Approaching this milestone I’ve thought a lot about how I want to commemorate my hundredth day of swimming. I imagined a swimming field trip to somewhere amazing, an extra-long swim that would feel like a big accomplishment, but, mostly, I wanted to celebrate with my Albany Bulb swimming buddies. Coffee, treats, and lots of lovely… Read More One Hundred Days of Swimming
It was cold and blustery this morning, windy and gray. I met Charlotte down at the bulb a bit on the later side because I had a dentist appointment. We had a chatty swim; so caught up in the woes of the world that I didn’t pay as close attention to the experience of swimming… Read More Chatting (Day 89)
Back in the bay where remnants from the storm were evident in the flotsam and jetsam bobbing around on the dark, murky water. Arwen, Sheila, Colleen, Angie, and I swam early when the beach was nearly deserted and the morning was just beginning. Sheila pointed out that it seemed saltier than usual and I agreed… Read More Pea Soup (Day 88)
It was a beautiful Saturday morning at the Albany Bulb with the usual festiveness of lots of swimmers, lots of dogs playing on the beach, and people walking. Kim, Arwen, Angie, Colleen, Kaushik, and I all plunged in together. I ran into my friend, Andrea, on the way in and she took this picture of… Read More Beautiful Saturday (Day 85)
Today started early. It was the first of a two-day swimming getaway with Angie, Arwen, and Sheila and we headed for Palomarin trailhead on the Coast Trail where the plan was to hike a few miles to Bass Lake, swim, and hike back. The lake is along the same trail as the extremely popular Alamere… Read More Bass Lake and Tomales Bay (Day 71)
For the first time in seventy days, I really didn’t want to swim this morning. Some days I’ve balked at getting into the water because it’s especially windy or wavy or cold. And a few days have been so busy and full that finding the time for a swim was a challenge. But today was… Read More When you don’t want to, but you do it anyway (Day 70)
The first time I saw the swimmers at Aquatic Park, I was chaperoning a 5th grade overnight field trip to a 300 ft, square-rigged tall ship called the Balclutha. Built in 1886 for the grain trade, the Balclutha is now a national historic landmark vessel. When those 30 fifth graders from Cragmont Elementary School stepped… Read More Aquatic Park (Day 56)
I waited all day to post my morning swim and now it seems like a long time ago. It’s a gorgeous long weekend and with Kevin in England for three weeks and Hazel a busy teenager, I’m trying not to feel lonely and sorry for myself by seizing this opportunity to get lots of writing… Read More Just Another Day of Soft Blues (Day 49)
What a difference a day makes; yesterday’s calm, hot, summer-like swim was nowhere to be seen in the fog, wind, wavy, wild bay of today. Arwen and I went for an afternoon swim at the Berkeley Marina. It was low tide and so we got in at the little beach by the boarded up Hs.… Read More Valentine’s Day (Day 45)
We celebrated Colleen and Marcia’s birthdays today down at the bulb. First with a swim. Loads of people plunged into the water this morning; the unseasonably warm weather, the opportunity to celebrate nice people, the joy of a Saturday swim. The water continues to feel refreshingly cold yet balmy for this time of year. I’m… Read More Celebrating Nice People (Day 43)