What a week. My son came down with Strep last week and was admitted to the hospital early early Monday. He comes home today (Sunday) so suffice it to say there has been no swimming this week. There has been really not a whole lot of anything except hanging out in the hospital. I feel like the Orange County Children’s Hospital has become a second home. I know where all the cafeterias are and I can easily get there and back without the help of Google Maps.

Picture I took on a run through Doheny early yesterday morning

Well I was able to sneak a swim in today. After being at the hospital for over 24 hours, my wife took over and I made it home and was exhausted but I took a look at the webcams and conditions looked perfect. A big part of me just wanted to take a “maintenance run” or a nap but I just could not turn down this opportunity for a swim. Besides, I have not worked all week and I know this week is going to be super busy and a storm is due so I’m just not sure how many swims will be in the cards this week. After going back and forth in my head, I decide to just stop thinking about it and do it.

A Friday late afternoon walk through Pines Park

I’m out the door a little after 1:00, which is on the late side for me but the ocean surface still looks smooth and although it is partly cloudy out, there is a good amount of sun overhead. It’s been on the dreary side this week so this is nice to see. As I drive through Capo Beach and the Lantern District, it feels cloudier than sunny but then the mood changes in northern Dana Point at Strands and Salt Creek. Suddenly there is more sun here and the water looks smoother than it did just a mile or two south.

I park and am all set to go and realize I can’t find my lock box. What? Where the heck did it go? I search the entire truck cab and I don’t see it anywhere. For a moment I’m ready to call off the swim. I mean, I could leave the keys in the car and there is probably a 95% chance that all will be fine. Still, it feels like a bad idea. Then I realize I could hide the key somewhere on the car - like underneath on the parts of the car that I do not have names for given my limited automobile vocabulary. Then I have another thought: attach the key to the draw string of my trunks. Genius! Do I even need a lock box? Why have I not thought of this before?

It amazes me what ideas and solutions we can come up with when desperation strikes. It reminds me of this book I read of a guy adrift on a raft for about 76 days. He had barely anything but was able to assemble a fishing rig and a fresh water collection device with what little he had. This makes me wonder, maybe I should quit my job now. Perhaps that is what I need in order to stumble upon and execute a multi-million dollar passive income strategy. Hmmm. Maybe I won’t do that.

Anyways with my car key strung to my trunks and the draw string double knotted, I’m ready to get to the beach. I can feel the tension in my body as I head down the stairs. I try to just focus on my breath and what I see in front of me instead of all the things I need to do today and this week.

A group in front of me that must be unfamiliar to these parts is wondering why they did not park in the lot that is closer to the beach and immediately to our right. It’s an obvious question for sure. Then they notice the sign that says it is for resident only. Most days, the vast majority of spaces in that huge lot are empty. If only the Niguel Shores residents could sublet their parking space. They would make a killing. I also have to wonder, why is it so empty? What is the matter with you people? Go to the beach!

It is super low tide - quickly approaching a -1.3. I head down to feel the water and it feels like I’m going way out of my way. The wet sand feels warm until I get close to the edge of the water. Nope. This is not a freak warm up. However, overall, once I am in and swimming, it does not feel colder and in fact may just be a degree warmer. Of course being almost 2:00 helps too.

There is an easing unseasonal south swell in the water. Surf looks generally small with an occasional larger set but not that large. The water visibility has definitely taken a turn for the worse which is no surprise given the conditions this week. I’m a little premature on the 72 hour waiting period for swimming after rain and hoping this is not from rain runoff. I’m sure it’s not. It’s fine.

Delightfully, I am warm by the time I reach the little lifeguard hut at the bottom of the asphalt road. This is normal for this time of year but not normal for the past few weeks. Last week’s water temperature forecast says we have been unseasonably cold. It stated while it is not uncommon to reach these temps this time of year, it is uncommon to stay there for weeks on end. I’m certainly ready for a temperature bump. I look forward to the upper 50’s, which feels weird to say.

I knew that I would, despite some doubts, and indeed I do feel happy to be here. I’s a lovely day. The air seems clear, which may be from this week’s rains even though we did not see any significant precipitation levels. I can feel the energy of the cold water course through my torso and extremities. I am encased in this water and it feels like a safe place to be. The bluff looks so far away as if I am swimming further out than usual, but I think it is due to the low tide and the fact the the water’s edge is much further out right now.

When I get to the south end of the beach, the rocks here and those just at the end of the point stand much higher out of the water than usual and there are many rocks that I normally would not see at all. When I turn 180 degrees around and face Laguna, I am temporarily taken aback by the sun and blue sky that dominates that end of the coast. It is lovely.

I head north. It is hard to tell what direction the current is heading today. Maybe north? Boy that bluff sure looks far. I try not to think about how much farther I have to go and the things I need to do. It will all get done. I’m just going to disappear for a bit in this water and merge with the kelp that floats on the surface. In fact I merge so completely that a piece of stray seaweed catches on my goggles and actually pulls one of the eyepieces off of my face.

I just keep swimming and swimming and swimming. Every once in a while I look up to the lifeguard tower below the Ritz and it gets closer and closer and closer. About halfway up the beach I can see the sun’s light reflecting off the lifeguard tower’s window and it looks like a lighthouse.

When I get to the north end, the surf looks like it is breaking much larger at the Salt Creek point. I don’t know. Maybe it’s just the low tide making it break much further out than normal, but I see a lot of white water.

I am colder for sure now and pretty much have lost sensation in my last two fingers but I feel good. I am totally glad that I did this and look…my key is still right here! I make land fall and head to my pack. The sun feels good but I feel like it has more to show that it is hiding. Oh come on sun. Don’t be that way.

I make conversation with a nice guy named Charlie on the way back up the stairs. I’m trying to speak in clear and coherent sentences which is proving to be challenging. It takes a good while for my fingers to come back to life but here I am at the end of this post and I can assure you they have made a full recovery.

Go To the Beach!

Forever and Always

Change of Plans