Swimming in San Francisco Bay

I did it! I swam in the Bay this morning, at Aquatic Park, to be exact. The water was cold. Let me rephase that. The water was very cold. When the feet went numb, I was ok with that. When the salt water whooshed down my wetsuit I squealed with shock. But when my hands froze, I swore. Then I hyperventilated.

There I was doggy paddling in the bay with freezing hands and a bad attitude. How was I going to swim to the buoy and swim back to shore? I had to put my face in the water.

But I couldn't. I couldn't do it. The image of choking on salty sea water from all those times I'd been tumbled by waves wouldn't let go. Then Suzy, the instructor, said, "Just do it! You won't warm up." So suck it up.

That I calmed me down and I relaxed. Because I was angry. I didn't like the way she spoke to us.

I inched my face in the water, first my chin, then my chin and my nose. The rest of my face followed because my eyes were covered in googles and my head in two layers.

And then I started swimming. Wow! I was a seal for an hour! I swam in the bay.