Change of Plans

This is one of those days where things did not quite go as planned, but I was not disappointed by the outcome. I thought I’d do something I had not done in several weeks: take a run through the harbor and then finish with a swim. So I get to the Strand parking lot a little before 7:00 which is a bit on the late side since I want to be in San Clemente for something at 10:00.

I see that there is some fog coming in from the north. I can’t see Monarch at all but most of the Strand looks clear. There is fog bleeding into the north end but it is far out enough to be fine. So I take a 7 mile run through the harbor, the island, up Cove Road and over the Headlands trail. From the top of the headlands, Strands looks clear. I can plainly see the lifeguard tower below the Ritz so I figure I am good for a swim.

I get to my car grab my trunks and head down the stairs. Everything looks good. I make a stop at the lower bathrooms and when I come out, it’s like someone flipped a switch. The beach is totally socked in. I can’t see out much past the surf and it has taken over the entire stretch of the beach. Wow. That happened fast. I walk down the asphalt hoping I’d get closer to the beach and gain a different perspective that would prove what I am seeing now is all an illusion. I don’t get far before deciding it’s just not happening and I walk back to my car.

In the car I check the Doheny cam that looks south and it looks like it is probably clear as far as Capo so maybe I can swim there. Sure enough, I get to the Capistrano Beach parking lot and the sky is clear. I can see the fog bank in the distance but it isn’t anywhere near where I will be. Excellent.

Based on the time I know I will need to abbreviate the swim. I don’t have a watch but I figure I will probably be ok if I just swim to the pedestrian sky bridge that crosses over Coast Highway.

Surf is super small but there is a single surfer out who manages to catch something just as I am getting in. The water feels cold and I fiddle with my camera and swim trunks trying to avoid the inevitable. Finally I lean into the water and I am immediately surprised by how cold it is NOT. I mean it is not warm. I repeat, it is not warm. However, I’m relatively comfortable compared to many of the swims I have had the last couple weeks. Is it that it is warmer today or is it this beach? I don’t know but I am liking this place more and more.

It is quite a lovely morning here. The sun is shining and I have a clear view of the mouth of the Dana Point Harbor breakwater and the familiar Eucalyptus trees that surround it. The sun sort of obscures my southern view of the Beach Road estates but it is pleasant nonetheless.

I swim close to shore and it is extremely pleasant. The water is much cloudier than Strands and at one point I actually do see a clump of kelp that frightens me at first because I didn’t expect to see anything like that. I also see a couple passing trains which is a nice treat that you don’t get at the Strand.

At one point I even see a lobster buoy just about 30 feet out past me. This immediately makes me feel at home and I swim out to it just to introduce myself. It seemed totally nonplussed by my presence.

After I turn around at the pedestrian bridge, I swim even closer to the shore. I can hear the sound of the ocean floor, which is made of very small rocks here. They make this high pitched humming sound as the waves ebb and flow over the shore. I like it.

As I pause to take in the view about half way back, I see something way out in the western distance maybe 100 to 200 feet out (I’m a terrible judge of distance). It’s hard to tell what it is exactly. It’s just a disturbance on the smooth horizon. As a small wake passes and recedes, things come into focus and I can tell it is a group of maybe a dozen small outrigger canoes. Then another wake builds and they all disappear.

I’m getting colder but totally in good shape. I finish up and get to my car realizing I’m running slightly late. So I don’t even towel off and zoom home to take a quick shower and change. I’m 5 minutes late to San Clemente and at 11:00 on the way back home, North Beach and Poche (the two beaches south of Capo) are totally socked in and Capo Beach looks pretty iffy.