The Beautiful Briny Sea

There's something about the sea!! I expect most of us enjoy visiting beaches, swimming or surfing, or maybe sailing out across the water. We all probably loved going to the beach as kids and messing about in and out of the water.
I have never been one for lounging on a beach sunbathing, but I was lucky enough to spend five years as a teenager living just a 10-minute walk from a fabulous sandy beach and the clearest seawater ever. I was fortunate enough to swim with wild porpoises and seals who were curious enough to come close to the shore when I was swimming. I studied life in the rock pools and caught fish from the shore. I listened to the seals on foggy nights, laying out on the islands in the bay calling to each other. It was a magical time.

I was also in awe of the power of the sea. Waves carved caves and arches from the solid rock over time, and then storms would roll in every so often and these caves would collapse into the water. The shore was eaten away in some places but then deposited somewhere new as pebbles or sand.

The seas and oceans also support a huge range of life, both under the water and on the land. They are also the largest lungs of the world, with seaweed and algae taking in carbon dioxide and producing most of the oxygen consumed by other organisms. 
So seas and oceans are not just beautiful places to enjoy, but very important to this world.

Are you lucky enough to live near to the sea or is a trip to the beach one of your most favourite ways to get away from it all?
Do you have a favourite beach, island, or bay you like to visit?
What sea creatures do you love the most, be they weird or wonderful?

Today, let's share our thoughts, gifs, pictures, memes, and music on everything to do with the sea, the seashore, and their many residents.