I left the house at a little after 11:00 and the sky has pretty much cleared up from the overcast we have had all morning.

When I get to the beach parking lot, conditions are quite nice. There is some breeze and some bump on the water but nothing too intense and it is just a very nice, bright and warm day.

When I get to the beach, the tide looks fairly high and it’s only going to get higher. It also looks like the recent train of south swell has cost us some sand. The Jupiter rock is almost entirely exposed now. However we still have much more sand than we had this Spring. There is plenty of sand here. And the water is warm. As soon as the water hits my feet, I can tell this is going to be nice.

There is definitely still some swell in the water but it does look like it has come down some from the weekend. There are a couple surfers out and a skim boarder who looks to be struggling to find some exposed beach in this rising tide.

I let this set of waves pass and then get in the water and start swimming. It seems like a sand bar has accumulated just a little bit past the shore and my fingers brush against the sandy bottom as I pull myself forward through the surf.

I think I am honestly warmer in the water than I was walking on the beach. Not that it is cold outside by any means but the water lacks the breeze I had on my back.

Based on the view from the web cams before I left, I was afraid there might be some red tide but the water looks clean here. It’s not clear but it is blue.

I let go of my thoughts as I head south. I pause a couple times and enjoy the view of the Dana Point headlands and this bouncy water. There are lots of birds flying over and then landing on the water - Pelicans and others.

I get to the south end and then turn around. Before I begin the trek north I stare at the point below the Ritz. It looks far but close. It’s exactly as far as it needs to be. The beach comes and goes from my vision in sync with the rising and falling of the water. One moment there is just rocky bluff and then a thin lining of golden sand that tries to stand its ground in this tide.

I proceed north and this water is like a bath. The water is just a bit more fierce heading in this direction but all in all it is tame even if I yield just a little less air per breath. I can see the rays of the sun stretch from the surface of the water to the void of darkness below. It looks like this celestial curtain glowing and undulating with the water.

I can feel my chest and upper arm muscles, especially on the right, which are a bit fatigued today for some reason even though I have not swam since Sunday. All in all I have put in a lot of swim days the last couple weeks.

I pause and look all around me and part of me just wants to stay out here. It is so peaceful and life-giving. This air and light remind me that the Summer has not ended yet. Sure it’s September now and Labor day has passed but just watch me put on my white pants and shoes like its nobody’s business. Well…because it’s not.

Just before I reach my northern end of the swim, the water seems to suddenly clear and I can now see the ocean floor. It’s closer than I imagined it. I see a bass here and there. This visibility continues for almost the entire remainder of the swim.

I get to the shore and begin to walk towards the asphalt road leading to the stairs. Suddenly several large flocks of Pelicans fly over the bluff toward the water and turn northward along the coast. There must be almost 100 of them all together. I look up and I can see the black and white tones on the undersides of their wings.

The stairs are very nice. I don’t want them to end. I reach the showers and get the salt off of me and then it’s back to work.