Awkward Re-entry

Today at the lake it was challenging getting back into swimming after a long break. I haven’t been for a proper swim since October 30th. I felt fussy about my face getting cold. My wetsuit was leaking water through the neck. It was hard to swim. No, it was hard to breathe while swimming. Amazing how much conditioning I lost in just 13 days.

I also swam alone, so maybe that was part of my problem getting started. I had planned on meeting another swimmer, K, at another beach about 10 miles away. Normally about a 20-minute drive, but as I sat in traffic not moving an inch I realized the afternoon bottleneck just east of the university was going to make me an hour late. I texted an incoherent message (people should not text and drive) that I wouldn’t be making it today, then pulled a brilliant U-turn and sped back down the road towards my home and my two neighborhood beaches.

I have a thing: I don’t swim (or go out in nature) alone. It’s always safer with two. But today I just got fed up with not getting to swim because of not finding a swim buddy. I turned into the driveway of the beach/park closest to my house and hoped there would be people around so I’d feel and be safer. I was happy to see several people walking and walking their dogs in the park. Everything was wet, so I decided on a picnic table to get my gear on. While I was getting into my wetsuit a woman stopped to talk to me. People always want to know about cold water swimming. I told her how it worked and that it wasn’t really about liking cold water or braving the cold (for me); with the right gear it’s possible to mitigate the cold so I can do what I want to do, which is be in the water.

Because I stopped to talk I didn’t get my gear on correctly. I like to put on the booties first, then the wetsuit, then the cap, then the gloves. Today I had to swim withe the booties stretched over the top of the wetsuit. Fine. A couple with their dog stopped to ask about my swim. I told them (and the first lady) to look for my FB group page so we can get a neighborhood swim club going. I hope they can find it.

I was so happy to walk into the water. It was perfectly flat today. The mountains were out. There was a kayak lesson 200 yards away. I slid into the water and started my floppy breast stroke. My face burned from the cold, so I pulled my head out. I had to start and stop like that about six time before my face acclimated to the water. Then water was leaking through my neck and running down my back. The was a bunched up area on my left leg, and that was irritating me. I couldn’t get comfortable and find a groove with swimming or with the water. I tried treading water, but it wasn’t very interesting. I tried swimming back and forth across the shallower (but too deep for me to touch my toes to the bottom) water between two poles. I felt lonely without a swim buddy. I thought maybe I’d float, but when I grabbed my buoy it was flat. I’d forgotten to blow it up. I’d also had to put my phone in there sans protective case because the case broke when I was trying to seal it. I paddled to where I could stand up, then blew up the buoy so I’d have a floaty.

Finally, I decided to float on my back, placing my head on the buoy. I held it in place with my hands, so I didn’t get the full-body float but it was still so nice. I just floated for a minute with my eyes closed, then realized I should keep them open because I was tired enough to fall asleep there. I watched a bunch of birds fly overhead, but I couldn’t tell what kind of birds. During my short float I didn’t really think of much because when I float I can actually let go of all the noise in my head. I think people with depression should be given flotation devices so they can float at home several times a day. I think it’s a good exercise to totally let go and trust the water.

I saw two people on the beach, and even though I couldn’t really tell if they were men or women, I could tell they were swimmers because one of them was wearing the Orca hi-vis wetsuit that has bright orange sleeves and lower legs. I paddled in, then walked over to them. We had a short conversation where we all had to yell a bit. They had just put in their earplugs, and we all had our blueseventy thermal skull caps on (which cover the ears). M and M are neighbors and live nearby. They often swim here in the afternoon. I told them to look for my FB page so we could swim together. I would like to have neighbors to swim with.

As I was changing out of my wetsuit and into dry clothes a young woman with her dog started asking me about my gear. Was I a diver? We talked for quite a long time, and I told her if she wanted to try OWS that I would be happy to share my gear with her. She eventually revealed that she was in high school, which was hilarious because her puffy parka made her seem like early 20s. Anyway, I really enjoyed talking with her, and she told me about her parents, her school, and how competitive her classmates are about grads and college admissions. I told her to do her best, learn how to write, learn how to be a good friend, and she would be fine wherever she ends up. She said she would run into me again! I hope so, and would love to meet her parents. I want to know my neighbors. Life feels stale and empty when I don’t have enough people in my life.

Now I am exhausted and have gobbled up my chocy oatmeal. I’m glad I swam today, but it was less satisfying because I was so out of shape and uncomfortable. Still, I dragged my leaden whale body to the lake and got some exercise. That counts. I think I will try to swim here more often and hope I see M and M. I don’t like swimming alone, but I’m going to have to do it more often if I want to have any regularity with my swims. I have a swim date tomorrow at the beach I bailed on today, so I must figure out another route to drive so I don’t get stuff in traffic again.

My tub is full of sand, and now the water goes down so slowly.