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I found it surprising to learn that “first the Eldar looked in fear and wonder on the Sea there stretched an ocean, wide and dark and deep, between them and the Mountains of Aman.” What I had taken as more or less a genetic predisposition toward the sea, turns out to be a learned love, fostered by Ulmo’s words and music, in order that the Vanyar and Noldor might reach Aman as the Valar had bid them. This, as opposed to the Teleri who “were from the beginning lovers of the water”.
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This is a very interesting observation. The idea of "sea-longing" is so prevalent in Tolkien's works that it is strange to read of Elves fearing the sea. On the other hand, we do have statements that the Teleri loved water from the beginning - for example, in the "Cuivienyarna" in HoMe XI.
I suppose the way to resolve any apparent conflict between the two statements is to say that one can both love and fear something. The sea
is a wondrous and potentially terrifying thing - I can readily imagine that on first seeing it the Elves might be filled with both longing and terror.