This morning started off hectic when my car wouldn’t start and then, after jumping into Kevin’s car to head down to the Albany Bulb, I realized I forgot (lost?) the strap to my buoy and had also forgotten a towel. Once I got into the water, the chaos continued.

Hoping to beat the runoff from the rain that started early this morning, I joined a small pod of 8 o’clock swimmers. The bay was churning with energy as we got in. My goggles fogged up immediately and between that and the waves slapping my face, I could see very little as I swam long. It was an all-sensation swim: the cold gripping my thighs and arms, the warmth glowing in my core; the waves pulling me this way and that. It was washing machine conditions for sure.

A light rain may have been falling, but it was hard to tell as the general vibe was water all around. I got separated from the group because I couldn’t stop myself from stopping to take some pictures and video.

But it was for the best because the rest of the swimmers seemed keen to keep going when I was getting chilly. So I turned around and bumped and tossed my way back to shore.