I left a little after 6:00. I’m delighted when I wake at 4:30 and open the Strands webcam to see a beach. Yesterday was completely fogged out all morning and I ended up swapping my planned swim for a 9 mile run to North Beach, which was pretty great but not my first choice.

On my way to the beach, I’m studying the coastline for signs of fog. It does look pretty misty but so far I don’t see anything that would call off a swim. From Doheny I have a clear, but overcast, view as far as the horizon but there is a light fog bank hovering right in front of Dana Cove. From the Strand parking lot the horizon grows more clear as you look north but Monarch point is only partially visible but visible enough. I just need to know where the point is, I don’t need 20/20 detail.

I start with a one hour run which I realize allows more time for fog to accumulate but I love a run through the harbor, which I do enjoy today. The fog is getting more dense over the hour but it is still not prohibitive. After the run I head down the stairs and once I see the shore, the north end between the asphalt and Salt Creek is all misty.

Still, I can see well past the surf and I can see both north and south points. When my feet touch the water, it is obviously cooler than the last time I was here. My feet mildly ache from the cool water. This morning I could see the first bonafide dip in temps I have seen all month on the local buoys. Camp Pendleton went from 71 to 66. I had to remind myself that 66 sure is better than 56 and if I would have seen 66 in March (or April (or May)), I would have thought I was stepping into a Jacuzzi.

I walk into the water and soon start swimming and there is no need for sophisticated calculus to be performed here. The water is colder. My initial reaction is that we have reverted to winter conditions. My arms feel cold and my head is achey. However, as I get past the surf and am in the water a little longer, I realize it really isn’t so bad at all. Yes, it is undoubtedly colder - probably by at least 5 degrees but when I stop and pay attention to how my body feels, I feel fine. In fact, I feel more than fine. I’m not basking in luxurious warmth but I am comfortable. There are also patches of water here and there that are down right warm.

I swim south and just need to check in every now and then to gauge how I feel. Often my initial sensation reports it is freaking cold but on second glance, I’m really not. What is bothering me far more than the temperature is my goggles. They constantly leak on the right side throughout the entire swim.

There is a fair amount of up and down on the surface today. The swell has come down from my last swim on Friday but its got a good amount of wobble to it all over. The current feels like it is moving more south to north today. For the entire northbound leg, I keep a good eye on the Ritz to try and stay closer to shore and avoid drifting out so far as I did last time. This does not prove to be difficult.

About half way up the beach, I can see a blue glow just above the horizon line looking to the north. It is sandwiched below a heavy overcast sky. The south looks much more cloud dense. However all of my major points of interest remain visible.

Speaking of points of interest, the North Star buoy seems to be gone. I have not been able to find it for a week and as I ran along the top of the bluff before the swim today, I did not see it anywhere. Before, I could always spot it from up top so I am certain it is gone. Hopefully it passed peacefully and from natural causes and will resurrect itself next year.

So as I approach the north end of the swim, I don’t attempt to locate the North Star but swim right by Big Bob. I’m hearing voices and I can’t tell where they are coming from. I don’t see surfers nearby. The boat just outside of me is a possibility but seems maybe too far. Then as I am heading back south, I see a couple swimmers chit chatting by Big Bob. We talk for a little bit and comment on the water temperature. I mention the fog and one of them says that it looks like the sun is coming out as he points to the blue glow I mentioned earlier. I doubt the sun is coming out but keep that to myself and invest in a fresh round of hope that he is correct.

I finish up my swim and continue to drain my right goggle every few minutes. I must say that when I drain it, there is a pleasant bath of warm water that flows down my face that was earlier trapped in my eye. Those are definitely tears that feel good to shed.

By the time the swim is finished, my body feels completely spent. Yesterday’s 9 mile run and today’s 7.5 mile run and 1.75 mile swim combo have taken their toll. It is definitely a good feeling overall though. I can’t think of anything else I would rather be doing early on a Sunday morning.

I drive up to Laguna and the sun comes out as you head towards Aliso Beach. I come back down after noon and it is still grey along the Dana Point coast.