Last-minute plans are some of the best. Being spontaneous isn’t really in my nature, but fortunately for me, it is the nature of my family. Family vacations are chaotic, and mine wasn’t any different. My cousins, Brooklyn, Rylee, and Benjamin, had an idea to go to Carova Beach, a four-wheel-drive beach that they had been to the previous year to get away from the chaos for a few hours. I wasn’t quite sure what it was going to be like, but my sister and I both agreed to go because we loved to hang out with our cousins.

Never in my life did I think driving in a Jeep could be so fun. Doors off, roof off, and country music blaring, we made our way down to the beach. I could tell we were close when the asphalt turned into sand. In front of us was a blue Jeep that my cousin Benjamin and his girlfriend Tina were in. Brooklyn, Rylee, Reagan, and I were in the middle of a black Jeep, and my parents were in the red Jeep behind us. 

Benjamin and Tina’s Jeep started to accelerate and we followed. Soon enough we were right next to the ocean, and I could not be more thankful for seatbelts. The Jeep bounced along the beach. With each small hole in the sand, the Jeep moved in a different direction. I listened and noticed the volume of the music had increased.  Without any doors or roof to the Jeep, the wind was crazy. 

“Morgan, let’s get a picture,” My sister said laughing.

I smiled and looked towards the camera as she took the picture. I found myself laughing-this was the most fun I’d had in a long time. It was hard to hear over the loud music, but Reagan got my attention and pointed to the ocean. In the distance, I saw something in the water moving. I kept looking towards it when I came to a realization that there were dolphins. I was amazed at how they were moving in the water and couldn’t take my eyes off of them. 

We made our way off the sand and onto a path near a neighborhood. We were laughing as Benjamin and Tina tried to lose us, but we were able to keep up. In the distance, I saw something coming. I noticed the dark brown coat and how large the horse was. The horse was just walking down the path and didn’t have a care in the world. 

We made our way back to the beach and decided to take a picture. As I stood on the side of the Jeep, I took in the ocean behind and the people next to me, and I noticed how perfect this moment felt. The best moments happen when I least expected them.