I sat atop a sand dune and stared, mesmerized, out over a calm sea. The sun, having risen a couple hours before, hung low in the sky. On the water, little ripples from a gentle breeze reflected the intense sunlight, creating thousands of bright dazzling diamonds on the ocean's surface. Though it was still morning, it was uncomfortably warm already. I felt little beads of sweat forming on my brow, then trickling down my no...