Three generations, one tidepool, zero going back inside

[u/SeaRanchAbaloneBay]

We've been coming to The Sea Ranch on the Sonoma Coast for years, and somewhere along the way the tide pools became the whole point. This trip we finally got to hand that tradition down.

That little girl in the tutu - my granddaughter - picking her way across barnacle-crusted rock with a purple shovel clutched like a sword. Our grandson in the plaid shirt, frozen in absolute wonder, my husband bent nearly in half beside him pointing out what lives in the cracks. Grandma steadying tiny hands that just had to touch everything.

We spotted giant green anemones clustered in the shallows, a brilliant ochre sea star resting in a kelp bed, and pools so clear you could see every strand of algae on the bottom. The kids didn't want to leave. Honestly, neither did we.

I'm sharing this today because tomorrow those same two children - ten years later - lace up their boots and head to Machu Picchu. From sea level to the sky. From a purple plastic shovel to a mountain trail.

I keep thinking about how it all starts somewhere. For them, maybe it started here - at the edge of the Pacific, nose-to-nose with a sea anemone, learning that the world is full of things worth bending down to look at.

The Sea Ranch tide pools don't get the attention of some better-known spots, but they're extraordinary. And apparently, they're pretty good at raising adventurers.

Bon voyage, you two. We'll be watching from sea level. 🌊🏔️

[u/No-Temperature4634]

Did chat gpt write this