This weekend we were in Long Beach visiting family, friends and the ocean. On Saturday we went to Seal Beach and my sister swam along the shore with me for about an hour. The water temp was warm and had the usual cloudiness. On Sunday we all went to Bolsa Chica/Sunset beach. Mother brought her multi-colored umbrella for a shade covering and it served as a good marker for our starting location. Jim and Nate went out into the waves on the sponge board and the surf board and dad, sister, and I went for a swim north along the beach. Dad kayaked while Gen and I swam. It took us 30 minutes to get to the watertower looking house at sunset beach and then 40 minutes to get back to the umbrella. Next nate hopped in the kayak and dad swam and we went south along the beach for 30 minutes and then back again to the umbrella. For the last lap dad went back to the beach and nate escorted me one more time up to the watertower house and back. The inflatable kayak that we were using was very uncomfortable for him and did not steer well and he was struggling the whole time. So after the 3rd lap we got out and all headed up to the umbrella.
Overall it was a great swim. The water clarity was about like Seal Beach (not so clear) and the temperature felt a touch colder. We saw a few dolphins at the start of our swim but beyond that no other wildlife sightings other than a few birds gliding over the ocean waves. There was enough wind and wave surge that kept it exciting and forced us to stay off shore a fair distance. With foggy sky and murky water I felt a bit nervous swimming there at first. In part my nervousness was likely the newness of a beach where I had not previously swam because on the 2nd lap I was already feeling better and by the 3rd felt as comfortable as being at Seal Beach on a sunny day (which is about as comfortable as I get in the ocean).
