A more than fair exchange

Woke up this morning and Dana Point was still beautiful. Partly cloudy skies and mildly warm. I took a 6 mile run to Lantern Bay park and back. Shortly afterwards I was off to the beach. I catch myself grabbing my phone to check Surfline for the conditions and put the phone away. How bad could it be? What am I gonna do? Decide not to go because there is too much bump in the water or too many clouds in the sky? It’s gonna be what it’s gonna be and its gonna be good. I put my phone back and head off.

I get to the parking lot a bit before 9. I grab my camera and goggles and leave my shirt and sandals in the car. The air feels good here - comfortably warm. I head down the stairs. There are the usual suspects here doing their stair climbing workouts. Most days I see people running up and down the stairs repeatedly. Must be a great workout but not for me. I prefer running to an actual destination less than 10 times in one session.

Lovely day on the beach. It’s mostly sunny skies. There is a cloud bank hanging out to the west of shore and it recedes further and further out to sea as the morning progresses. The water is mostly smooth and warm. Maybe just a touch cooler than it was yesterday morning but quite comfortable. As has often been the case through Spring and early Summer, it seems even warmer out past the waves.

I’m heading South and the morning sun is shimmering on the water - electric, alive, and beautiful. I capture a few photos and have absolutely no idea how they will come out because I can’t see the camera screen with this glare.

I give my self, my mind, my heart and my ambition to the water. The water merges with my breath. I give it my oxygen and it gives me its vastness. A more than fair exchange. I am a spec nourished by this cool wet that surrounds every pore on my body. The water is murky. Kelp rises from the floor like form from emptiness. It sways with the current. I swim past it and form merges back into emptiness.

I reach the Southern edge of the cliffs. The water rises and falls. I wade in this ocean breath. The sand moves on the bottom and dances like a thick vapor swirling and whirling and hiding the ocean’s solid floor.

I turn to head North. There is music in the background of my mind. Something I was playing on the piano last night. My thoughts reflect memories as they catch the sun’s light. Driving by Hobie’s on PCH. Walking on the boardwalk of Main Beach in Laguna. Looking at art at the Sawdust Festival.

I’m just past Bob Marley’s buoy and make my final turnaround. I see another swimmer. I notice that he pauses and I yell out a “good morning!” Not sure he heard me. As I make my way back to the break water, I try to snap a photo of a wave as its lip literally crashes on top of me. I’m not sure I pressed the right button (I did not) and I do a double somersault under the water surrendering myself to the pounding force of that breaking wave. Its good.