Raptured

I left at about 7:30 this morning and skies are quite overcast. I don’t expect this to clear up soon. We didn’t see the sun until mid afternoon yesterday and it was not out for long before clouding over again in the evening. As I approach San Juan Creek from Hwy 1, the low clouds look thick to the east along Del Obispo. Approaching Selva, the tops of the hills here in Laguna Niguel are completely hidden.

Still, there is enough visibility to see much further out than where I will be swimming and Monarch point is clearly visible. Also, it’s pretty warm and comfortable out. Given that I am sure water temperatures will be 70 or higher or at least darn close, I’m sure it is going to be a lovely swim.

In the parking lot I see a couple people with their American flag patterned bathing suits for the 4th of July today. Definitely more vehicles than usual for 7:30 on a Thursday morning. I head down the stairs and looking far out I can see a large group of stand up paddle boarders making their way north. The water looks pretty smooth.

There is a lot going on down here in preparation for the holiday. There are a bunch of tables being set up in the little park at the end of the Niguel Shores parking lot. Lots of people heading down the stairs. A sizable pack of surfers are out. The surf has definitely come up since my last swim a couple days ago. It is expected to rise and peak on Saturday.

I see a group of swimmers heading in to shore just as I get to the beach. I speak with the guy who comes in first and he comments on how warm the water is and how he wishes he left his wetsuit behind. The rest of his group is playing in the waves just in front of us.

As I walk another 75 feet up the beach, I can see about 30 beach chairs all set up with overhead tarps. These are all uninhabited. It looks odd as if everyone has been raptured or mysteriously disappeared somehow.

I start to walk out into the water. A set of waves is breaking very close to shore. They are not particularly large but bigger than what you would normally see breaking right here on the sand. One breaks in front of me and I dive beneath it with my arms in front of me so I don’t accidentally break my neck.

I swim out past the surf which is not far and start to head north. I’m not in a big hurry and up for a longer swim. This water is so nice and I just relax and enjoy it as I head toward Salt Creek. There is a fair amount of surfers out here at the point in front of the lifeguard tower and looks like plenty of decent surf coming through.

I keep moving north. I’m not sure how far I’m going to go. It feels like the current is moving in my direction right now.

I see something in my periphery like several individuals spread out walking on the water. Oh it’s those paddle boarders. They have turned around and are now heading south. They are probably about a hundred yards out past me. They are just gliding along the water and probably making their way back to Baby Beach I would guess. There are a couple floating vessels along side of them. This is probably some kind of organized event.

I keep moving north - why not? I feel good. My mind is relaxed and my thoughts have camouflaged themselves to match the patterns of the ocean’s surface. I stare into a blue vastness both above and below the water. I feel as though I too am water.

I’m just a little further than the beach club now and I figure I should probably turn around now and make my way back. I do just that and let my gaze rest on the shore. I don’t notice at first but I am slowly drifting toward shore and once I get close to the middle surf break, I see a surfer practically right in front of me. I figure I better point myself westward a bit to avoid getting caught in breaking waves.

I angle myself in the direction of a spot just west of Dana Point. A set of waves approach and I am well past the breaking point but can feel their steep slopes glide underneath me and lift me over their back sides. The Ritz looms large above.

Nearing the point I see a pair of swimmers hanging out and we exchange hellos and comment on how nice the water feels. We swim together for a ways and cross the point.

I don’t see any Salp today for the first time in a couple weeks. Maybe they are gone for the season. Such weird and cool looking things. I love the fact that I can swim out here every other day year round for years and then one day I see something I have never seen before. I wonder what strange and amazing thing I will see next.

I finally near my finishing point. I am definitely feeling some fatigue in my upper body now but it’s a good fatigue. I head to shore. Still no sign of sun. Looks like a couple people have claimed their empty seats but they remain mostly vacant. Maybe they are all waiting for the sun to come out. Well they might have a good while to wait.