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, “South Carolina Survey Report on Beach Erosion Control & Hurricane Protection” Coastal Zone Information Center, 1979 https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/CZIC-gb459-4-f64-1979-v-1/html/CZIC-gb459-4-f64-1979-v-1.htm
15. Timothy W. Kana, Steven B. Traynum, Dan Gaudiano, Haiqing L. Kaczkowski, Trey Hair “The Physical Condition of South Carolina Beaches 1980–2010” Coastal Education & Research Foundation Inc. Journal of Coastal Research, Special Issue No. 69. 2013 http://coastalscience.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/coas-69-00-060-082-e.pdf
16. United States Department of Commerce (USDOC), “Natural Disaster Survey Report: Hurricane Hugo, 10–22 September 1989,” 1990 https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/CZIC-qc945-n38-1990/html/CZIC-qc945-n38-1990.htm
17. W.C. Schwab , P.T. Gayes, R.A. Morton, N.W. Driscoll, W.E. Baldwin, W.A. Barnhardt, J.F. Denny, M.S. Harris, M.P. Katuna, T.R. Putney, G. Voulgaris, J.C. Warner, and E.E. Wright, “Coastal change along the shore of northeastern South Carolina—the South Carolina coastal erosion study.” U.S. Geological Survey Circular 1339, 2009 https://pubs.usgs.gov/circ/circ1339/pdf/circular1339.pdf

Introduction

In the South Pacific, Papua New Guinea’s Carteret islands are being drowned by rising sea levels. This didn’t happen overnight but over the past 20 years, the inhabitants of these islands have watched their homes being washed away by waves and their fruit trees die as the water supply became increasingly saline, contaminated by rising sea levels. The islands were eventually drowned by the sea in the year 2000 and the inhabitants were relocated to the sister island.

This may answer the question as to why a study of Jamaica’s coastal erosion is imperative, what happened in Papua New Guinea could very much happen to us here in Jamaica if we fail to implement restorative and combative measures to curb the erosion of our beloved beaches. This report seeks to create awareness as to what causes coastal erosion and measures that can be implemented to preserve our coastline. In order to have a better understanding of how beaches are eroded we have included the formation of waves and the types of waves. There are a lot of illustrative photographs that will aid in better understanding the topic of coastal erosion.

How oceanic waves are formed?

An ocean wave is a disturbance in the ocean that transmits energy from one place to another. Where does a wave’s energy come from? There are a few types of ocean waves and they are generally classified by the energy source that creates them. The main types of ocean waves are those created by the wind (surface waves), created by adverse weather (storm surges), or those created by an earthquake (tsunamis).

(NOAA, 2018) stated that waves are created by energy passing through water, causing it to move in a circular motion. (NOAA, 2018) also mentioned that ocean waves transmit energy, and not water, across the ocean, and if not obstructed by anything, they have the potential to travel across an entire ocean basin.

According to (NOAA, 2018), waves are most commonly caused by wind. Wind-driven waves, or surface waves, are created by the friction between wind and surface water. (NOAA, 2018) also stated that as the wind blows across the surface of the ocean or a lake, the continual disturbance creates a wave crest. These types of waves are found globally across the open ocean and along the coast.

(Drughi, 2017) mentions that ocean waves are also formed by the gravitational pull between the earth, moon, and sun. (Drughi, 2017) noted that when waves are formed by the gravitational pull between the earth, moon, and the sun it creates tides, which are known as tidal waves.

Classification of Ocean Waves

Ocean waves may be classified into two major groups, constructive and destructive. Constructive waves possess a limited amount of energy with strong swash. They break on shore depositing materials thus increasing beach material and creating shallow and long beaches. These waves are lower in height and are less frequent – lasting for about 6-8 waves per minute.

Destructive waves on the other hand possess a greater amount of energy when compared to constructive waves. They have a strong backwash removing a portion of the coast or beach. As a result, these waves are usually steeper and shorter beaches. Destructive waves are higher and more frequent lasting for 12-14 waves per minute.

