BlueBoobies

 The weekend in swimming offered some stark contrasts. On Saturday we were totally socked in. Thick fog blanketed the bulb in a soft, quiet shroud. Most swimmers stayed close to the shore or hugged the neck to keep land in sight. Temperatures were around 51 degrees. Sunday was clear and vivid with spectacular clouds and light. Another 51-degree swim, but it felt colder to me because the air, despite the sun, was very chilly.

  After storms have kept us out of the water for much too long, it was a joy to see a gang of swimmers back at the bulb on Saturday and Sunday.  Sunny skies helped ease the transition back into the cold water (50-51 degrees). It was brown and murky, but it seems like the color is mostly the result of stirred-up silt, not the sewage overflows that have kept us away from the bay. In any case, we all emerged unscathed and it was a total joy to be back in the bay. 

Well, apparently I'm the only one that's going to blog... come on Boobies!! Morning musings… Like all of you, I’m a little off my mooring missing my morning swims. I’m trying to get out early, I caught a lovely sunrise one morning and enjoyed a rainless long walk at the Bulb on another day I walked with Martin into pouring rain, we enjoyed our return walk – with the wind on our backs. Even with these touchpoints to nature I still feel in a funk. Mostly because swimming every day makes me physically feel better, fewer headaches, clear sinuses (I forgot what boogers were), and my joints are just so much happier, and my pain level fades to non-existent. Pool swimming just doesn’t give me the joy, I don’t know if it’s the crowds, but I can’t fully stretch out and reach my stride or maybe it’s not having the connection to the natural world. And yes, I miss Buddy. Our solo pelican is still hanging out on the north side of the Bulb, I don't know enough about pelicans to know why t

My company regularly sends field staff (actually all of our staff) out to monitor storms, with the goal to capture peak flows for a variety of different reasons - model calibration, water quality, flood warning programs, etc. We manage rain and stream gages for the following counties: Alameda, Zone 7, Contra Costa, San Mateo, San Francisquito Creek, Santa Clara Valley Water District, and Marin Municipal Water District. We also head out to observe some of the sites where we have completed habitat restoration or are in the process of so that we can inform our designs or implement adaptive management when necessary. If you feel like tracking the rain, you can view some of our public gages here: https://www.balancehydro.com/online-gaging/ Here are some screenshots from today's rain. Here are many of the tools we use to be prepared for storms: Center for Western Weather and Water Extremes has a variety of tools, from atmospheric river forecasts to identifying snow elevation. Main page: 

https://www.pbs.org/video/nature-dance-blue-footed-booby/

  I didn’t know what to expect after last night’s deluge, but when the ‘is anyone swimming’ text went out I was already suited up, knowing I didn't want to miss the opportunity between storms. I’m always surprised to find calm waters after a big downpour. I arrived early, I enjoy walking along the beach before my swim, the clouds and light were spectacular and the water so inviting. I grew up in San Diego in Pt. Loma, whenever I visit I love the smell that greets me when I drive into Ocean Beach on the way to the Point, today I got a hint of that smell, memories of childhood and all things saltwater permeated my thoughts during my swim.  Swimwise, I felt kind of sluggish, I’m blaming fewer swims over the past weeks, who knows, who cares, it was beautiful. We got a glimpse of Buddy the harbor seal, but they were playing shy.  One last thing, I love weekend swims, having the luxury to stick around and chit chat and slowly migrating to the parking lot, where end up chatting even more.

I’ve been off my routine for quite a while, but managed to get in the bay this morning. Usually getting in is the easy part and the post-swim uncontrollable shaking “recovery” is the workout. Now, in addition to a hot water foot bath, I’ve added hot tea in a large glass, sweat pants, sweat socks, and more towels. There is still plenty of room for improvement. May need to include a changing room!—Jim

 It was a beautiful, calm, warm morning down at the bulb; a window between storms. A small, but mighty group met up for a questionably safe swim. The advice is to wait 72 hours after a big storm, but the definition of "big" is open to interpretation and I tend to err on the side of risk when it comes to water quality. I'm not the only one. The water temperature was 51; invigorating and bracing, but somehow easier to handle when the air is so warm, the sun shining through the last of last night's storm's clouds. The water was pretty murky under the surface, but from above it rippled and glowed in beautiful ribbons of color and light. 

Despite the deluge yesterday, the accompanying run-off and potential sewage overflows, a big group of boobies and others decided to ignore common sense and jump into the bay for a New Year's swim. Luckily, we all survived and had a lovely swim. The water temperature was 53, but the air was warm, the sun bright and beautiful. We jumped in together and then shot off to swim hard out to the point, or in a triangle, or we flipped onto our back and leisurely watched the birds, or we bobbed along chatting, catching up after holiday travels. Whichever way we went, we all migrated back to the shore and met up again for a delicious spread of treats and mimosas.