What does the ocean represent symbolically?

Are we all literalists here? Where are the poets?

You want a cage or a bridge? Clausum or Liberum?
You want rage storm n fear, or challenge, discovery and hope? Life or Death?

How about trying to get to fill the Ocean in a small beach hole with a sea shell zip by zip? Young children try it as Saint Augustin has also noticed...Symbols are fundamental and dangerous at the same time...

...around this place most people are not found of dangerous talking just taking care of their own well esteemed public image.
...I, therefore suppose, you are not going to get much more feedback than this..

My past life, long time sand joy, the pleasure of walking the crowds at Venice Beach, the pleasure of running at the edge of the surf with few other people around, but, oh, wait, these are real, not symbolic.

I've not been a sailor but have friends who are good ones. I'd say the look on their faces when discussing sailing - their whole bodies almost glow as they tell their tales. So, I'll say it represents glow.

Venice beach Florida or California?

California

I don't mind Venice, Italy either, but have not been there - just a few days - like I have lived California beaches.

I'm going to guess it represents something vast, deep, and mysterious.

Jonah? No idea. Haven't read the story and don't plan to. If I did, I would probably consider it implausible at best.