FreshTalkingKids

Not-So-Perfect Paradise

“We’re going to the Caribbean!” announced Dad. Everyone cheered. We had all been longing to go there and now the fantasy had come true. I could already imagine the crystal clear blue water, white sand, and waving palm trees. Paradise. Right after dinner I ran upstairs to pack my bag even though the trip was in three weeks.

The night before we left, I was too excited to sleep. Finally the day came. It was so awesome to be on the plane for the first time. When I looked out of the window, everything was so miniature. I chewed gum and read magazines and before I knew it I was there. It was paradise. We checked into a monstrous white hotel right on the beach with a balcony to look out from. Of course, the first thing we did was go to the beach. I laid on a striped towel in the sun for awhile, but I felt an urge to go in the water. I got up and saw that everyone was surfing on the huge waves. I grabbed my boogie board and ran to the ocean.

I jumped right in. I was hot from lying in the boiling sun. I tried to catch some waves, but it was a failure. I kept swallowing foamy water and kept ending up with my face in the rough sand. I decided to do something more relaxing. I ran onto the shore and grabbed a float and the book that my friend had recommended. I had to be extra careful with this book in the water, but I had flotation, right? I found one unusually calm place in the water where there was no one.

Wow, this book was good. It was about a girl who was stranded in the ocean with nothing but an old boogie board to hold on to. I was so engrossed in it that I couldn’t even hear the waves anymore. I read and read and read and before I knew it I had finished the book. Then for the first time in an hour I looked up.

The first thing I noticed was that I was moving, fast. Out to sea! The beach was getting smaller and smaller. There was no one around. I looked down. The water was not the aqua it used to be. It was a deep, dark blue. Oh…no. I was in a rip current. I started to think of things I could do;
1. I keep floating.
2. I try to get out of the current, but then I would have to leave my float. And my book.

My book! I was so startled I had dropped it in the water. It had all the information I needed. There it was, bobbing in front of me. If only I could reach it…

I tried to shift my position on the raft which was not a good idea. The raft started squeaking and rocking to and fro. I was going to fall in.

Surprisingly enough, I righted myself. But that book was still far away. I realized the current was getting calmer. I know, I know, I was taking a chance, but I jumped out.

With a little kicking I could get to the book. The pages were soggy but readable. I remembered some of it. But not all. I would have to test my reading comprehension.

Okay, now what did that girl in the book do first? I checked. The book said she found a beautiful, magical, coral reef and caught a fish. Obviously the author wasn’t being very realistic. I hate fantasy. (Well at least now I do.)

So I swam around and looked for a reef. Luckily, I was in an area likely to have them. Finally after ½ an hour of searching, I found a not-so-magical coral reef. Ahh, I could finally stand on solid ground. Ouch! Ow, ow, ow! My foot hurt like crazy! I looked down. Apparently I had stepped on a sea anemone. Great. Now the lethal poisons were going to kill me. No time to freak out, Sarah, just think.

As I tried to think of what to do it grew dark. I was so… hungry. I just wanted someone to come and get me in time for a wonderful dinner at the hotel. That got me thinking; hey, why isn’t anyone saving me? There should be helicopters by now. Aren’t my parents worried sick?

I decided to sleep without the float so I wouldn’t float away. My eyes closed and I was lulled to sleep by the sound of the ocean.

When I woke up I knew I had to take action. I stood up, being careful not to step on the sea anemone. I could see the shore, but it was far away. I saw the hotel; it looked so welcoming. I tried to untie the raft from the coral reef from the knot I had hastily made the night before.

Maybe I could swim to shore, but it was farther than I had ever swum before. I started off. Boy, I was weak. I hadn’t eaten since the plane. My stomach was rumbling loudly. I was trying as hard as I could but I was going at an unbelievably slow pace.

When I was about to give up, I heard a familiar rumbling. Gasoline has never smelled so good.

“Help! Help! “I called. A grumpy face looked down at me. “Get on the boat, kid. ” said the man. I was offended for being called a kid. I was almost 12 ½! He must have been a fisherman. His boat stank of fish and there were traps and nets and fish on the deck. “What are you doing here?” he asked. “I, I …“ I told him my story. All that he said was, “Darn tourist. ” and cast out a line. “Aren’t you going to take me back to shore?” I asked. “No, I am staying on this boat for another 3 hours. Maybe even longer. You scared all the fish away.”

I ended up sleeping on the boat for 3 hours until the fisherman started toward shore. Finally I was going to civilization.

My family was waiting for me when I got off the boat. “Oh, honey! “Mom gushed. “We’re so glad you’re safe!” dad cried. “I didn’t think you’d survive.” said my sister. “Why didn’t you look for me? “ I asked. The whole beach was staring at us. It was so… embarrassing even though I was very happy to be back.

As we started walking toward the hotel I told my family about my adventures and they told me about the laws here that said they couldn’t look for me for 24 hours and how they were so… worried. Finally I was starting my vacation.

I think what happened made me a better person. Now I know that not everything comes out perfect. I will be more prepared and be careful where I am swimming now. Now that I look back on it, I am a little glad it happened.