That's my favorite self-portrait of the year: free diving off Salt Point State Park in Sonoma County, CA. This dive was an early August jaunt with dive partner Gerald. Very surgy day, though the water looks clearer than I expected or recall here.
Late lunch at the Fish House in Bodega to celebrate and refuel.
Just a random shot from that August dive, the last dive of 2011, I think. Even the random shots of an urchin, fish, abalone or kelp get my blood pumping for another dive.
Before that happens, I need to put in my pool time, rebuild some swimming muscle, and drop some blubber. This semester was the most difficult in memory for keeping the pool sessions going. I must have gotten sick every other week, catching the latest cold or flu or sore throat time and again. And, as a teacher who relies perhaps too much on my voice in class, it was a rough, rough term.
All that time out of the water has not been good for me. Seriously, I need to work off some of the excess weight, or turn it into useful muscle, or I'll need a slightly bigger free diving / kayaking wetsuit. Four years ago I was dropping below 160--which was too light, too thin--and these days I'm sliding past 180. More than the issue of weight or neoprene fit is fitness. I miss the muscle and the muscular support. When I was doing all that dolphin kicking with the Rocket fins on, I didn't have the back aches from too many hours at the desk. (Or, if my back hurt, that was because I was kicking, diving, and kayaking too much, which felt better, even if it did still hurt.) I didn't have the same knee issues. And, I would bounce up the stairs. (Don't you love aging?)
I'm reminding myself of all this to power the return to swimming regularly, frequently. I like myself better when I'm swimming too much.
Pool: here I come.
Wavy hair: if I can't hit the beach, I'll wear it. Something like that. Growing it out; resisting the buzz. December 2011.
I'd rather grow some gills. Wouldn't that be the best mutation? Or, to phrase it as a question: if there were a surgical procedure to implant gills in the sides of your throat/neck, would you go for it?
Maybe some of that Harry Potter gillyweed for the next dive.
Silly thoughts at the end of a long day. Why not?
