The soft whoosh of the breaking waves fills my ears. The sea in front to me is black save for the white foam that flows up the moist sand only to recede back into the darkness, a thin line that changes with each wave. To my is left a pier, lighted at intervals by street lamps like a chain of glowing, yellow orbs in the darkness, then further out the shape of an islet, jagged black against the almost imperceptibly lighter night sky. To my right, the beach, the normally pristine  white sand turned a dirty yellowish grey under the scattered lights. A few forlorn looking deck chairs and palm leaf parasols complete the picture. A stiff breeze coming of the sea keeps me nice and cool despite the tropical climate.