Blog Three: Sensory Detail, The Gulf Coast Haven...True Heaven

            Upon exiting the staircase of your condo, the fresh sea breeze greets your face. As you make your way across the paved parking lot, a glimpse of the ocean catches your eye; the turquoise waters glisten, the sun creating sparkles on the crest of each wave. You reach the sidewalk and begin your quarter-mile journey to the beach, a book in one hand and an umbrella in the other. As you saunter along, you admire the beachfront homes across the street -- they are colored in pastel shades of pink, blue, orange, and green. Each home is different; some have white siding and shutters, others have tan doors and brown steps. Some are protected by a large, ornate fence, while other have a simple walkway. While admiring these beautiful Gulf Coast homes, you decide that if your Chicago plans fall through you are definitely moving to Florida. Upon arriving at the crosswalk you take a left and continue for a brief distance. A raised wooden bridge showered with sand and engulfed with palm trees welcomes you. After removing your sandals, you hurry down the ramp in anticipation of the beach that lies beyond it. Your feet are now submerged in heaven -- they sink deep into the sand's warm graininess. As your gaze rises, the ocean, vast and immeasurable in distance, captivates you. On the water's edge, two dolphin tails soar above and beneath the waves. The water shimmers and sparkles like that of the photo-shopped pictures in travel magazines. The sun's rays kiss your face in warmth and your skin begins to tingle. You think to yourself, "Who could have asked for a more perfect day at the beach?"

            This piece is intended to transport the reader back to a beach vacation, through the use of sensory detail. For all who have visited the Gulf Coast, the "fresh sea breeze" referenced in the first sentence is relatable; the scent of the ocean and gentle air on the face are characteristics that every Gulf Coast-attendee has experienced and can thus connect to. The opening sentences convey my positive attitude toward the beach experience. The use of phrases such as "the turquoise waters glisten" and "the sparkles on the crest of each wave" support this positive beach experience, by creating the image of a perfect natural landscape. The reader can actually visualize the sea-green waves and tiny spots of light atop each [wave]. Because of this, the audience is drawn further into the paragraph and can view the writing with credibility, knowing that my description of the ocean is authentic. After the first three sentences, I went into a brief description of the homes found along the beach. I illustrated these homes using color (pink, blue, orange, and green) to trigger that nostalgic, serene image in the reader's heads. All along the Gulf Coast, these quaint colorful homes are present and are thus identifiable landmarks to vacationers that serve to transport them back to a memorable vacation. The raised wooden bridge referenced in the ninth sentence is intended to capture the reader; the natural beauty of a palm tree canopy and the tingle of sand on the feet are simple pleasures that engulf the reader. This bridge also carries metaphorical significance; the audience knows that the final destination is the beach. While I take a mini-tangent in the description to focus on the bridge, the audience is waiting in anticipation to finally hear of the ocean's glory. At last, I bring the readers to their final destination: the Gulf of Mexico. By using phrases such as "the ocean, vast and immeasurable in distance," I wanted to make the reader feel as if they were a part of something larger than themselves. All of these instances of sensory detail accomplish my purpose by transporting the audience back to a nostalgic beach vacation.

WORD COUNT: 360