http://earthsky.org/tonight/is-biggest-and-closest-full-moon-on-may-5-2012-a-supermoon
This was my first night swim! I had been in the water at day break when it is barely light, but the difference with a morning swim when it is still dark is you know the sun will be up before you know it. Usually the sun at the times I had got in the water this last winter was up before we even hit the tip of the rocks at Shaw's Cove in Laguna. (Side note: the first time I did that...I really thought I was going to hyperventilate. I had to find a way to calm myself down and regulate my breathing and heart rate or I wouldn't have made it.)
I feel like I was the slowest I ever was Saturday night to get ready for a swim. I looked down at the water and thankfully the waves were very manageable. I was worried about getting out in waves while it was dark. I had no idea it was possible to feel all these emotions at once, but my body and mind were full of excitement, slight fear, anxiousness, and calmness. I did cheat and wear my fins. I typically don't like to feel left behind at Shaw's and given this was my first night swim I really didn't want to be behind, so on went my fins. We all had our blinkies on to guide off each other and glow sticks wrapped on our wrists or tied to our suits. (Pictures are compliments of Peter's FB)
Lynn, Tanya and myself having some fun
L to R: Marc, Me, Lynn, Mike, Tanya, Howard, Carol, Patsee, George, and Peter
The girls getting ready to dive in
By the time we made it to the tip of the rocks the moon had risen above the gazebo you see in the picture above. It was incredible! It was nearly dark and the water felt so good. At least 61-62 degrees. Parts felt like it could have been 65! It was clear and high tide. Someone told me a couple of weeks prior to this swim they came to terms with night swimming by telling themselves everything in the ocean at night is in the ocean during the day too. I was comfortable looking at it from that perspective. Once I was in the water all anxiousness, nerves, and fears went away. I felt great since I hadn't been able to swim a couple days prior being in Texas. I am going with it was my taper for a big swim.
At certain spots of the swim we would stop and count off 1-10 making sure everyone was safe. With every headcount we would also tread the water as we howled at the moon! It was such an incredibly great time!! I wish I could have posted a video Peter took on this blog with us all howling. To hear us actually howling is really how you get the full affect of our night swim together. 10 wonderfully crazy swimmers howling at the moon and counting off to one another making sure everyone was safe.
Once the sun was completely down and the moon was up it sparkled and bounced off the waters surface. Not only was the moon bouncing off the water, but as you looked up to sight I could see all the blinkies shining off the water too! As I drafted off Mike on our way back with every kick he had the bubbles his feet created were like bright and shiny gems. They sparked through the water like diamonds. The kelp had a brightness about it as we swam over it, sparkling in the dark water. The spots on the kelp was fluorescent. The ocean water took on an entirely new beauty for me tonight.
Of course we couldn't let Cinco de Mayo get away from us without some chips, salsa, and tequila! At the end of the swim we celebrated with our full moon night swim with all of the above and then some. Great FUN!
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