The briny smell of the sea wafts down the side streets, enticing you to head up a ramp to the boardwalk. After the salt air, it is the quiet that you notice. Fifty degrees, no wind and an outgoing tide conspire to reduce any surf to a murmur. The morning sun is starting to break through the haze, but the mist out over the ocean persists. The surface of the sea starts to shimmer with iridescence, broken only by an occasional ripple. An occasional runner passes by, somehow light-footed enough not to make a sound. Shoppers are out looking for last minute gifts or that warm cup of coffee, but even they are silent. You pause and give thanks that you took the bait and came up to look. Peace on earth.