Sphere of Influence

I’m out of the house at about 9:30. Conditions look perfect today. Surf is still small, wind is mellow, it is sunny and both air and water are warm. I hadn’t planned on swimming today but tomorrow is looking super iffy. According to the forecast, I think surf is going to be between 3 and 10 feet. The incoming swell will be very “selective” of the beaches it will beak at. So to be on the safe side, I’m swimming today and if tomorrow is reasonably sized, maybe I’ll get an extra swim day - worse things could happen.

I drive by Doheny and do a double take because a set of waves is coming through that is not necessarily large but it is larger than an average Doheny (a beginner break) set. One interesting characteristic of today’s forecast is that Doheny is larger than Strands which is rare. My guess is that it is positioned better for the easterly facing swell, but I’m not an expert here.

As I pull into the parking lot at the Strand, things are looking pretty idyllic. It’s just as sunny here as it was at home. There is some cloud accumulation on the south end of the horizon but I think that’s burning off. The ocean surface is mostly smooth. It’s certainly a different day from yesterday’s overcast and surface turbulence.

I head down the stairs and I need to hurry today so I am home in time for my wife to leave for an appointment. I’m maintaining a light jog all the way to the water. The asphalt feels warm, the pavement on the stairs is warm and the sand is wonderfully warm. Most importantly, even the water feels noticeably warmer on the feet than yesterday.

Walking out into the water it is beautifully clear. Visibility is pretty good - not stellar nor murky - through the entire swim. The direct sunlight certainly helps. It feels much easier making that first plunge today than it did in yesterday’s dreary ocean. I’m not very many strokes into my swim and there is a bat ray right below me. I have to say that I have seen more bat rays this year than I have in the last few years combined. They say that the rays are attracted to the warm water. I wonder where they go when it is colder - all the way to Mexico?

My goggles almost immediately start leaking again today just like yesterday. Ugh. I stop and make some serious adjustments to both ends and voila! No more leaking. Why didn’t I do that yesterday?

I’m not going to give my usual play by play of the day’s swim because almost all of it was the same and I didn’t really see anything out of the ordinary. I guess what was extra ordinary was that it was so freaking perfect. I’d periodically stop, look up, and verbally comment to myself how beautiful everything looked. It is days like this that we think about when we dream about that perfect summer beach day. The water was smooth, clear and warm. It must have been at least 68 - at least. I would concentrate on how the water felt against my skin and it felt so great. If I had to repeat this swim in my own version of the movie Ground Hog Day, I’d have no complaints.

Sadly the swim eventually ends and I resume my jog-like pace up the stairs. As I pass the lifeguard station, the lifeguard is just now posting the day’s numbers and has the water temperature at 65. I just could not help myself and told him I think it might have been more like 68. He looks at me with genuine curiosity and says, “oh really?” Then he takes back the sign and corrects the number. Wow! I’m really expanding my sphere of influence here! Of course I immediately wonder what if I am wrong. What if it really was 65 and all of the day’s beach goers take notice and it is all my fault? Upon further reflection: no it is not 65 and also no one will notice.