Sunday was a gorgeous day, so, seeking some sweet relaxation, Sheena and I rode down to Whitaker Beach. After picnicking and staring thoughtfully at the waves for half an hour or so, I decided that I'd better go in, if only to stave off feelings of regret and inadequacy later on. After that I mulled it over aloud for a few more minutes, causing Sheena to remark pointedly that she'd regret it if I didn't go in. The writing was on the wall. I went in - not the first swim of the year, but the first one unassisted by a sauna. Here's proof.
I can't figure out how to rotate a video, so I recommend rotating your head while watching this.
By the time I finished mulling and started swimming the sky had clouded over. The air was still decently warm, but you wouldn't know that from watching this video. To my eye the image of me, shirtless, plunging into leaden waves resembles something you might see at some boreal Russian beach resort. Chilly and drab. It wasn't nearly that bad in real life, though the water was icy.
Some people I know doubt whether the Strait of Georgia ever gets warm enough for swimming. I say it does. In 2006 I lived steps from the beach in Roberts Creek, and I swam there almost daily from May until August. Those were beautiful months, ones that caused no end of daydreaming over the following winter in icy, grey (though charming) Kingston. These days Armour's Beach is my swimming hole, and though there've been some pretty nice days down there, I've never since encountered such a steady run of warm water as I did that summer. 2006 was a warm one, of course, so I'm not making an entirely fair comparison. And, to be fair, some of the best salt-water swims I've ever had were at Armour's during the heat wave last July. But until a year of good weather changes my mind, my favourite place to swim on the Sunshine Coast is at any sandy shore between Gower Point and Mission Point.
#2: First ripe salmonberries of the year.
Last year the first ripe salmonberries weren't out before June. I'm sure of this. (If you disagree, go ahead and tell me.) I wasn't even looking for salmonberries yesterday, but these ones looked so ripe and orange that they caught my eye from a distance. Up close, as you'll see, they were gnarled and hard-looking. But technically, they were ripe.
Salmonberries are underappreciated, which is fine, because it means that there aren't many competitors for my favourite wild fruit. I love them for their brilliant colours, their abundance, and their unique flavour, which, if I were being poetical, I'd describe as resembling bitter oranges, apricots, and spring rain.
These ones, found at the edge of Whitaker Beach, tasted like salmonberry seeds and sawdust. But I'm not worried. They'll get better.
By the time I finished mulling and started swimming the sky had clouded over. The air was still decently warm, but you wouldn't know that from watching this video. To my eye the image of me, shirtless, plunging into leaden waves resembles something you might see at some boreal Russian beach resort. Chilly and drab. It wasn't nearly that bad in real life, though the water was icy.
Some people I know doubt whether the Strait of Georgia ever gets warm enough for swimming. I say it does. In 2006 I lived steps from the beach in Roberts Creek, and I swam there almost daily from May until August. Those were beautiful months, ones that caused no end of daydreaming over the following winter in icy, grey (though charming) Kingston. These days Armour's Beach is my swimming hole, and though there've been some pretty nice days down there, I've never since encountered such a steady run of warm water as I did that summer. 2006 was a warm one, of course, so I'm not making an entirely fair comparison. And, to be fair, some of the best salt-water swims I've ever had were at Armour's during the heat wave last July. But until a year of good weather changes my mind, my favourite place to swim on the Sunshine Coast is at any sandy shore between Gower Point and Mission Point.
#2: First ripe salmonberries of the year.
Last year the first ripe salmonberries weren't out before June. I'm sure of this. (If you disagree, go ahead and tell me.) I wasn't even looking for salmonberries yesterday, but these ones looked so ripe and orange that they caught my eye from a distance. Up close, as you'll see, they were gnarled and hard-looking. But technically, they were ripe.
Salmonberries are underappreciated, which is fine, because it means that there aren't many competitors for my favourite wild fruit. I love them for their brilliant colours, their abundance, and their unique flavour, which, if I were being poetical, I'd describe as resembling bitter oranges, apricots, and spring rain.
These ones, found at the edge of Whitaker Beach, tasted like salmonberry seeds and sawdust. But I'm not worried. They'll get better.
Salmonberries! I love them! Remind me of being a kid in Prince Rupert.
ReplyDeleteI think that was more of a dip than a swim. But I haven't dipped or swimmed (swam? swum?) yet, so I can't be too critical.
ReplyDeleteSalmonberries grow all the way up there in Prince Rupert? Cool. If you ever want salmonberries in Vancouver, go to the Stanley Park causeway. There are tonnes of them.
ReplyDeleteCourtney, if you can come up with a solid distinction between a dip and a swim, I'll concede this one to you. But until that, I swam, yes, I have swum, and you have not swum. Nor have you swimmed.