We were gazing at the calm sea as we ate hamburgers in a cool, windy afternoon at La Jolla Beach. Seagulls, pelicans, and other unusual birds filled the sky, eyeing eagerly at people’s lunch. We could hear the laughs of children who were playing with Frisbees or footballs. Or they were gawking at the exotic fish and other peculiar creatures such as the anemones and octopi that swam in the small pools of seawater trapped in rocks. The main thing that grabbed the public’s attention were the seals and sea lions, swimming gracefully in the sea, basking in the rocks in groups, or taking nice naps.

People could take strolls with friends or family on the roads that lay near the beach, leading to restaurants and other souvenir shops. Restaurants filled the air with the aroma of delicious food that made your mouth water. Souvenir shops sold all sorts of things such as seashells, cards, stuffed animals, shirts, pictures, jewelry, and other cool stuff. All this was so much fun and it seemed that nothing could ruin it, except the odor that made the air reek of dead fish. Really, the smell made everything so much difficult; it made you regret every time you took in a deep breath expecting your lungs to be filled with fresh air of the ocean.

We really had a wonderful experience and wanted to stay longer, but it was winter, and the sky was starting to darken around 5:00 pm, so we headed home. We will remember this special day for a very long time and will be eager to come again to La Jolla Beach. I hope many people have the same great experience we had, but please, let’s just hope that the air smells fresh!


<Jin woo Park, Rancho Del Rey middle school 7th Gra>