Today marked my thirteenth swim in a pool this year. So in 336 days of swimming, I’ve only swum in a pool thirteen times. I was surprised when I checked my blog and saw this number. In some senses, it made me happy; I’m glad I’ve enjoyed so many open-water swims. While I knew I’d… Read More Joan Brown, Drought, and a Pool Swim (Day 336)
Sheila had an early meeting and so we met at the Albany Bulb for a 6:30 swim, which worked out well because it started raining this morning, and getting in early meant we were least likely to be swimming through runoff. But arriving at the parking lot in the dark with the rain splattering and… Read More Beautiful Storm (Day 335)
Sheila and I plunged in at the Albany Bulb again this morning. We got there too late for the 8 o’clocks, so we went by ourselves. The water was even more clear than yesterday; transparent and green even from the start. It felt like a celebration to swim in water that looks as it should… Read More Even Clearer (Day 245)
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While I’m swimming there always comes a point where I start to think about what I will write in my blog that day. Today I thought, I’m going to combine yesterday and today into one blog. Then I thought, You can’t do that! It’s cheating! And then I realized that this whole daily blogging and… Read More Clearer Waters (Day 243 & 244)
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Sheila and I arrived at the Albany Bulb to news that there was a shark carcass decomposing on the beach. We didn’t investigate and the water was as it’s been these last weeks; dark rusty brown and a bit murky, but still somehow beautiful and refreshing. We went earlier than we have in a while… Read More Dead Fish (Day 242)
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Today Eliza left on her road trip back up to Victoria for another year of University. I sat on the stoop and watched her drive away, my heart full of the complicated mixture of pride and sadness that is becoming a familiar part of parenting a young adult. I wanted to go inside and sob… Read More Crying into my Goggles (Day 241)
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If I’m going to get sick from this red tide, today will be the day it happens: I swallowed and/or inhaled so much water my lips are puckered. I swam with the 8 o’clock swimmers today; this time dragging Angie and Kim along with me. Gray skies with glimpses of the city greeted us, along… Read More Drinking in the Bay (Day 237)
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The OWS google groups continue to be awash in red tide discussions; some have opted to steer clear of the bay for now, others have experienced itchy skin or irritated eyes, and others (like myself) haven’t had any noticeable effects at all. I continue to swim through the sepia-toned water of the bay (one person… Read More Does This Water Look Bioluminescent? (Day 236)
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Discussions about the red tide continue to abound on all of my open water swimming groups. Should we swim? Shouldn’t we? My reading last night led me to believe it’s mostly okay to swim in. The particular algae spreading across the bay is called heterosigma akashiwo and, unless there is a strong odor, distinct discoloration,… Read More Does the water look red? (Day 228)
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Harmful algae blooms have been making their way into Bay Area waters in the last few weeks. The Oakland Estuary, Alameda Beach, and Lake Merritt have all been recently featured in local media warning of red tide and potentially harmful algae blooms. Today the warnings made their way to my local swim spots. A warning… Read More Red Tide (Day 227)
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Jenny Swimming 