Ocean waves are further classified into several groups depending on the characteristics of size, period, and the way they are formed. The following are the major types of ocean waves:

1. Capillary Waves
2. Ultra Gravity and Ordinary Gravity Waves
3. Chop waves
4. Swells.
5. Seiches
6. Tsunamis

Effects of Waves on the Coast

Ocean waves distribute sand along the coast and onto beaches, where it is continuously recycled between surf zone bars, the beach, and dunes.

However, the destructive nature of waves is experienced during East Coast Low (ECL) storms, damaging coastal environments, properties, and infrastructure. During ECLs, sand is eroded from beaches and moved offshore into surf zone bars, which break wave’s father from the shore and ultimately limit destructive waves’ energy at the beach.

Waves are most commonly caused by wind. Wind-driven waves or surface waves are created by the friction between wind and surface water. As the wind blows across the surface of the ocean or a lake, the continual disturbance creates a wave crest. These types of waves are found globally across the open ocean and along the coast.

One of the most well-known waves affecting the coastline is the longshore or the littoral current. These are ocean currents that are created by waves that are refracted as they enter the shoreline. Longshore waves are generated within the surf zone when the front end of the wave is slowly pushing onto the shore, while the back of the wave moves faster traveling parallel to the coast as it remains in deeper water.

Coastal Erosion and Headlands

Coastal erosion which is the wearing away of coastal land or beaches is mainly caused by the impact of waves along the shoreline. This is accentuated during storms when waves are large and crash on shores with a lot of energy. (Dr. Rebecca Gllaspy Instructor)

If a coastal structure, such as a headland, which is a narrow strip of land that projects out into a body of water, contains cracks or crevices, waves can force water into the openings, breaking land and rock particles. Structures along the coast that are stony are also exposed to erosion caused by sand and rocks traveling within waves; as the sand and rocks pound against the coast, they grind away land and rocks. (Dr. Rebecca Gllaspy Instructor)

The Shoreline

Beaches and shorelines 30 years ago are now looking different. This is a result of coastal areas constantly changing form and shape due to the impact of waves. Waves continually erode the shoreline creating some unique features along the shore; a wave-cut cliff is a steep rock face formed by eroding actions of waves. The continuous hitting of supporting rocks by waves creates a notch and the rock which overhang the erosion weakens and crumbles, causing the cliff to retreat further inland. (Dr. Rebecca Gllaspy Instructor)

Wave Deposition

Waves carry many materials such as sand, shells, and small rocks. These materials are deposited on the shoreline forming beaches. A beach is any area of shoreline that is made of material deposited by waves.

Offshore deposits

Longshore currents can carry beach material offshore. The process of offshore deposits can produce landforms in open water, which may include sandbars and Barrier Island

Mitigation and Remedial Approaches to Coastal Erosion

There are many ways to mitigate the effects of waves which cause coastal erosion. In choosing a method to mitigate coastal erosion one has to take into account the size of the project, the cost, and the impact it will have on the immediate environment. There are natural measures such as planting vegetation and there are man-made measures, such as building seawalls and groins.

Vegetation

Vegetation is a natural way to remedy the effects of coastal erosion. The planting of vegetation helps to keep the sand anchored and thereby reduces the movement along the beach. Compared to manmade forms of mitigation, vegetation is natural, enhances the natural look of the surroundings, and is generally more cost-effective than manmade features. (Anon, 2007)

Seawall

The use of seawalls is one of the most intuitive methods for mitigating coastal erosion. These are massive structures built along the coastline to prevent waves from contacting the shore and hence stop their destructive properties. One of the disadvantages of seawalls is that it changes the natural look of the environment. (Florida, 2018)

Groin

A groin is a shore protection structure built perpendicular to the shoreline of the coast. The main purpose of the groin is to stop the long-shore drift and trap sediments. To do this a series of groins are built along the beach and these stop long-shore drift by blocking the movement of sand and keeping it in a specific area of the beach. This method can be cheaper than using a seawall, but it greatly distorts the look of the beach.

