I left a little after 11:15 this morning and, surprise surprise, it is completely overcast.

When I get to the parking lot, there is a light southern breeze blowing - strong enough to put some texture on the water and a chill on my shoulders.

Yes, again I am thinking about sharks. There was an attack on Sunday in Del Mar (San Diego county) that seriously injured a swimmer but he survived and is expected to make a full recovery. One commentator theorized that the red tide may have been a contributing factor and caused the shark to mistake the human for prey. This was the third attack in San Diego county in the last six years.

Today I ordered this wrist/ankle band that is supposed to act as a shark repellant. I had heard about these a while back and did not think much of them because I was afraid it would cause all fish and dolphins to avoid me which I do not want. However it is only effective for most kinds of sharks (white sharks included) and rays. AND Rays? Well that’s a double win. This band arrives tomorrow but I’m taking my chances today and going ahead with a swim.

The beach really does look dreary today which I think is exacerbated by the ruffled surface conditions. That’s ok. I’m not here for sun bathing.

Very little surf here and even smaller than what the surf report claims things to be. The water feels good. I’d say we are still where we were at on Sunday which I think is more like 64. I actually feel more comfortable in the water than out in the breeze. Also, no red tide today. It is far from clear, but it is blue and I can see well beyond my arms.

I am swimming south. I can really feel that ruffle today. It’s not victory at sea but it is definitely working against me all the way down to the southern end of the beach.

Half way down I see a guy paddling out on his surfboard and he passes me and it looks like he is setting up one of the jr. guard buoys. It’s Bob Marley (the buoy, not the paddler)! Now that’s a site for sore eyes. Even if my eyes are not particularly sore, this would certainly heal them if they were. I haven’t seen Bob in quite a while and it’s good to have him back. I exchange a few words with the very friendly paddler who says they are putting all the buoys out today. Yes!

I get to the end of the beach and then turn around and now it’s as if I am being pushed all the way up north. I pause a couple times and look behind me and notice wake after wake after wake heading northeast from southwest. It feels good to let my body fall into this current even though I get a mouth full of water sometimes breathing to the west.

I notice on my pauses that I like to try to keep parallel to the surface as much as possible so my legs are not quite so obviously accessible to Jaws. I also look below me fairly frequently. It’s gonna be nice to have that shark repellent on my next swim.

I’m loving the color of the water today. It is a pale blue and sometimes as I look into it’s void, I just see white. A white that consumes my entire consciousness. I just stare into it and let my mind dream.

With the water all jostled, I often catch the edge of the surface sloshing about as my face pivots into the water. One moment it is grey and ripply and then instantly as I pass into submersion it is bright and sparkly. Then just as suddenly, there is just the vastness of the undisturbed water below. I know it’s only 8 to 15 feet deep but it looks infinite.

I reach the northern end of the swim and identify at least two, maybe three, additional buoys. They are too far to catch their names and I don’t feel like swimming out that far. I’m sticking close to shore today until I get my shark band.

I finish up and as I pass the lifeguard hut, which is now staffed, the water temperature is posted at 62. It is not 62. It’s still dreary out and I don’t see any sign of it clearing up soon. Then, just as I am pulling out of my parking spot, I can see the clouds starting to give way to blue sky.