I swam with the 8 o’clock swimmers today and I didn’t take any pictures!

My main swim buddies and I have always been 8 o’clock swimmers adjacent. We enjoy each other’s company at the circle together either before or after our swims, but once we get into the water, they shoot off in one direction and we paddle off in another. The biggest difference between them and us is that they swim the whole time without a break while we chat and swim, swim and chat. I swim, chat, and stop to take lots of pictures. Yesterday I put my head down and swam out to The Point of the Point with Colleen, but we stopped when we got there and enjoyed the scenery and took pictures. 

Today I wanted to challenge myself to swim without stopping at all, even for pictures. I swam without my fins so I had to work hard to keep up, but it felt good. The water was gorgeous and cool. The wind and waves were minimal. I caught sight of some pelicans as I was lifting my head to breathe and it took all of my willpower not to stop and admire them, but I kept going. 

It’s a good feeling to do a long swim with a group of people. Even though we were spread out at our different paces, there was a sense of community being out there together and talking about it at the circle afterward. Marcia, who is the unofficial queen, the community glue, of the Albany Bulb Swimmers, was away for a month and she just returned yesterday so it felt extra joyful and celebratory this morning.