A busy morning and day kept me away from the bay until late afternoon when I finally got to hop into the water. Because I was alone, I opted for the Berkeley Marina where there are always people on the water. Too many people sometimes: I stood on the dock, the wind whipping and watched… Read More Solo Afternoon Swim (Day 269)
View post to subscribe to site newsletter.
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)
View post to subscribe to site newsletter.
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)
View post to subscribe to site newsletter.
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)
View post to subscribe to site newsletter.
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)
View post to subscribe to site newsletter.
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)
View post to subscribe to site newsletter.
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)
View post to subscribe to site newsletter.
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)
View post to subscribe to site newsletter.
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)
View post to subscribe to site newsletter.
Jenny Swimming 