And thinking about the entry to the beach, too, the green bulwark one passes through on the way to the strand.
For Atlantic beaches it's a stroll past dunes and dune grass. But in Florida's semi-tropical clime there are beach grasses and scrubby palms and maybe a spray or two of bright pink bougainvillea.
The path through the grass is not just a prelude and change of scene. It is, I like to think, a place for mental readjustment, too. It's where I shed the landlocked me and prepare for the freedom to follow.