This One Goes to Eleven

While it might be difficult to imagine this is possible, I think the beach looked even more inviting today than it did yesterday. There has to be some kind of maximum setting here where every day is just equally amazing as the last and I wonder how far we are from that point on the dial. Clearly this one goes to 11.

There must be some kind of a tractor beam emanating from the ocean because I would swear if I just sat in my chair and exerted zero effort, I’d eventually find myself in the water. I could practically feel the water spraying from the waves right through the web cam. The water’s surface was so blue and smooth and the sand was glowing a golden brown.

I left a little after 9:00 and once I got to the parking lot, exited the car and started heading towards the stairs. I felt like it would be completely appropriate to start interacting with complete strangers and uttering impromptu haikus on the topic of the immediate environment. In fact it would be weird not to.

One of the highlights of the entire outing was running into Sharon Mullen (@stmullen66) on my way down the stairs. I have been following her on Instagram for a few months and she posts the most lovely Sea Anemone pictures (not to mention a bunch of other photos) taken right here at The Strand. She must have recognized me since there are not a lot of other swimmers around who carry a camera (I don’t understand why) and introduced herself and we chatted for a bit. So great running into her and interacting in our natural habitat! No haikus were exchanged though.

I get to the beach and it is low tide and it’s even better than it looked like on the web cam. It’s stunning. I can hardly believe how great it is. I don’t know what happened to the rest of May and June because this has got to be July. I can practically hear the sing song voice of the water beckoning me to come hither.

I’m so caught up in what I am seeing that as I am entering the water, I forget to take my shot of the horizon that I take on every single swim. I walk quickly back to shore and snap one up.

There are lots of pelicans flying over the water. It’s like a busy airport and a new flock comes swooping down every couple of minutes. Some day I just need to plant myself in the water and focus on just taking pictures of Pelicans. On a day like today I am sure I could get some good ones but I’m here to swim and can’t be lollygagging all morning long.

I swim north and the water feels cool on my upper arms and shoulders but I am quite comfortable. I try to just let my mind go in the water. If I could just completely relax my compulsions to grasp after certain thoughts and feelings, I wonder where my mind would take me. I want to find out but paradoxically even that desire casts a constraint on my mental freedom.

I just relax and breath into this water and light and horizon and the glimpses of land and waves that I spy out the corner of my eye. The combination of breathe and water sets my feelings free. They wander down a meandering path of memory, delight, joy and anticipation. I feel like I am meant to be here and doing what I am doing. My intention is to trust and let go of my need to control and force an outcome and just see where that takes me. That is, after all, how I got here in the first place. Six years ago I could have never imagined living here in Dana Point and being compelled to swim in the ocean. It was nowhere near to what I could envision for myself. Yet here I am.

I swim almost to the Monarch Beach club. I could easily keep swimming but I have to get back to work. I swim back close to shore, hypnotized as the water grows warmer and I get unexpectedly hit by a breaking wave. It’s all good and the surf is fairly small here and it’s just amusing. I can hardly believe how quickly time passes and I am walking back up the stairs reflecting on this incredible experience.