Other structures which can mitigate coastal erosion are:

• Breakwaters: Built offshore to break the energy of the waves before they reach the coastline
• Beach Nourishment: physically replenishing sand on a beach
• Jetties
• Revetments

Reference

1. Anon, (2007). Mitigating Shore Erosion along Sheltered Coasts.
2. Briney, A. (2018). All You Ever Needed to Know About Ocean Waves. Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/what-are-waves-1435368
3. Drughi, O. (2017). How Are Waves Formed? The Anatomy of a Perfect Wave. Retrieved from https://www.booksurfcamps.com/news/how-waves-are-formed
4. Florida, F. (2018). Ways to Prevent Beach Erosion | Seawall Professionals of Florida. [Sea Wall Pros. Available at: http://www.seawallprosfl.com/ways-to-prevent-beach-erosion
5. Gillaspy, R. (2018). The Effects of Coastal Erosion on Shoreline Features – Video & Lesson Transcript | Study.com. Retrieved from https://study.com/academy/lesson/the-effects-of-coastal-erosion-on-shoreline-features.html
6. NOAA. (2018). Why does the ocean have waves? Referenced from: https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/wavesinocean.html

Beach pollution is a worldwide issue that generates negative effects for the species that inhabit the area, montañita is one of the Ecuadorian beaches that have high levels of contamination by human activity, this place has pollution by solid waste and also by the contaminated waters generated by the hotel and tourist activity, so it is necessary to generate a type of regeneration plan.

Introduction

Montañita is an area of fishermen from the high mangrove parish located on the coast of Ecuador, an area through which the sun route passes, which is only 200km from the city of Guayaquil, off the coast of the Pacific Ocean. Montañita derives its name from its location in a cove of hills and vegetation at the foot of the sea, nowadays it is an international tourist area visited by young people from all parts of the world. In 1960 it became a meeting place for young people, usually for fun, rest, and contact with nature.

Problem

Montañita, an international tourism zone, which receives large tourist masses is affected by pollution in their bodies of water, specifically in the “montañita” river, this aforementioned body of water that flows directly to the sea is located Contaminated with solid waste as organic matter such as food scraps, dead animals and in greater abundance inorganic solid waste, it is also used as a wastewater dump for the different hostels in the area, the risks generated by bad environmental processes make each Once again, the mountain river deteriorates, creating damages that directly affect the sea since when the tide rises, sea water enters and leaves the contaminated water of the river that in the short and long term damages the marine ecosystem. (Hernandez, Torres, & Villegas, 2018)

Solution

It is necessary to establish plans for constant cleaning on the beach since tourism generates a lot of waste, therefore the organization by the inhabitants of the sector would be a fundamental piece when preparing these plans, on the other hand, the garbage collection by The municipality of the sector should be more concurrent to avoid the accumulation of garbage that could be dragged by the winds in the direction of the sea.

Given that the structure has been almost irreversibly altered, it is possible that a sanitation process can be carried out on the beach such as:

• General cleaning processes
• Elimination of the connections of sewage pipes that end up being deposited in the river.

In the upper parts of the river there are intentions of deforestation for the development of the hotel industry, which is why it is necessary to establish municipal ordinances that:

• They prohibit the construction of any kind in the surroundings, so a considerable limit must be established to allow the development and recovery of the flora belonging to the area and, as a result, the recovery of the fauna.

Recommendations

• It is necessary to take urgent measures to counteract this situation, one of the most important is that the people who come to this place must be aware of the importance of responsible tourism with the environment, also reduce the tourist overload to conserve the ecosystem.
• The requirement of a general environmental impact assessment is established to determine all the factors that affect the ecosystem functioning of the area, as well as enforce the protective laws of the coastal zones established in the current Organic Environmental Code.

Personal recommendation

The care of the beaches is very important because on these beaches live organisms that are affected by the irresponsibility of human beings, it is necessary to establish sanctions on the businesses and hotels that do not respect the care of the coastal areas.

