I woke up at 4:30 and conducted a cost-benefit analysis of sleeping more and postponing my swim to after church. There was definitely some fuzzy math involved here but I liked the idea of having extra time in the afternoon for non-swimming activities. So it’s up and adam!

During my dawn walk of the dog, I could see more blue sky at this time than I had in weeks. It was also 68 degrees outside. At last the final day of July brings summer.

I leave for the beach at about 6:10. When I get to the parking lot, the skies are partly cloudy. It is super beautiful. I begin with an 8 mile run down to the harbor. A very pleasant run.

I quickly change into my bathing suit, grab my goggles and head down the stairs. It’s about 7:45 and I think if I don’t dilly dally too much I can make it back in time to rinse off, get dressed, stop for coffee and head to church in Laguna.

The beach is a paradise this morning. Relatively low tide, clean ocean surface, calm waves and I would estimate a water temperature North of 70 - pure decadence.

As I begin the swim, the water looks fairly clear. Today I decide to stay relatively close to shore given the low surf and an opportunity for a slight change in scenery.

This water and everything around it is just so incredibly nice. It’s like swimming in a comfortable pool, but it’s the ocean which is way better.

I can clearly see the rippled sand on the ocean floor and I pass by several schools of fish.

When I get to the South end, I’m a lot closer to the big rock than usual. I see a Garibaldi but it is quickly absorbed by the cloudy water. It’s not nearly as clear over here as it was during most of the swim over.

I head North and am quickly distracted by this rock with lots of sea weed growing from it and dancing in the current. There are a couple of calico bass hovering around it. I dive down and take a closer look.

I’m beginning to worry that I am going to be late for church if I keep sight seeing out here. The worship during the first half hour is my favorite and I don’t want to miss it.

I add a bit of vigor to my stroke. The Northern half of the swim seems to be significantly more cloudy than the Southern half. I pass by a couple buoys I do not usually see since I am normally further out. One is named “Baby Bertha” which I do not remember from last Summer.

I’m trying to work the stroke and make up for any time lost to gazing at the sights which I am doing a fair amount of. Eventually I make land fall. It feels like it is getting cloudier. Well I’m glad I swam when I did. It was such a perfect early morning sky.

I head back up the stairs and I rinse off at the shower just outside the restrooms. When I get to the car I see that I actually have plenty of time.

By the time I get to church I’m pretty tired. My arms are more tired than they usually are - probably from trying to hurry. The pastor giving the sermon is a new one to me - younger and more hip. I’m finding myself generally annoyed by him and then annoyed by myself for being annoyed with him. People seem to really like him and his heart seems to be in a good place. I think I need a nap, which I’m not going to get but that’s ok. Besides, I just saw this article this week about how naps contribute to dementia.

On the drive home it becomes fully overcast and as I write this, there are rain drops falling. Feeling pretty good about swimming earlier than later.

Pure Decadence

Fake News

In Christ Jesus