Left the house at about 11:00 this morning. A little on the late side but trying to avoid the 9:45 high tide which really wasn’t all that high (4.7) but with the lack of sand on the beach it doesn’t take much to drown out the shore.

It’s a beautiful day and probably the warmest in some time. It actually got a little past 60 degrees (air). Apparently there is an oncoming “atmospheric river” due tomorrow so I want to enjoy this while I can.

When I get to the parking lot, there is a slight breeze. Walking down the stairs, I don’t see the same contrast between brown sandy inshore and deep blue outshore as there was on Monday. It’s all blue.

On the beach the water is still coming up to the rocks at the bluff but it is passable if you don’t mind getting your feet wet - I don’t. Water still feels quite cold. This week’s water temperature report predicts “ever so slight” warming this week. Spring is less than two weeks away. At this point I will be excited when we get to 58 degrees.

I set down my pack, jettison my shirt and head into the water. The water is the calmest today as it has been in a couple weeks at least. There is hardly anything breaking. The high tide may be a factor here.

After passing the initial dip in the ocean floor, I am almost immediately at chest level with the water. I start swimming and make my way south. It is cold but start feeling pretty good once I am half way down the beach. The water is relatively clear. I can see the floor and the general shape of the large islands of rocks on the bottom.

Every once in a while I feel what might be (emphasis on “might”) slight (extending emphasis over “slight”) warmth on the water’s surface from today’s sun. I still have full motion over my fifth fingers as I approach my starting point on the way back north so I’m thinking today we will do a full swim.

There is a small current in the water today but it is mostly pretty darn calm. I’m focusing on relaxing into this cold. I’m feeling good.

As I’m approaching the northern turn around point, the cold is creeping in. Are we there yet? I turn around and I may be a few yards short but who will know?

Once again I am back to where I was when I started. Toweling feels like its own separate workout. In my vigor and with the extra uneven surface of the sand and rocks here, I lose my balance and fall back onto the rocks ending with a small bruise on my face. Sheesh. When is Spring again?