Sound of the Ocean

     The sound of the ocean was unlike any other.

     At least for Saiph, who saw it as a well-choreographed symphony. Hundreds of instruments, all composed by dozens of tiny miracles, all aligned together to form a beautiful song: the waves, coming and going, chasing the moon. The seagulls, creatures born and living along the shores. The distant murmur of the people who came from hundreds of miles away just for the pleasure of gazing into the ocean. Every single one of the noises melted together, orchestrating Saiph’s favorite place of all.

     Through a sunny spring morning, with clear skies and gentle rays of sunshine, the sound of the ocean was a show that Saiph would never miss. And with the weather hot enough to warm the water, yet cool enough to keep the beaches relatively empty, Saiph knew that the day was perfect to experience the waves firsthand. So, with a board on hand, and an outfit fit for the beach, the foxtopus found themself ready to delve into the water.

     Surfing was one of her favorite ways to connect with the ocean when given the weather and the chance to do so. Her first board has been a golden find through a dumpster, old and unbalanced but very well-loved. For Saiph, learning to surf had been challenging, but never difficult. She liked challenges, she liked testing her body and learning the ways of the ocean, that constant push and pull that would drive her to conquer past her limits. Tourists, locals, and all types of humans had been their teachers and Saiph had been a wonderful student. She could still remember, with a loving fondness, the first time she conquered a wave. No other feeling could ever compare.

     But that learning period was long behind her, and as she touched the water for the first time that day, Saiph knew exactly what to do.

     The board she used now was a colorful piece of art, crafted with local wood and painted to resemble local scenery. It wasn’t made by her, but rather for her, by some of the residents of the beach town, those who had seen Saiph change and grow through the years. It was well waxed and polished, of a plain color on the bottom but a colorful explosion on the top, a beach in pastel blues, pinks, and yellows. It was a perfect compliment to her aesthetic, the colors of all her tails, and the lively personality with which she approached the ocean.

     Because when Saiph was in the water with that board, they saw it as an extension of themselves, not just an object. Saiph paddled her way into deeper waters, concentrating on the feeling of the board against her chest, and the temperature of the water against her fingertips. Once gotten used to the sensation, it was warm, very pleasant.

     There was very little wind in sight, truly a great day to be out in the ocean. The waves were starting to form deeper into the distance, but through Saiph’s experience, they could tell it would take a while for a sizeable enough one to reach. Patience was always best when in open water, and time was something that would never be wasted when having fun.

     Saiph grabbed a small piece of rope from the satchel around their waist, tied it up to the end of the surfboard, then made sure it was secure to her wrist. If she was to explore below the surface, Siaph wanted to make sure that the board wouldn’t be floating too far away. Once it was secured, she gently stepped out of it, laughing to herself as their body reacted to the shift in temperature. Better get it over quickly before she could even think of changing her mind.

     So, Saiph delved underwater and opened her eyes.

     There was a sort of mysticism to the world below the waves, like something whose existence didn’t seem quite possible. Saiph found herself in a world quite different from her own, a dreamy space of blue, with sun rays seeping in through the surface. It was as if she had jumped into a dream, suspended in the water, to observe what happened around them. But Saiph wasn’t alone:

     A school of fish, small but mighty, rushed past her in a flash of orange and red. A set of blue tangs were making circles around each other, ensuring not to lose their partner as they went. A royal gramma had gotten curious of Saiph’s tails and had almost reached one of them when Saiph noticed– caught red-handed, the fish hurried away and below, into the reef, seeking shelter in the rows upon rows of colorful corals. There, Saiph admired them saying with the current, like if rehearsing a dance only for her. Starfish were soaking in the sun, and Saiph was even able to spot a turtle in the distance, going to the surface to catch some air.

     For Saiph, this was an image taken straight from a painting, just slightly blurry and glowy, like a fairy tale and a dream and everything in between. It was fantastical, and the feeling of being in the middle of such wonders made Saiph incredibly happy. She could feel the pull of a smile at the edge of her lips, betraying her excitement. One of her hands reached towards a lone angelfish, mesmerized by its beauty–

     But it was just like that, where their little moment in time had to end, Saiph’s lungs mourning the lack of oxygen. Saiph swam upwards, guided by the tug of the rope still around her wrist, and came back once again towards the surface. There, she breathed, laughing as she tried to get some of her ginger hair out of her face. It was difficult when completely soaked, but she wasn’t complaining.

     She thought about diving down once again, wondering if there would be any pretty seashells to find near the depths of the reef– and that’s when they saw it.

     In the distance, a wave, whose height and speed were rapidly increasing. Saiph could see it grow, wild and untamed, the size of a car, the size of a tree, and morphing to become even taller. Saiph knew it would break away before it was to reach the shore, unhostile as it was pretty, but where Saiph stood, it would be the perfect size to ride it out. This was it.

     “Steady,” They told themselves, hurrying to climb on the board and determine a balance. The wave would not have the patience she prided herself on having, “Steady, Saiph."

     They flexed their knees, tensed their body, and relaxed their mind. By the time the wave finally reached her position, the board cut through the water’s inertia, and Saiph took advantage of it. Through movement born of experience, Saiph, the board, and the sea, they all became one. Feeling proud of herself, overjoyed with the moment, Saiph let out a yell, then laughter.

     And then the wave melted away when the shore was closer, Saiph lost her balance and barely managed to hold onto the sides of her board before the wave was completely gone. Her hair was again all over her face, her legs and arms hurt from the strain, and she was much closer to the beach than when they had started.

     But Saiph was so, utterly, completely free. And for such a unique, heartwarming feeling, nothing else mattered. She had to do it again.

     The only thing putting a stop to her time chasing waves was the limits of her own body– Saiph didn’t feel as tired as she knew she could, but after riding two, four, seven waves, her muscles were sore and her lungs demanded a break. So, Saiph had left, straight back home, to clean her board and take a shower, then come back out to the beach when their body was much more relaxed for it. Sitting down on top of a towel, watching the waves form and dissolve in the distance, Saiph allowed herself to enjoy the privilege of living next to the sea.

     “You were out there for a while,” called a voice behind her, which Saiph recognized to be one of the restaurant owners at the beach. He sat down next to them, “Do you ever get tired of surfing?”

     Her body did. The question prompted Saiph to be aware of the tension on her shoulders and the strain on her legs, the prickle of the sun, and the scratches from the sand. Tomorrow, she would exercise, and get stronger. And that strain would go away. When Saiph thought about it, the answer was simple,

     “Of course not,” they said with a smile. And they meant it.