Paradise; The feeling of salt on my skin and the smell of it in the warm, summer air arouse senses. I am surrounded by a dark bluish-green abyss. The feeling of the warm sun on my tan skin is comparable to no other. The water and the air, the hills and the coast, I am surround by natural beauty. It bewilders me how someone could live on this island and never see the beautiful view I see almost every day of my summer. I find my little slice of heaven on earth in the shadow of the greatest city on earth.
Living on Long Island I spend about 5 months hibernating, trying to survive the winter. Throughout the winter it, is what keeps me motivated. I put myself back in summer, I watch the rainbow colors of the day fade over the Long Island Sound and try to forget that there is currently two feet of snow outside my door. I am not a big fan of the cold, but spending my summers out on my boat in Cold Spring Harbor is truly worth the wait.

I have been on boats since I was little. When I was young I was afraid of the ocean, dark and mysterious. Fear of not knowing what was below both scared and intrigued me. As time when on I grew to accept the uncertainties of the opaque New York water. From May to October I spend all my free time on my boat. Turning the key and hearing the engines roar to life is exhilarating every time. When I am turning the cool metal steering wheel, with the salty ocean breeze in my hair and looking out on to the Sound, I am exactly where I want to be. I am unconstrained by the geometric shapes of buildings and streets, completely free. The ocean all around is peaceful and beautiful. It is a picture of serenity.
My boat is my space to be me. Here is where I relax, hang out with friends, spend time with my family, escape the pressures of life, and sincerely appreciate nature. It also requires a lot of hard work. Scrubbing, washing, wiping, and all other types of cleaning are required. Although cleaning is not my favorite thing to do I don’t even mind because I know the hours of time spent cleaning will pay off. On my boat I am the captain. In charge of everything, all responsibility falls on me. Any day that everyone has fun and comes home safely is a successful one. It has taught me to be both mature and responsible. Even the people who work at my marina say I am there more than anyone else. It is a strange passion for a seventeen year old girl, but I am captivated by the ocean.
Under the bright blue sky floating in the ocean is where my true home is. Free from the constraints of society, it is here where I find freedom from my everyday life. The ocean is beautiful yet powerful, cyclical yet sometimes unpredictable. Like the ocean I too know where I am going. Even when the unpredictable strays my from my path, I always find my way back.