When I woke up soon after five this morning, I really wished I was still asleep. We started fostering kittens last night and in the excitement of that and Hazel’s late night homework, I didn’t get to sleep as early as I wanted.

So, while I had it in the back of my mind that the early morning group of swimmers that meets at 6—the Dawn Patrol—had posted on the google group that they were swimming at the Albany Bulb this morning, I was hoping I would sleep right through it and go for my swim closer to 8.

But, as usual, my body had other ideas. Ideas that 5 am is the best time to bolt out of bed, mind alert, surging with energy. I’ve been curious about swimming with the Dawn Patrol swimmers. Sometimes I am there before or after their swim, but I’ve never gone out with them.

So I took my early morning wake-up as an opportunity and met Teri, Kerrily, Shantee, Christina and Ke’ala down at the beach just before 6. We swam out just past The Big Tree (or I did—I was working hard to keep up and didn’t get as far as everyone else before they were turning around).

It felt good; the water was warm and the sun was basking us in its first morning rays. I haven’t bought a new waterproof phone case yet, so my pictures are all from the shore.