Early mornings on the Santa Monica beach will find most volleyball courts full with practicing weekend athletes. . . the blue / grey mountains in the distance serve as a perfect background to the sandy playing fields. Concentration is intense, with the cool Pacific Ocean just yards away as they hit the colourful balls back & forth over the parallel lines of net, boundaries and shadows. Bright reds, radiant yellows, brilliant blues, all add to this dazzling seascape; one can just hear the melodious carny music playing from the Pier.