I woke up sad and anxious this morning. Sad because I dropped Eliza off at her dorm last night and somehow it wasn’t any easier this time than it was when I dropped her off for the first time in August. Seriously, I cried so hard when I got back to the hotel room last… Read More Little Ross Bay (Day 31)
I’ve been waiting 26 days to write this blog post! Today our friend Sheila returned from New York and we had a long-awaited reunion of our original swimming pod, the Salty, Saucy, Swim Sisters. I started open water swimming last January, spurred by a pandemic year of exploring the bay by kayak and paddleboard, and… Read More Reunited (and it feels so good…) (Day 26)
Today’s swim was a moment of peace in an otherwise hectic day. The Albany Bulb was heavy with fog that moved in and out as we swam. Unlike other misty mornings, the water wasn’t flat or still, but full of movement and energy. The rest of my day felt as far from the calm, quiet… Read More Moment of Peace (Day 25)
It’s been a stressful few days and I’ve been looking forward to today’s swim ever since I finished my swim yesterday. Last night, unable to sleep, I pictured myself hopping out of bed, into my bathing suit, and driving down to the bay for a middle-of-the-night swim. I didn’t do it, but it’s interesting to… Read More Stress Relief (Day 18)
“This will be the most valuable thing I do today.” That was what Sheila texted our swim group chat after a swim last spring. I was going to say “a particularly gorgeous swim,” but I don’t actually remember, and, truthfully, it might not have been an especially brilliant day. It’s the kind of thing any… Read More Most Valuable Thing (Day 14)
Today was a swirl of the kind of anxious, gnawing worry that often accompanies parenthood. A sick daughter in a faraway country, a flurry of stress as we try and figure out how to get her home. I put my swimming clothes on at 7:15 in the morning and didn’t get into the water until… Read More Worrying (Day 7)
Swimming in the rain is particular magical. In the summer there’s nothing better than jumping into the lake in a downpour; the water seemingly everywhere, you just an insignificant speck of nothing in the midst of mother earth’s joyous cleansing. Sadly, we are advised against swimming in the bay for up to 72 hours after… Read More Beautiful Rain (Day 4)