Pacing Myself

21 July 2024

Wind: from S 6.1 m/sec (14 mph)

Air Temperature: 22.1 °C (72 °F)

Water Temperature: 24.33 °C (76 °F)

Today at the lake it was cooler than it’s been in weeks, and the energy at the park was low-key in spite of the packed lot. 

I was super tired from working on my house yesterday, so my goal was to let the water cool my body. I swam out toward the boat launch, and quickly found myself in deeper water. 

As I glided over a clump of milfoil, the Sounds of Silence came into my head, but in my own words, “Hello, Milfoil, my old friend. I’ve come to swim past you again.” I didn’t have the physical or mental energy to keep going, to find new verses, so I just focused on moving slowly. I’m wiped out from my house project, and I didn’t want to push it in the water. I swam as slowly as possible, trying to allow my brain to rest, approaching this swim as a gentle meditation rather than as exercise. 

It felt nice to be able to swim without looking where I was going because there were hardly any people in the water. The boats were in the deep waters, and I didn’t see any paddle boarders. Sunday at almost 8pm is an ideal time to be in the water. 

I passed another swimmer, and we waved at each other. I turned around so view the swim area, and I could see C backstroking her way across the middle depth water. After a few minutes I turned around and swam toward the cement dock. 

The milfoil was especially thick and tall, even in the deep water east of the dock. Weeds that I easily swam over two weeks ago are now within reach. The ends of the milfoil strands brush my thighs as I swim over them. I can feel some of them with my fingers as I reach out for each stroke. I noticed a reddish color on the tip of some of the strands, and tried to make a mental note to look up what it meant. Growth? Disease? 

There were lots of broken milfoil strands on the water’s surface adn floating at various depths in the water. A strand wrapped around my neck, and I stopped to remove it. Then one got stuck around my fingers. I think all the activity in the lake the past two weeks has taken a toll. 

The milfoil and other weeds are floating in the lake. The duck and geese have been displaced, although they were out in force today, paddling in the shallow water. The beach has a green line of weeds that have bunched and collected, washed onto the rocks by the wakes from big boats. The shower area is muddy and dirty. The garbage cans are overflowing. 

I swam north in the deep water about 10 feet east of the cement block, trying not to stop for fear of getting my legs tangled in the milfoil. I made it past the dock, then swam around the dock and into the shallow area. 

I climbed out the water, nothing what a stellar job my water shoes do of gripping the rocks so I don’t fall. I could see the swimmer I passed earlier, and was eager to meet her and see how her swim went. C was already out and heading toward the showers. 

I stopped and chatted with the swimmer for a few minutes, then got into the shower to rinse off. 

Another nice swim, and I was happy I had not pushed too hard because I really need to manage my energy carefully this week so I get through all that’s ahead. 

Thanks, lake.