There really IS a sea here!

Pics: you can see the castle looking thing way in the back- that's the atlantis resort at the end of the palm. The palm tree's on the right and umbrella's are from the Hilton which I describe below. The buildings are apts right on the beach facing the sea.
I haven't been to the sea since I got here- the creek- yes. But hadn't really gone to the water and got in it, and felt what sea water is, etc. etc. So today was Sunday and being that everyone is working today thought I'd give it a shot. It was also only 98 at 1pm so even better reason to go the beach (not that it was hot- but rather that it was NOT hot- under 100 degrees so I would have less a chance of incinerating on the beach.)
It was suggested by the conceierge in my building that I go to the Hilton in the JBR complex because they have a great beach. The other option was to go to Atlantis Resort at the end of the Palm where they also have a water park. Here was the catch- the Hilton was D180 ($50) and the Atlantis was D200 ($56) and mind you those are the weekday rates! That gives you a towel, a lounger, and an umbrella. I opted to try the Hilton today. I parked in the public beach lot and walked over to the hotel. It was crazy busy in the lobby but I meandered out the pool deck and was directed down to the beach. The pool was a mess of Europeans all scorched red in ill fitting swim suits. Then between the pool area and the sea there was this really weird thing- or at least I found it odd. It was about 12 larger tiered terraces of green lawns with palm trees, umbrellas, and loungers- packed with people in their swim wear. Now, I understand how... I mean there was a pool a ways back, and the ocean was still a ways away... it was like I was walking through someone's yard in the suburbs, with everyone in their swimwear enjoying the "hot weather" but not by any water. It reminded me of a golf course with all the green grass and landscaping but then all these people just hanging out- there wasn't even a view of the ocean because it was totally surrounded with shrubs and covered in palm trees!
When I got down the sea I found that odd as well. There were rows and rows and rows of loungers all with umbrellas between every other one forming essentially a roof over all the loungers. The sand was uneven, it was hot, some chairs didn't have cushions, some umbrellas were cranked over into the sand on the ends of this makeshift camp from the sun. Then I was like "where's the water? It was another 500 feet or so from where we were! LOL

Ok- so I guess I had a different view on what it was going to look like. We've all seen the commercials for the Caribbean resorts with the couple in the two loungers and they are on this amazing beach sitting right on the edge of the surf- I think that's what I was expecting for D180. But what I got was this cattle corralled pasture with green grass, or a corral on sand. Either way, I was not having it.
I went back to the front desk and asked for my money back, and walked over to the public beach. It was empty- only me and three other groups of people on a huge stretch of beach. I didn't have an umbrella or chair- but my towel was fine. I swam for about 10 minutes, but didn't have swim shoes and I honestly have not been in a "real" body of water for years so was a bit grossed out stepping on things. I got out and could feel the salt on my skin. By the time I got back to my car it was sticky so I can see that having a shower nearby the water would be worth the price of admission to the hotels- but that's about the only thing.
I think next weekend I'll try the Atlantis- it looks a bit more my style :-)