It’s a peaceful and overcast Saturday morning in Dana Point. I sleep in until almost 6:00. I take a run at low tide to Capo Beach (the actual beach) and up to Poche and then home via Vaquero and Camino De Los Mares. It’s still overcast when I leave my house for the beach at 9:45. That’s ok. It’s fairly warm out - north of 60.

Similar to yesterday, as I make my way north through Dana Point, the clouds slowly begin to dissipate. It’s not quite the level of sunny as it was yesterday when I get to the parking lot but we can definitely call it “partly cloudy” with a firm hope that things will continue to improve to full sunny by the time I’m done with the swim.

There is a little bit of bump on the water but not as much as yesterday - probably because I’m here an hour earlier. As I walk down the stairs, there is another pod of swimmers coming up. They don’t look familiar. They are a younger group and look like the triathlon training type. They seem young, fit and have a purpose driven vibe about them. I ask them, “how was it?” One replies, “so fuckin great.” Well ok. I’m certainly game for that!

Last night I noticed that Surfline adjusted it’s water temperature reading from 58 to 64. Now 64 makes a lot more sense considering what I experienced yesterday in the water. Also, I can’t help but be struck on the difference between 58 and 64. That’s like two different ocean planets. Certainly two uniquely different experiences of the ocean. 58 can totally be great but I’m down for some 64 right now - that’s for sure.

I get to the shore and there are a couple guys making there way out in the surf. It looks like they are holding spear guns. Surf looks like it is about the same as it has been the last couple swims - mediumish - not big but a couple decent waves here and there.

As I make my way out and I’m about belly deep, I see some kind of bright orange cylindrical object on the floor. I just poke my head below the surface and then see that it is a coke can. Lovely. I leave it be because I can’t really dispose of it here. However, it just occurs to me now that I could have emptied it, crushed it and then put it in my back pocket. Next time.

I’m loving my new goggles. They are way bigger than my last ones and I feel like I get a full field of vision rather than peering out through pea sized fish eyes. They are also tinted perfectly. I’m not a huge fan of the Nike brand but they did a good job with these.

I’m heading north today to switch things up a bit. It does feel a bit cooler out here today than it did yesterday but not by much. There are a few patches out past the point that feel quite nice.

The sun doesn’t really show itself much more over the swim and in fact I’d say that it gets cloudier by the time I turn around past the last bathroom facilities at Salt Creek. That’s ok. I like looking at the clouds and I like how they shift the light on the water and give it a sort of electric silvery charge.

I continue to alternate my breathing sides today. I’d still say that I stick to my left (dominant) side 90% of the time. Breathing on my right takes a lot out of me. After several strokes I feel kind of exhausted and it is such a relief when I switch back. It gives me sympathy for those who are not used to swimming and I wonder if this is how it must feel for many new swimmers. I don’t know. I learned to swim when I was a young child and spent quite a bit of time in the pool and ocean throughout my school years. I probably went years without swimming at all through some of my adult life but it’s like riding a bicycle now - at least when I breathe on my left.

Every now and then I pause out here and enjoy listening to the water lap about. The ocean sounds and feels alive today. There is a steady current going. I wonder if I am hearing a dolphin or other wildlife moving in the water but then realize it is the water moving in the water.

I’m enjoying the views on the northern side. The point at Monarch beach that separates us from Three Arch Bay looks close and lonely with soft clouds to the east. In the other direction are the two points stacked up beside each other of Salt Creek and Dana. The Ritz Carlton looms like a giant over the bluff. I wonder if the surfers there ever get sick of looking at it. It’s so big. You can’t not look at it.

As I pass by the surf pack, I’m pretty close and watch them ride the waves that look to be coming from the southwest. As I gaze south I can see several breaks going off in parallel.

I toy in my mind with ending the swim up near the Monarch Beach Club and walking back which would be really nice but decide to put in a full swim instead. My hip has been feeling much better but still not 100%. The swim back south seems to go by more quickly that the northern swim. The wind is coming from the northwest so this makes sense.

The swim comes to an end. I don’t see that coke can around. I walk to dry sand and look back north and it looks as grey as can be - I like it. The hand rail along the stairs is still warm thank goodness. By the time I get home, I don’t see any sun anywhere.