Front Page News

I left the house at 6:30 this morning. Lots of clouds in the sky but also plenty of blue.

As I walk my dog in the park in the dark of the morning earlier, I’m not finding it easy to get into the spirit of getting wet. Swimming can be a lot different than other exercise like running. The thought of going for a run never imposes any kind of dread or fear. One might easily wonder, well why do it then? Because I know beyond all rational argument otherwise that it is going to be totally great.

So I’m in my car and the light is filling in the morning with each passing mile. I drive by Doheny and it is totally flat. We are just coming off of a 6.1 high tide. There is a pretty good south wind blowing but the water does not look too chopped out. It’s supposed to climb to 9 knots in the next hour.

When I get to the Strand parking lot, I can see the water moving north. It’s not choppy but very wobbly. Not a problem. It’s still recovering from the storms over the last couple days.

I do my usual strip down in the car to my trunks. I told myself I was going to start bringing extra layers down to the beach with me in my pack but I just can’t bring myself to do it yet. I want to see just how much longer I can tolerate this. Can I make it to the end of the year at least? Sure its a bit uncomfortable but it’s still safe. Once that water dips into the 50’s, things will be different, but based on the current buoy readings, that hasn’t happened yet.

When I get to the sand, the tide is still very high. There is just a few feet of shore to walk on and there is about a one foot drop off at the high tide line. There is very little surf in the water. That is supposed to change mid next week. If the forecast models come to fruition, we could get some of the largest surf we have seen since last Winter, but still not as big. Big enough to keep me out though.

I walk out into the water and a small wave that comes up to my chest slaps into me at just the right time and angle to nearly knock the wind out of me. Regardless, one of my immediate thoughts is, hey this water is not too cold. This just doesn’t cease to surprise, and delight, me. It’s probably about the same temperature as the last couple swims but it just feels like it should be colder. It doesn’t seem right but it is oh so very right.

I’m swimming in a diagonal - south and out to sea. I’m going right into the wind but it is not so bad. Before long I reach the houses past the lifeguard station so I know I am making progress. It’s light out but with these clouds at this early hour, it is not bright. As I recollect it now it seems so very dark but I’m sure it was lighter than I remember.

I swim and I swim. Was that warm water I just felt. Oops its gone now. The water is dark and so jumbly. The clouds are all over the place and seem like they shift around every time I come up for air.

I get to the end and I’m looking for the rock that marks my turnaround point. It’s tougher to spot with the high tide but I find it and move myself forward the next fifty feet or so until I look to be lined up with it. I pause for a couple photos because I have never caught this view before in just the same conditions and light.

Now I’m heading north to the Ritz. While most days I tend to drift west, today I am trending to shore and I right myself several times to get back on track. I am clearly swimming with the current now. Every now and then I can see light coming through the clouds behind me and it seems like the entire sky is glowing. Then is seems like I see land which totally disorients me and it is because I have shifted to head shoreward and I am looking towards Monarch.

That cliff just below the Ritz looks darker today. At its outer edge it is free of brush and usually looks golden brown with exposed sand, dirt and rock. I wonder if it is the lack of light or if they are just drenched from the rain. Well we really didn’t get THAT much rain. I saw a headline that said SoCal was due to get the most rain it has seen since Hillary. I had to laugh because that is almost like saying that we are going to see the most rain since the last time it rained. Ok. I know it has rained a couple times in between but it was only a few months ago.

Eventually I see a little more light on that cliff. It feels like the last quarter mile of the swim progresses at warp speed. I am surprised to see those bathrooms already and it is time to turn around and finish up.

I’m taking in the whole of this coastline in front of me. I can’t see anyone and it feels so wonderfully alone here. It seems as though it should be front page news - the fact that the water, sky and sand all arranged themselves in such a way as to present themselves in this current scene and somehow I am the only one to witness it. Will anyone believe me?

I eventually make land fall and become upright. I am pointed south and turn around to see if there are any waves coming. No waves but what I do see is a Pelican calmly resting on the water just about 10 feet from me. They are usually pretty skiddish and I am surprised that it stays put even as I walk closer. Soon I have crossed a line and it flies off.

Well I don’t know what it was that came over me at the park earlier this morning. This swim was freaking awesome and I feel great.