New Resolve

This morning was a special morning. It is the morning I realized I am sincerely looking forward to in a kappa and the English Channel. 
This morning I got up in Astoria Oregon, went downstairs to the continental breakfast of the Holiday inn, got a cup of coffee, and some standard hotel continental breakfast items. I went back upstairs change into my swimsuit, grabbed my accoutrements, and headed back to the hotel lobby. There was a group of folk having breakfast at the table by the door leading to the Riverwalk and the small sandy beach I was planning to swim from. I asked if they could let me back in when I'm done with my swim. They double checked that I met swimming in the river, yes, I didn't fact mean swimming in the river, and then agreed to let me back in the building. I walked down to the small beach, stripped out of my clothes, folded my towel poncho, and arranged my needed items for my post to swim routine. If you have ever swam with me you know how elaborate this routine can be. Thankfully, since I am pretty much at my back door for the day said routine is much abbreviated. 
As I stepped into the Columbia I noticed how warm it felt, later I discovered it was a whopping 50° fahrenheit! I walked and I walked and I walked some more, almost 100 yards out from the beach I was still knee deep a few more steps and I was finally made by deep and ease myself into the water. it felt like going home despite the fact I am 100 miles from Portland. since the tide was going out there was not much water volume to swim in and I swam in tight circles for about 15 minutes. Astoria is oddly enough helping me get past my trepidation with swimming in new and perceived dangerous places. The Columbia River bar in Astoria a site of an unknown number of shipwrecks, I have heard it referred to as the graveyard of the Pacific. This is not surprising the main shipping channel is approximately 150 yards to 200 yards from shore depending on tide and the current is highly channelized there with a wide Sandbar in the middle of the Columbia. there is an organized swim that occurs right around this area that crosses the Columbia, if it works to help me train for the channel I might try to do it next year, but this year is too late for me to plan anything else.


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