My name is The Shining Sea and I am starting my journey on April 17th, 2019, It was a warm spring day and it was the day that I start my crazy journey throughout the North America and South America area. I got dropped into the water at about noon, right as I got in it was cold and some of my paint washed off, but I knew that this journey to the Gulf of Mexico was going to be scary, fun, gorgeous and nerve racking but I knew that I can do ANYTHING I set my mind to. The first couple of miles were pretty chill, but I started to notice that by the minute I was raising higherՉ» higherՉ». and even higher, I was the height of some bushes and tree trunks. I was nervous as to what was going to happen next. I slowly started to drift to the right side of the river and I got pushed and jerked around by all of the sticks and logs in my way. As soon as I thought it was all over, I got stuck in a mud bank. I didnՉt know what to do, so i just satՉ» and satՉ».. and sat, for seconds then the seconds turned into minutes then those minutes turned into hours then to hours turned into days then those days turned into months then 1 year had passed, and I was still waiting. IՉm pretty sure I have seen it all, snowy days, windy days, rainy days, sunny days, you name it I saw it. Then on April 22nd, 2020 a old male fisherman was trying to put his boat into the water to catch some walleye in this walleye competition, then he saw me and walked over. He read all of the information on me that I didnՉt actually realize was important until this moment, then he released me back into the river and along I went. I was already a year in and only 12 miles down the river, but I didnՉt lose hope. I was on the river for about 14 months and I finally made it to Hudson Bay. But, in the distance, I saw something and it looked big but I couldnՉt quite tell what it was. Every second I got closer and closer to this mysterious object, but when I got closer it was aՉ» aՉ» p...p...POLAR BEAR! I couldn't believe that a HUGE bear was less then 50 feet away from me. The bear was looking about for food in the water, but then he spotted me and oh boy was he excited to see me. I was guessing he thought I was a dead fish or something, but he new what he wanted.. (Which was food), and he knew he was getting it. He dove into the water but the jokes on him: his big splash created a huge wave for me and I went soaring north and landed on the right side up, so I kept going along. It took about 5 months to get from the southern part of the Hudson Bay to the deposit into the ocean, but as I was going to get into the ocean. I saw a fin, but I didnՉt really think much of it, until i realized it was circling meՉ».. And it was a great white shark. She popped up and I thought my life was over and I was a goner, but when the shark popped up she was bubbly and full of excitement, she said, ՉHi iՉm TaffyՉ, but Taffy looked at my boat and saw that it said HEADED FOR THE GULF OF MEXICO, Taffy was shocked because she has been there multiple times and that's where her family lives. Taffy jumped and was very excited to head to the Gulf. Taffy went off about her family, her adventures and did she mention that she met these gorgeous tropical fish and they are her good friends, but they arenՉt the smartest. Taffy and I kept going along for a year. During that year they talked and talked and talked, they shared stories, and games they loved to play and so much more, they were besties. Eventually, they made it to this huge stunning coral reef and Taffy was more then excited to introduce me to all of the fish. At the reef there were angelfish, eels, puffer fish, jellyfish, pencilfish, blue tangs and clownfish. Every single fish you could imagine was there. Taffy introduced me to all of the creatures, and we had a nice conversation and one of the clown fish named Sam he suggested that they all came with us to The Gulf of Mexico since none of them had been there. So they all set off to The Gulf (all 20 of them)! The journey took 6 months. Once they got there, I suggested that I could take it from here and that I will find my way to some kids. Then we all said our sad goodbyes. It was quite hard because I became so close to all of the fish and of course Taffy. Once everyone left Taffy said in the distance ,ՉThis isnՉt a goodbye, its a see ya laterՉ. After I wept for a minute I got myself together and I drifted to shore and I dreamed of Taffy. I wondered when I would ever see her again or if I would. Besides the fact that I was sad, I was more then excited that I had made it to the Gulf I cheered and laughed and when I got there, a cute little boy was running on the beach playing soccer, when he noticed that I was on the shore. He came and swept me up and placed me on his dresser and now I sit and occasionally go to the beach with him and we play. He took me out one hot morning and I looked out upon the water and all I could do is be proud that I conquered my dream.