MLK Day Swim

Darlene out by the Gap - Oct 2017

Here's the short version: Darlene and I swam today

Here's a bit more detail...

My company honored Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. by shutting down. Accordingly, we planned a swim - 7:00 a.m. PONR - the point of no return. Never knowing what to expect on the ride into the City, I overestimated the drive time and arrived shortly after 6:30 a.m. - including a stop to fill up my wife's gas tank (gratuitous plug for husband points). When I arrived at the club, the day room was buzzing, yet it was dark outside. Swimmers were entering and exiting the water, yet I was sitting on a chair socializing, delaying the inevitable.

Darlene arrived just before the appointed hour. We descended the stairs to find the B-Team in the kitchen. They debated which route to take. Should they pod tightly and swim Ft. Mason? Should they try to swim through the gap on a building flood? Should they make a mad dash for the opening? No doubt, they said quite a bit more, but I couldn't hear them because I wore earplugs.

As we made our way to the beach, Darlene and I began a protracted conversation (i.e. sniveled) about which route to take - should we pod tightly and swim to Ft. Mason? Should we try to swim through the gap on a building flood? Should we make a mad dash for the opening? It seemed like an eternity had passed before we finally entered the water. Then it was decided - we would swim to the flag and make our way to the gap. And so we did. We swam to the flag and made our way to the gap. Make no mistake, sniveling continued as we headed into the flood toward the flag. In fact, the cold water ice-cream headache creates unimagined opportunities to stop swimming and snivel more.

By the time we arrived at the flag, I sensed an uncomfortable presence. That's right, you guessed it - three Dolphins had surrounded the flag and blocked our access. We had to listen, at length, to their prevarications about Bobby's critters (a.k.a the thermometer) readings. They claimed 52. We knew better. It was 50.5, as indicated by the pain sensors and nerves in my toes.

The Dolphins, being Dolphins, headed back to the beach. Darlene and I, being South Enders, continued toward the gap. And then it happened! Darlene collided with some flotsam, creating a chilling and startling effect. I was only a few feet to her left, and I didn't see the incident, but have to believe it happened - just as she described.

Ultimately, we got to the gap and spent a few minutes discussing how we could easily swim through to the gap, but thought it prudent to remain in the cove. Fortunately, our return to the beach was highly uneventful.

Our friend who was bitten by a sea lion last week returned to the club this morning in great spirits and full of smiles. She didn't swim but brought her amazingly positive and powerful energy!

Not a bad way to start the day in the Bay!

Bitey's still out their somewhere