My Ocean Void Finally Filled (Beginning)

Its hard to believe that for a 20 year old living one province away from an ocean, I just experienced the amazing wonders and scenery of the Pacific Ocean for the first time this passing summer.

As young as I can remember, I always wanted to go to an Ocean. Growing up I was never interested in visiting places like Disney Land or Disney World. My main desire was to visit a real beach on an ocean.
My family always went camping and the lakes did have beaches, but I just knew it wasn't the same as an ocean beach. The most exciting thing you might see near the beach of a lake are minnows. I wanted more than that.

Then, this summer, the opportunity arose. My boyfriend's family was doing their annual week long sailing trip on the Pacific Ocean and I was invited! I was beyond excited. We flew out to Victoria BC and headed to Cooper Marina in Sidney where our 45 foot sail boat was waiting.

The first day there I was astonished by how the Ocean water was different from any lake water I had experienced. Salt water gets all sticky on you after it dries if you don't wash it off. I was astonished by this, and this wasn't even the beginning. Then came the Ocean life!

Along side of the dock was like looking into an aquarium. I couldn't believe all the vibrant colors and different things that I saw, and we hadn't even left the Marina! The starfish below was the first one that I had ever seen. It was just attached onto the side of the dock, and I took a picture of it with my underwater camera.

(Both photos were taken by me from the dock at the Cooper Sidney Marina)

I was so excited to see the starfish, that I ran back to our boat where my boyfriend's family was, and showed them the photo I had taken. Right away his mom asked me "Did you touch it?!" and I said "No! I was too scared". So I ran back (this time with moral support) to the starfish, so I could feel it for the first time. The starfish looked very squishy but, as anyone who has felt one knows. It was very grainy and stiff much like a rock.

Then I noticed sea anemones and barnacles (picture below), and they made me just as curious. When i saw the anemone, I grabbed a piece of foam and started poking at it. Right away it sucked itself inside and hid from me. The barnacles were just interesting to watch, as their tentacles drifted in and out. 

This was just the beginning of my first Ocean experience and it only got better from here. We weren't even out of the Marina yet.