Carlsbad Beach Swim

     Today, late afternoon, I was at Carlsbad's Tamarack Beach to meet a couple of swimmers that I connected with through meeting.com
     Well, I wasn't sure of the time, and as I was walking toward the beach, I saw two ladies starting a swim past the breakers.  I figured that was the meetup and I missed it.  Not to worry, I like to swim by myself. 
     I have not been there for many years and it looks better than my memory of it.  We had a real good day with big swells that were building from 150-200 yards out.  Then big waves were dumping hard right on the steep downward entrance to the water.  The sand dramatically falls off to the water, emphasizing the wave impact.  The young boys LOVE it!.  They were surfing and boogy boarding in these big waves for a two-second ride before bailing out and crashing and burning on the sand.  About a hundred people were watching them; a few were taking photos.  Those young kids were COOL!
     The water was warm, probably 72 with some spots far out about 66.  Visibility 8-10 feet, I think.  The swim was definitely a rough water swim.  It was neat because there were about a dozen swimmers here and there, and you run into somebody and have a quick hello chat.  I liked that.  The ladies I ran into were nice.  I  swam north about 200 yards from the sand to tower number 5.  Maybe 1/3 to 1/2 of a mile?  Then backward I tired somewhat.  My back was very good.  A funny thing happened when I was close to my starting point past the swells.  There was a lineup of about ten swimmers who started to swim all of a sudden toward me.  I thought I'd angle in to the breakers before they hit me but I didn't make it.  I was too tired.  So, these poor swimmers were probably wondering who the idiot was who was treading water right in the middle of their lineup.  Funny.
     Last interesting thing that I enjoyed.  I'm back in close to the crazy big, short waves and I swam fast in but got rolled around 3 times on 3 different crazy waves and ground into the rough sand beach.  I couldn't walk in so I lay on the sand and dug in my elbows to prevent the backwash of the waves from pulling me back in.  After a bit of fun and, I'm sure looking like a fat fool, I stood up and hustled higher out.
     Then, last thing was that my shoes and clothing and back support were washed up farther up the sand and separated by a wave that must have been a giant.  I wore a wet, gritty t shirt home with my wet bathing suit impregnated with sand.  That cold, gritty sandy feeling took me back to Navy days of discomfort.  Enough said.  Carlsbad is beautiful!





"The first time you quit is the last time you try."