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: swim-buddy
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,…
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…
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…
Spun Around
Today at the lake it got ugly. For the first time I am starting to doubt that I can keep doing this. The water was so cold. I felt like the back of my head and neck were going to freeze. I’m reading a book on the brain and PTSD, and just last night I was learning (relearning, cause I once knew this) the different parts of the brain. As I tried to move forward, focussing on moving my arms and legs to propel me to the place beyond the cement dock, I was trying to remember which parts of my brain were in the place that was freezing and if I was going to hurt myself being in such cold water. Would the primitive part of my brain even work if I needed a fight-or-flight boost to flee the lake if something bad happened? No, it totally wouldn’t. My arms were so cold, like to-the-bone cold. They felt really skinny, which I sort of liked, and I knew they were strong enough to keep working. Usually I forget the…
Sighting
Today at the lake it was sunny and warm. Lots of picnics in the shelter areas, and others walking in the park. I met with a new swim buddy today, and I was so relieved to meet her. I put in so much effort trying to find swim partners, and I was going to give up and…
Snorting
Today at the lake, the sun was shining, Mt. Rainier was peaking out of the clouds (pun), and the water was mostly flat. I had planned to meet a few of the women in the “plunger” group, which required waking up three hours earlier than normal. It was brutal, and no time for tea, but it was completely…