A Heavenly Realm
For a video montage of all these photos with my own piano improvisation go here.
It’s Monday and I have not been in the water since last Tuesday. Rain came in heavy on Wednesday and then again on Friday and it seemed like a good idea to let the ocean clean itself up from runoff debris over the weekend. The timing is perfect because the high today is just over 70 degrees. Never mind the fact that it was freaking freezing when I got up this morning. Well maybe not “technically” freezing but it may have well been as far as I am concerned. I have taken to walking my dog in shorts and t-shirt regardless of temperature as a form of cold tolerance acclimation. Usually I like to take cold showers to accomplish this but for some reason, this apartment complex does not have cold water colder than maybe just a touch below room temperature. I find that being outside in the low 50’s for 20 minutes nearly naked is a good substitute.
By the time I leave for the beach at 10:15, things have definitely improved. We have crested 60 degrees and it is only getting warmer. There is a pretty good north east breeze going which are probably our locally famous Santa Ana winds leading to the warmer temps today and tomorrow. That breeze slightly offsets the warmth of the sun. Temperature aside, it is beautiful out. It has been ever since first light. At dawn the sky was such a rich blue color and the edges of the eastern horizon a deep orange. Right now I do not see any clouds in the sky and the beach web cams look like postcards.
On my drive to the beach, the moment I cleared the last hill on Selva road just past Chula Vista, the ocean view immediately stuns me. Catalina is standing out on the horizon crisp and clear. I can practically make out which rocks on its beaches would be good for skipping. The water is dark blue like the sky and so so very flat with scattered boats here and there. This view just comes at me with everything it has and penetrates my carbon shell and implants itself deep in my tissues. I hope it stays there for a good long while.
I park and get my favorite spot. The sun feels decadent as I walk to the stairs. I wonder what the water temperature is going to be like. I figure it has cooled some since my last swim. Fortunately last week’s storm was from the south and not northwest so we should still be in the 60’s. Most of the local buoys are reporting 62 or 63 and yesterday the Salt Creek lifeguard tower was reporting 60. 60? That’s not far from 59 the last I checked. I would like to point out to myself that it is NOT 59.
As I approach the beach, it looks immaculate. The tide is low and there is lots of sand and exposed rocks and there is basically 0 surf. I mean nothing. There are some small shin high waves breaking and the water looks to be very clear. I can see the shadows of the underwater rocks from the asphalt road before I reach the sand. When I actually reach the water, what I am seeing in front of me looks like some kind of high gloss advertising campaign for a dream vacation getaway. Amazing that I live just a few minutes away.
As I walk into the water, I am in a state of awe as I look at what is around me. I am surrounded by crystal clear and calm water. I see a fish zoom north just a couple feet in front of me. Now there is this issue of actually submersing myself and starting to swim. Boy that sun sure does feel good on my shoulders and I’m not exactly eager to change that, but I can’t just stand here. I have to get moving. I push forward and in I go. It’s indeed cool but not enough to take my breath away. I’m heading south.
It is such a picture perfect swim here and I can see the ocean floor clearly beneath me. I have music playing in my head throughout the entire swim. It’s a piece I was playing earlier this morning and my mind spontaneously adds its own embellishments. After having been away from the piano for a year, I am trying to remember and relearn all of my favorite riffs after having just purchased my new keyboard. I’ve also recorded a few and put them in video montages of my photos. Here is one if you want to check it out.
When I reach the south end of the beach, I am struck by just how calm the water is and how high all of the nearby rocks stand out above the water. As I look south towards the base of the cliffs of the headlands, it looks as though this is all just one big pool. So I cannot resist but take advantage and frolic a little here. I swim closer to the rocks and cliff than I have ever swam before. There are simply no waves and the clear water and low tide exposes everything so it is easy to make my way around all these obstacles quite safely. On almost any other day this would be pretty treacherous. Who knows when another day like this will come?
This is so utterly delightful. I lose track of time. I don’t even think it exists right here. All of these rocks are like small islands. I swim in between a couple large rocks and find myself close to a sort of beach at the base of the cliff. I wish I had more time. I could easily spend a couple hours in this immediate area. I can see the tunnels and caves that have been carved into the cliffside so clearly. I have explored them decades ago and they are indeed still here.
At one point a stand up paddle boarder comes close and we say hi. He asks, “are you Matt?” I say yeah. He says, “Matt Wrock?” I say yeah again. I am wondering if he is some kind of messenger sent here to deliver urgent news. He says he has seen my photos on Facebook. I find this all very flattering and cool that a random dude here on the water knows who I am. We talk for a little bit and he tells me he saw a Sea Turtle earlier near the jetty at the harbor. What?!! I know this is possible and have heard of a very few who have actually seen one but this guy JUST saw one. I’m a ways from the jetty but if I could see one that would make my year. And, mind you, it is December 29th.
The standup paddle boarder heads back in the direction of the harbor and I frolic for just a little while longer before I figure I had better get on with the swim. So I head north. This northern leg of the swim turns out to be a little more exciting than the southern leg I took to get here. With the wind coming from the northeast, I can feel the water working against me and constantly trying to push me further offshore. I am continually veering to my right in order to try and correct course.
The water is clear and beautiful and on the few occasions where I stop to take in the view, the entire coastline looks so crisp and clear and wonderful. I can definitely see and feel the wind whipping against the surface of the water. It’s an offshore wind which means it still leads to relatively calm seas and it’s not quite the roller coaster ride it would be if it was coming from the opposite direction.
I eventually reach the northernmost edge of the swim and I’m fortunately not too far from shore. I turn around to finish the swim. This final leg is so delightful. We are nearing a very low tide and so the rocks and kelp are very close and also very clear and beautiful. I’d say for the last 100 feet, it is so shallow that my hand brushes the sandy bottom. When I start to enter the especially rocky zone just in front of the stairs, I know it is time to stop. It’s so shallow that I just roll my body and sit here on my but for a couple moments. It’s like I have ascended to some heavenly realm here. I look south down the beach and it is just water and sand and rocks and cliffs and absolutely nothing bad. There is nothing I see that I would choose to not be a part of.
Now I need to somehow bring myself from this sitting position to my feet. There are two children close by so I need to do this without looking too ridiculous. It’s not easy but I manage.
