As a child the family used to go down to the New Jersey shore for vacations. We didn’t live near the beach, but it wasn’t that far away. New Jersey is a relatively small state; nothing is very far from anything else. I think in my earliest years, the ocean became particularly special because it wasn’t there all the time, I never took it for granted. It was a very special treat. They say that in some countries such as Peru, they worship the sun because they only see it when the fog breaks, and they see the sun. I didn’t exactly worship the ocean, but I really regarded it as a very special opportunity. I can remember, as we traveled across the pine barrens, we came to the sand dunes along the shore, before we could see or hear the ocean, I could smell it. And then hear it. And then finally, there it was, this great incredible expanse. And I can still feel that leap of enthusiasm, and real joy, at the prospect of finally getting out to the beach, and running around.