Bibliography

1. Hernandez, B., Torres, G., & Villegas, E. (Noviembre de 2018). eumed.net. Obtenido de https://www.eumed.net/rev/caribe/2018/11/ruta-spondylus-contaminacion.html
2. Ramírez, A. V. (marzo de 2011). Scielo.org.pe. Obtenido de Scielo.org.pe: http://www.scielo.org.pe/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1025-55832010000100011
3. Salazar, M. (21 de marzo de 2015). noticias ambientales. Obtenido de noticias ambientales: https://es.mongabay.com/2015/03/mercurio-en-los-peces-la-mineria-de-oro-pone-en-riesgo-las-comunidades-de-las-aguas-bajas-en-peru/
4. sierra. (2019). Es.slideshare.net. Obtenido de Es.slideshare.net: https://es.slideshare.net/erickzapataortiz/actividad-minera-52391678

From a far distance, the pale blue sky is a smooth white blanket, widespread into the atmosphere. As the gloomy fog passed by the sleeping green giant, the clouds that had been wispy and white that morning were now more dark and dense. There was no sky that day, only a rough woolen blanket of mottled grey to cover us all and block out the sun. A boundless layer of white blend with silver hung heavily over the hills, it covered every building every tree at their base, swallowing every distant object and vanishing around every corner. The mountain lay in the distance like a ridiculous green camel hump or perhaps the nose of a slumbering giant turned to rock.

The sea was perfectly calm, its soft murmurs were scarcely audible, and the waves seemed to fall asleep. A line of dark blue hung the seashore. The gentle waves rolled the afternoon sun like the patterns that lay scattered from the festival. Litter tumbled over the cooling sand, you couldn’t tell where the grey skies ended and the grey seas began. Two different existence with no connection, but was compelled to merge into one.

The pier was forlorn in the cold waves, and under the drab sky, the water was dark, without the speckles of light that come with a sunny day. I reached out my hand and watched the water drip down by gravity, transparent and sparkly. Each one swiftly haloed by ever-growing rings, distorting the pebbled sea-bed.

The beach reached out parallel to the water, these continual friends babbled as the water came in console way, as if their satisfaction was to soothe the sand. The sand was delicately golden with just the right comforting warmth, to rest on the beach and feel like a cozy hug. I saw the boy lying in the sand like he was sleeping. When his little sister came to wake him, he acted no more alive than solid stone. He waited like a cobra until she got right up close to his face. Then he jumped up yellow grain, wide arms and palms like starfish in the summer sun. An abrupt scream came across the beach, followed by some cheerful giggles and laughter.

Not far away from the beach and the sea, the strong-growing trees stood tall and straight like a soldier. Its branches stretched out wide until detaching each other like the petals of a blossom. The smell of happiness and the noisy conversation came across treetops. Ecos moved like waves and spread as far as they could. It was a brilliant, safe, and conserves pleasure in that summer, people stayed cool and fresh due to these well-trained soldiers’ unremitting efforts. There was a scent below me, the ground was chunky, with roots running through the soil. They twisted like snakes, upwards and then descended deeply into the ground, taking out the cool airflow from the groundwater table below.

I came to the beach, and the rough gravel wrapped my feet. It didn’t wait for me to lift it, and there would be waves to moisten them. The unpleasantness of contact with the beach disappeared and became the gentle breath of the sea – the sea breeze is mixed with a fishy smell, a little stinky and salty. A shock of chilliness followed with a welcome contrast to the heat. Water wrapped me tightly like my skin. After the baptism of seawater, the stinking pain reversed into coolness again.

I can see the mottled rocks and tiny fishes swimming around, as fast as a bouncing ball in the playground. Swooshing waves were forced to be pushed onto the beach, creating a delightful effect on the ear.

The birds appreciated the vast blue sky because it bestowed them the freedom to soar; the admirable mountain appreciated the infinitely abysmal earth because the earth assisted them to rise into the clouds; the fish appreciated the uncharted sea because it allowed them to swim boundlessly. On that first day at sea, I learned one truth: we should be grateful for everything nature had to deliver us. We shouldn’t let our ambitions be kept growing like a ceaseless weed. Life is like the spacious unstoppable sea, and numerous miracles are preserved in the vastness of the waves. May we like the brave waves and be the brave explorers of these miracles.