Water Like Chocolate
I wake up and I can actually see some stars through the clouds which is encouraging. When I check the web cams around 6:30 it is totally socked in with fog - can’t see a thing and I am hoping we do not have a repeat of last Friday where it hangs around until one in the afternoon and then really doesn’t go away.
Well come 9:00 I can see what little surf there is and I am out of the house by 9:30.
When I get to the parking lot, there is a sort of half sunny demeaner here, which is a good thing. Some blue patches are expanding and what fog remains is thin.
The air is wonderfully pleasant.
I get to the beach and it’s all good. Other than the isolated crowd of jr. guards to the north, there are not a lot of people here. The water feels good on my feet. There is plenty of sand on the beach and the waves are calm.
I make my way out into the water. It’s cool at first plunge but by the time I am well past the surf it is warm. It feels like it gets warmer as the swim progresses. I’m thinking we are in the 68 zone if not well past.
The Surfline temp readings have been a little odd this week. After my ever so cozy swim Sunday early morning, they dropped the temperature from 66 to 65 - no way! Today after I get home it comes up to 67 - getting closer. Early this morning, the buoys in North Camp Pendleton are reporting 70 and 71 and the San Pedro buoy reads 68 so I knew it was gonna be super nice.
The entire swim is just a delight. I’m focusing on the feeling of the water against my skin. I often do this when I feel uncomfortably cool. When I let myself feel it without resistance, I feel more comfortable and at ease. But today I do it because it feels just plain good. If you are eating a delicious chocolate chip cookie, wouldn’t you focus on the taste of the chocolate?
Hmm. Now I want a chocolate chip cookie.
As I near the northern end of the beach near the jr. guard HQ, I spot a swarm of what looks like the younger aged group of guards just inshore of me. It looks like there are about 20 of them on body boards frolicking out here and moving parallel to me. I get out my camera and they see me and then start striking poses. I wave and then continue onward.
I eventually finish up. It is now in full blown summer mode and not a trace of lingering fog. I try not to move too quickly up the stairs in order to savor every inch of this sun drenched walk back to the car.
