How is Section 6's opening description distinct, and what should the reader expect from the rest of the section?

The sun has passed its apex in the sky, and the waves crash upon the shore and roll into the caves. This should hint to the reader that the characters have reached the point in their lives where they have met or just passed their prime. The reader should expect the characters to begin to be humbled but also expect that a significant amount of time has gone by since the previous section.