Beach Haven

A descriptive essay about my childhood beach memories

This post was from a descriptive essay assignment for a writing course I took back in 1998. I couldn’t think of a better place to describe than my childhood memories of Beach Haven, New Jersey

My brother, Mom, myself and my sister at Beach Haven New Jersey

---

Our pine green 1965 Chevy crunched to a stop in the narrow, gravel driveway. A gentle sea breeze drifted through the wide-open car windows, prickling the sweaty hairs on the nape of my neck. My legs stuck to the car seat as I creaked open the heavy door. The bright red two-story house stood out against the clear blue sky. At each of the windows, fragrant yellow and orange marigolds bloomed in white flower boxes.

Marble sized yellow and white pebbles shuffled under my feet as I raced to the bay. A wooden, weather-beaten gate separated me from the sparkling blue water. Feeling the warm sun on my head, I boosted myself up on my tiptoes to peer over. Sunlight danced across the water like millions of diamonds. As I gazed closer to the dock, the water became darker, almost muddy. Waves lapped restlessly against the aging wood. Sea gulls perched on posts screeched impatiently.

The baby stroller wheels creaked, and our flip flops snapped as we started our one block journey to the beach. The heat sizzling off of the black asphalt made everything appear wavy and blurry. The faint smell of tar mingled in with the salt air.

Several feet ahead a bright green bench glimmered in the sunshine. Beyond that were soft gray and while rolling sand dunes. An old, pointy picket fence poked out in several parts, yet was buried in others. Tall blades of grass swayed and bobbed in the ocean breeze. High above the sand dunes sat a huge Victorian house with brown cedar shingles. A large wooden deck stretched around the front of the house. Above the roof soared an orange and red striped kite. Long, white tassels fluttered after it.

The pavement was slowly disappearing until finally, it was overtaken by a big blanket of sand. Warm sand funneled over the top of my toes and crunched under my feet as I dashed ahead. A cool breeze tossed back my hair The salty sea air was minced with seaweed and suntan lotion.

Remnants of broken sandcastles were crumbled on the moist, rippled sand. Scattered around that were jagged bits of rose and beige colored shells. A towering, white lifeguard chair loomed directly overhead. Next to that a small, dented metal canoe with faded blue letters rested on its side.

Up ahead umbrellas and beach blankets dotted the sloping curve of the beach for as far as I could see. The sand was growing warmer, almost hot. I hopped from one foot to another. The laughter and shouts of people were being drowned out by the crashing waves. Tiny children teetered down the sandy hills swinging brightly colored buckets, while their mothers scrambled anxiously after them.

Excitedly, I dashed to the moist, smooth sand at the ocean’s edge. The foamy white waves crashed and fizzled over my feet. Water droplets danced playfully thought the air. The vast blue ocean shimmered out for miles and miles to the horizon, stretching out for as long as my summer seemed to be.

I have been to the shore many times since then, but they never compared to those bright, endless summer days at Beach Haven.

Questions:

What are your favorite vacation memories?

Do you prefer the beach or the mountains?

Feeding the ducks at the beach house we rented with family

Myself, brother and sister at the bay.

My origional essay from 1998

I was published! This is a shorter version that won a vacation essay contest a few years later. It made the local newspaper (Remember those). My photo is of my brother and sister and I. I am in the boat (I'm 5 there).