Going Swimming

There is an obvious romance in the thought of thousands upon thousands of bioluminescent algae, blossoming in pale blue as they are disturbed by the gentle sweep of your arms. Most of this romance vanishes when you actually get in the water and discover that it’s fucking cold. So I enjoyed the experience for about two seconds between clearing the water out of my eyes and climbing up the broken ladder to run to the sauna - and of course that four-meter dash is the point of the whole exercise. I feel alive.

After two years living in California I’m almost ashamed to admit this, but this was the first time I’ve ever really immersed myself in the ocean. My part of the Pacific is almost as cold as the North Sea, and the California coast is a little short on saunas - excuses, excuses. I was startled by the taste of salt in my mouth, and the slight osmotic pull on my gums.

Tip for the Day: when in a sauna, pour a little beer on the coals. It smells absolutely delicious.

Good night.
—–