Today at the lake I met with C at the beach closest to my house. The water was flat, the air was cold, and the park was quite dark except for two bright floodlights on the wall of the park rec building. Neither one of us had been in the water recently, so we were concerned about the cold. Would we be able to stand the water? C wears a neoprene jacket over a farmer Jane type…
Tag: cold-water-swimming
New Beach, New Buddy
Today at the lake I visited a new beach and met a new swim buddy, E. I was excited to try out this beach because it’s nice and open, right at the end of an urban neighborhood (as opposed to in the middle of a park). It’s visible, there’s ambient light,…
Awkward Re-entry
Today at the lake it was challenging getting back into swimming after a long break. I haven’t been for a proper swim since October 30th. I felt fussy about my face getting cold. My wetsuit was leaking water through the neck. It was hard to swim. No, it was hard to breathe while swimming. Amazing how much conditioning I lost in just 13 days. I also swam alone, so maybe that was part of my problem getting started. I had planned on meeting another swimmer, K, at another beach about 10 miles away. Normally about a 20-minute drive, but…
That was one fine adventure
Today I was a total sea witch. I was a badass. I was fearless. I got my butt kicked by the waves and exposed by the wind. I swallowed water but didn’t drown. My snorkel didn’t work, but I dove into the waves, over the waves and across the waves. The whipping sound of the wind and water just made it more exciting. I would have stayed longer, but K and K got out. Better to have swim buddies who know when they’ve had enough. Damn. That was one fine adventure.https://vimeo.com/645454706
Crazy Waves Thrilla
Today at the lake…we played “jump the waves,” aka try not to die. We arrived to actual whitecaps and gale force winds. Two of my swim buddies, K and K, walked up, and I said, “I don’t care. I’m going in.” They said, “we’re going in.” Awesome.Pure joy We tried to set up under one of the picnic areas, but the wind still blew our gear away, and we had to chase after caps and gloves tumbling away in the grass.…
100 Shades of Grey
Today at the lake, we swam in the rain, we saw two herons (or the same once twice) and an eagle, and guess what else? I found my swim buoy belt that I lost yesterday! It was lying in the parking lot, right where I dropped it. Yea. I had a long doctor’s appointment this afternoon, so I had to change into my swimsuit at the clinic and head straight to the lake. I loved asking the doctor, “oh, do you mind if…
Skin Like a Seal
Yesterday at the lake, a bald eagle flew above me, looking for food. I didn’t see it, but my swim buddy, K, did. I’m bummed I missed it, but really glad it didn’t attack me. I see a lot of bald eagles around the lake. So fancy. My new wetsuit is working out really well. (Thanks J and M.) Surprisingly, it fits well, and it’s comfortable. It’s thicker and much heavier than the sleeveless shorty suit I’ve been using. Tonight II worked…
Sea Witch Don’t Care
Today at the lake it was cold and windy, and I forgot my snorkel. One of my swim buddies, K, cancelled due to “white caps” on the lake. I could see them from my house, but I went anyway. “Cause that’s the kind of woman I am.I grew up in the midwest, and played outside in the frigid cold winters. Rain or cold or snow never stopped me from running every day. So, cold, wind, and waves don’t mean anything to…
A Perfect Moonlit Swim and An Eagle
Today at the lake I saw the Cascade mountain range on the other side of the lake, the water was completely calm and flat, and I got to have a repeat swim date with A, a woman I swam with a few weeks ago. I had the best cold swim to-date. “Hello, SeaWitch here.” We changed our venue to another beach about a mile north of the usual spot and just a mile from my house. In summer I never go to this beach because it’s…
Paint It Black: 30 Pull-Ups, 10 Ducks, 12 Min
Today at the lake it was dark, and the water was flat. My caretaker, M, took me to the beach with just 15 minute left until sundown. I love swimming at night; it’s just not ideal to be in the park alone once it gets dark. But we were two, and we felt safe. It takes awhile to get the wetsuit on, and I forgot that once it’s on I can’t really bend over. I was rolling around on my beach towel, asking M to put my neoprene socks…