The creeks around here flood when it rains, funnel every errant drop of water down to the ocean, where the force of the flow breaks through the sandy berm. This time, though, the rain came early. The annual scouring storms that shift the sand have yet to do their work, so the beach still has its summer heft.

Tonight, if the promised second storm arrives, the creek will flood again and this time, the channel will be complete. But for today, anyway, we have a new lagoon.