I have described before on these pages how, when I am in need of some centering, I go to the ocean not to sit in the lotus position but to dive into the waves, challenging the ocean to match my anger or angst or whatever it is that’s bugging me. Today we went to the beach just because Al has started making an hour at the beach a Sunday afternoon tradition.  Sometimes I join him, sometimes not.  It’s been non-stop hot here – 90+++ a bit inland and warmer than usual here in San Clemente.  Today I was inland and am just about done with walking across blacktop parking lots that are fifteen degrees warmer than the air and make sure you are aware of that by reflecting it all onto your  body.  By the time you get to where you’re going – 50 ft or so -you’re dripping.

So the ocean was not even a decision today, plus we are still getting bashed by waves from hurricanes far across the Pacific.  It was the first time I had really seen it – a few weeks ago I was at the beach briefly and it was odd – waves coming in from all directions, and bigger than usual, but nothing fantastical.

Today, though.  Today.  I have never seen waves so big.   The surfers were out of their minds out there and we were treated to a show of surfers riding waves from one end to the other, sometimes hopping off the top of the wave and coming back down and surfing the face of the wave like slalom skiers.   Made me wish I had grown up around these parts and learned how to do such a thing. They look so free and were clearly in control of the situation.  They even knew when to dive off the board. It was very cool to watch.

Al took his boogie board and was unable to get out past the first few waves at all, which made him wonder how those surfers got out way out there.  (I didn’t tell him youth and strength.  That would not have been very nice.)  I was standing just offshore in one of the little troughs made by the monster waves.  About all I could do was bob over the waves as they rolled in and occasionally I would have to dive through  – they were still so big as they approached shore and it was impossible to run back to shore due to the strong undertow.  Sometimes I would miss and be thrown onto the sand, much of which was still stuck to my body when I got home.  Every time I came out alive on the other end of a wave I laughed and laughed and laughed even harder when I came out alive from being tossed onto the beach.

The second time Al and I went back in it was the same story, except now the tide was really coming in.  The surfers were beyond amazing – the waves crested so far out and were translucent – stunningly beautiful.  I lasted about five waves and decided the lifeguard looked quite comfortable up there on his perch and I didn’t want to disturb him.  Al was in the same situation, in awe of what we were experiencing.  We were just little jellyfish as far as the ocean was concerned, pushing us in to shore, pulling us out, and pushing us back in again, our meager muscles having not much effect at all against the power of the Pacific, only our brains to help us realize when we could make our escape during a short lull in the action.

The last time I wrote about swimming in the ocean the tale was one of me shaking my fists at the waves and diving through – 20 times, resting and then going back for more.  This was a different day.  It’s not that I don’t have total respect for the ocean every day, but today I realized the ocean has just been messing with me on those days it lets me dive into twenty waves in a row.  It is just “letting me win” most of the time.

As an aside, this was the weekend of the Tall Ships Festival in Dana Point.  We did not go and rumor has it the annual parade of ships was cancelled due to the condition of the ocean.  As we sat on the beach, though, far off in the distance in the haze I watched as a ship began to head south.  I figured it was just a merchant ship but as it crossed directly in front of us I could make out its huge sails – one of the tall ships on its way back to San Diego probably.  Of course my little imagination goes wild thinking about “the olden days” and pirate ships and how it must have looked when those were the only vessels on the sea….