On the last morning , I walked out to the water by myself . The sand was damp and firm high up the beach from the tide . Morning mist spread along the coast like a secret , the clouds hung low and thin like a lace hem over the mountain to my right , and a pink ribbon of sky wove between gray and blue sheets to herald the arrival of the sun .

Question: Why did the narrator walk along the beach one last time ?
Answer: The narrator knew he would not be able to see it again for quite a while .To rinse his feet off in the water .It reminded him of a beloved childhood memory .So that he could get a darker tan lying on the sand .