Thursday, July 01, 2010

The Big Swim

I went swimming yesterday! In the ocean! In big waves! I'm feeling rather proud of myself :)

I was visiting my hometown, about two hours north of Cambridge. As you may know, the water along the Maine Coast is majestic and inspiring...and insanely cold. For most of the summer, it's impossible to swim for more than a minute or two unless you're under the age of 10, over the age of 60...or wearing a wetsuit. (A childhood of swimming in that ocean is how I know you can get ice cream headache with no dairy products in sight.) But There are 3-4 magical days each year where the water is so warm you can stay in all day. Yesterday was the day after one of those magical days.

So yes, the water was cold, and the air was breezy, and each time I went in I came out looking like a freshly plucked chicken with frozen blue lips (It was a sexy sight, let me tell you.) But I decided I didn't care. The waves were perfect, and I can't remember the last time I swam in the ocean with full commitment (arms in the water, feet off the ground). So I pushed away the niggling thoughts about how silly I looked in my gigantic floral bathing suit, how cold the water was, and how I'd have no way to drive home if a wave pulled me under and I lost a contact lens, and I went for it. And it was SO MUCH FUN.

This summer's motto: Do it anyway. You'll be glad you did.

My sister has photographic evidence of my little head bobbing in the waves...I'll post here as soon as she sends it to me.

Here's to a summer of looking ridiculous :)

4 comments:

Stacy said...

Gigantic floral bathing suit? Since you yourself are quite petite, I sense a story here.

Trish Ryan said...

Stacy-it's a sad suit story, indeed. I vacation every summer at a lake w/sister, her husband & their small kids. So the focus is on making sure my suit won't slip at an awkward moment more than fashion. Last year I bought one at LLBean (one of the all-time sexiest stores, you'll no doubt agree...) This year, that was the only suit I could find. Sigh.

It was bad enough that my sister said yesterday, "Don't worry, I won't photograph you in that suit unless you're mostly covered by water..."

And that is why I love her :)

Stacy said...

I remember a former supervisor of mine had a similar story, only she ended up in a pink suit (bad selection in the upper peninsula of Michigan, it seems). She wasn't the type of person who would normally wear pink of any shade.

I haven't had to scramble for a last minute bathing suit (yet), but I've done something similar with beach towels. Which is why I am the proud owner of a High School Musical beach towel made for someone no taller than 4'6".

Nancy said...

Love your motto for the summer. I may borrow it from time to time.