The Tidal Pool

The Tidal Pool!
It was an extremely hot day, and the sun was high up in the bright, clear sky. I was ambling along the crowded sidewalk in La Jolla, California, with my brother and Dad. I could hear people chatting, and I could feel the scorching sun on my skin. Suddenly, I saw a barren, rocky wasteland sprawled out before me.
A faint whiff of saltwater reached my nose, informing me that the ocean was near. As I advanced, the stench became stronger, and soon it was practically impossible to ignore.
I swiftly drew closer to the rocky expanse, and abruptly realized that it was anything but barren! It was craggy and crisscrossed with scores of pools of water, connected by shallow water filled crevasses. Every pool of water was packed with a myriad of strange plants and extraordinary creatures that I had never before laid eyes upon, natives to this alien yet miraculous environment. I viewed countless varieties of fish, and shellfish, and more snails than I had ever thought could dwell in one place. Amongst all those amazing marine animals were dozens of strange exotic plants. Way in the distance, I saw a tiny, narrow, sandy beach, and beyon
d that I spotted a seal diving underwater, leaving nothing past the beach but a beautiful calm ocean. I called out, “Dad, what is this place?”
My dad responded, “This is called a tidal pool!” Cheerfully, I raced into the first pool I reached. I drove my toes into the curious feeling, soft mud. I felt the refreshingly cool water, which only made me more aware of the blazing sun that was like a raging inferno. I could feel the roasting heat all around me, as if I was surrounded by a whirlwind of invisible conflagrations. Suddenly, a gentle zephyr washed over me providing brief but blessed relief. It faded away, dissapearing as quickly as it had first emerged. As I hopped out of the water, I felt minute droplets of clear water that clung fiercely to my legs gradually slip away, falling into the soft mud that persisted in clumping to my feet. As I rapidly strode to my brother, Joe, and my Dad, I felt the hard, rough, uneven surface of the sandy rocks, poking my feet through my sandals.
Initially the tidal pool seemed to be eerily silent, but as I scuttled deeper inside, I became increasingly aware of the sound of waves lapping against the peaceful beach that I could see across the tidal pool. I heard my feet landing on the hard rock, producing an audible slapping sound. Far off in the distance I was vaguely aware of the sounds of the city, like engines and people yelling.
Suddenly my Dad called out “Boys, it is time to go home”. I knew we had been at the beautiful tidal pool for a while, but it felt like I had only just arrived. I reluctantly dragged myself out of the tidal pool and wished that I could come back to such an enthralling place.
As I bolted through the sidewalk as swiftly as I could for the second time I turned a corner, and the majestic tidal pool vanished from my sight, just as abruptly as it had appeared.