Memorial Day
Getting a super late start on the swim today. Leaving the house at 3 PM. This is my first afternoon swim in months. I prefer the morning for a couple reasons. First, conditions tend to be better. The wind is almost always calmer in the morning which makes for a smoother ocean surface. Also, I just like getting my workout out of the way in the morning so I have the rest of the day to get other stuff done. Well today it just wasn’t meant to be. I slept in to a quarter after 6. It was super cloudy and I did want to run and thought if I ran first then the clouds might just burn off for the swim afterwards.
I did a 6 mile run down to capo beach over to poche beach and then back home via Vaquero and Camino De Los Maraes in San Clemente. When I got to Capo Beach, I was hoping to run along the beach tp Poche. Usually if the tide is 2 feet or less I can run from the parking lot past the first few houses and get no more than my feet and ankles wet. Surf is up today so when I got to the beach, it looked like I could get a lot more than that wet if not slammed against the rocks from the surf so I headed back up to the PCH bike lane. Overall it was a great run.
Then as I was about to head out for a swim at about 10, my wife told me she and the kids wanted to hike soon; so change of plans again. We took a super nice little hike on the Sea Summit trail that runs between Poche beach and North beach in San Clemente. By this time the sun was out in full force and it was 67 degrees. The trail begins just west of the San Clemente outlet shops and runs along a canyon to a bluff just east of the coast. It was beautiful and everyone had a nice time even if our 13 year old said “the trail sucked” it seemed like he was having fun and our 16 month old napped until the last mile and then he had a blast walk/running the rest of the way and stopping to smell the weeds.
So now it is 3 PM and I have my window of opportunity to swim. The weather is great. There is wind and the ocean is not smooth but I’m excited to get out. When I get to the parking lot, it is full. Well it is Memorial day after all. So I have to circle around for not too long at all until I get a pretty darn good spot. I didn’t even bother brining my backpack today. With this warmth, I know I will not need a towel or extra warmth after the swim for sure.
Lots of people here. This really doesn’t bother me at all. I mean its a beach. Of course this is where folks are gonna want to be especially on a holiday. There would be something wrong with them if it wasn’t. If one is so bothered by crowds, then get here at 7 which I sometimes do and it is practically empty. I think the more people who spend their leisure time at the beach, the better this world may be.
When I get to the bottom of the stairs, I see families lining up to ride the funicular to the top of the stairs. Once I get to the sand it is an entirely different scene here from what I am used to in the mornings. It’s one big party. All the way down the beach there are people sun bathing, playing games, and playing in the sand. I find a spot in the rocks to hide my shirt and phone and head out into the water.
Surf is up from this morning and a set is rolling in just as I am starting to head out. I get tossed into a boogie border who is also trying to make his way out and apologize. Finally I am past the surf and heading south. Wow. This feels super good. I would say this is the warmest and most comfortable swim since last summer. The entire swim is like an exercise in feeling good! That’s my kind of exercise. It feels so refreshing. The water is a bit rough but I just try to relax and give myself to this tumult. I’m wondering what the swim to shore will be like. The swim out was exhausting but when the time comes it is really a non event.
I find my shirt and phone and head back up the stairs. So good!
