Transfixed

I leave a little after 9:00. Nothing out of the ordinary in the weather this morning. It’s the typical cloud cover. When I first looked out my bedroom window this morning a little after 5:00 it was dark enough that I thought the black sky maybe could have been clear sky. By 6:00 it was obvious that was an optical illusion. Bummer.

I get to the beach and head down the stairs and the water is just as calm and still as can be. It’s like a lake. The tide is on the low side and everything is just so beautiful. I can see the jr. lifeguards are starting their day at the north end of the beach but the actual lifeguards are yet to be seen. They usually show up at about 10:00. There is a woman standing in belly deep water just south of where I begin my swim. She looks transfixed. Of course she is, just as I will soon be. Hmm. Maybe I already am.

I begin to walk out and the water here inshore is so clear. Things are a bit chilly but really no different than they have been the last few days and maybe a touch warmer. There is just nothing breaking right here. This is nearly as calm as it gets here. Soon I sort of jump upwards and over and then I am horizontal and on the move. The wet and the coolness course through my whole body until the energy settles and I feel as though I have merged with whatever entity it is that embodies this ocean.

I swim south without even thinking. Not sure why I feel no compulsion to head north. It feels like I am nearing the end of the beach in no time. I pass the southern jr. guard buoys and then reach my big turnaround rock. It is just sitting here in this still still water along with its younger sibling rock just a few feet offshore from it. They are mesmerizing to look at. There is a small army of jr. guards sitting on the beach and intently listening to an instructor. I wonder what they are talking about.

I turn around to face north, away from my rock, and I see a jr. guard instructor on a surfboard who looks like he is waiting for something to happen (aren’t we all). I’m guessing at any minute, that group of jr. guards is going to head on out and paddle right for that instructor. They look all calm, cool, and collected right now but soon they will be anything but that.

I start swimming north to avoid the impending traffic. I’m beginning to notice that the sky is growing blue out toward Monarch and Laguna. This is a wonderful thing. The entire swim north is delightful. My thoughts are dominated by something that I am not going to mention and is not necessarily good or bad but a little unsettling and honestly very embarrassing. Besides that, I’m very pleased with everything that enters into my field of vision. There is kelp, kelp, and more kelp. I love swimming around and through and in between these.

Before I know it, I’m at the north end of the beach and the sun is out in full force. So good! The water feels warmer than yesterday but more importantly there is sunlight all around and penetrating the surface of the water and illuminating the depths below me. I love this. As I swim back to finish up I am not looking forward to ending this. I swim as close as I can get to the concrete ramp which is pretty easy to do given the lack of surf.

I am done and and head on up the stairs. The lifeguard station is up and running and has the water temperature posted at 65. That feels about right. Someone may have actually measured it today. I meet Sam towards the top of the stairs and we have a very nice chat and then I talk with one of the regular Jehovah’s Witnesses who I find very affable. I’m in high spirits now filled with all kinds of good vibes.