It’s Friday and my last meeting ended at 10AM. Its already in the upper 70s here. A heat wave has been upon us since yesterday and I am totally stoked to get in the water with hopes it will be similar to yesterday. It feels like the ocean temps are just coming out of the 50s. For the first time since last Fall, I’m not even bothering with brining my backpack which I fill with a towel and warm clothes. When I got to the beach parking lot yesterday it was so warm out I knew there was no need to bring it to the beach so today I’ll just leave it at home.

My truck which does not have working air conditioning is downright hot. As I pass over San Juan Creek and look out on to Doheny, the water looks glassy and inviting.

I arrive at the Dana Strand parking lot and the air temperature does not disappoint. I leave my shirt and sandals in the car. It feels good to just carry goggles (sans backpack) down the stairs to the shore. It is a beautiful sunny day and at 10:30 there are plenty of people enjoying this delightful escape from the heat.

I walk in ankle deep water. Feels about the same as yesterday. Cold but not super cold. The tide is low. I slip on my goggles and start heading out into the surf. According to Surfline, its breaking 3 to 4 feet and the water temp is 59–60 degrees. It looks like its closer to 3 than 4 and feels about 59, but my experience is that the water climbs about a degree out past the surf. My theory is that it is because the water is more still and absorbs the heat of the sun.

I take the initial plunge and start to swim. Yeah, its cold as usual but not shocking. I get well past the surf and into the kelp forests. The water is pretty clear today. I can see the kelp sweeping in the current all the way to the ocean floor.

Its an absolutely incredible swim! The water warms significantly. I can feel the coldness of the deeper water just below the top surface layer but the top few inches has been absorbing the sun and feels just plain warm. In early April this is like the parting of the clouds after a long storm. Throughout the entirety of the swim I pass through cold spots that feel more refreshing than “challenging” but overall there is more warm in the water than cold. Surfline has clearly not updated its temps. The surface is smooth.

At my last turn around as I pass the bathrooms at Salt Creek point about 10 minutes before the swim ends I have to pause and allow myself to take in the beauty and overall “feel good” energy of this experience. It all just feels so good (must be the feel-good energy)!

I get to my final destination where I also begin the swim. In front of the big boxy house just before the road that takes you to the stairs. Timed perfectly, a wave approaches and I catch it, grabbing hold of my goggles so I dont lose them. I’m slammed to the sandy bottom and feel my skin scrape against the floor. It actually feels good. Like a child rough housing with his dad, I am affectionately tossed about.

I emerge from the water and begin the 15 minute walk to the parking lot. Do I have to go back to work?! I could easily stay here for a lovely walk on this beautiful day. However, I also like to eat as well as the rest of my family so its back to work I go. The hot sun feels feels sublime after the swim and maybe I’m walking a bit on the slow side. I’m reminded of 20 years ago practicing kinhin (walking meditation where one walks extremely slowly) at the San Francisco Zen Center. Today might not be a bad day to take that up again.

I get to my car. The lack of air conditioning does not feel uncomfortable and I listen to Snatam Kaur all the way home. All is well in Dana Point.

PS: Later in the day Surfline updates the water temp to 60–61.