Across the intersection and through the gates, my family and I arrived in Sandy Bottom Nature Park. Gazing at the sky, inhaling the fresh air, and then viewing the various wildlife surrounding, this area of Hampton, VA seemed so unfamiliar to me. I was unaware of this place within this industrialized city that was actually for thriving wildlife. Growing up within this city, I have seen only what is known as an over-populated, polluted metropolis. Various buildings, homes, cars, and amounts of pollution, this campground was merely the opposite. The feeling I had was unusual, I felt a sense of peace and happiness. I enjoyed seeing the various plants and vegetation surrounding, from bushes to bulky trees. The animals inhabitant among gave me a sense of encouraged relief. The relief was that although man-kind has industrialized majority of the environment; however, there are some places that maintain a stable setting for the wildlife, moreover, encouraging me to try to make future actions in promoting further stable locations for animals.
Furthermore, my family and I began to unpack and settle an area for our picnic. I grabbed the hefty bag of charcoal, my sister dragged the cooler, my mom had the paper wear, and my grandmother carried the drinks. We were all ready for a pleasant picnic in the outdoors. The burgers and hotdogs sizzled on the grill as our mouths watered. Everything seemed so perfect; the sky was clear and bright, the birds chirped along, and our grill filled the air with a tempting smell. After the lovely lunch, my mother and I decided to try out the canoes provided by the park. It was first a struggle to balance weight but as we paddled along, we managed. The ride became so calm and relaxing until the heat and mosquitoes intensified. Because we paddled along the coast, we were among the mosquitoes’ nest, and the time of the day was the hottest part of the day. Being so, the canoe ride ended earlier; however, we enjoyed the ride in the natural environment because we were able to have an expanded view of the campground from the water. Next, we all decided to walk on one of the nature trails. The trail consisted of beautiful soaring trees and other wildlife of the sort. The atmosphere seemed so calm and free within the vivid woods. Not only was it an appealing experience, it gave me hands-on interaction with the wild-life.
As sunset approached, we all gathered our items and began to start home. Exiting the gates of the camp ground, I began to reminisce on my wonderful experience. If there was one prominent thing I learned from this trip, it would be of how precious plants and animals are to our environment and as humans, we should do everything to conserve their surroundings. This trip furthermore, changed me in a way to become more aware of wildlife and their needs, and in the near future, I would like to create an organization that supports our ecosystem.
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