Monday August 28, 2023
Today at the lake, I swam in a beautiful, clean lake, Såduggen, surrounded by trees and blue sky. It was glorious.
My host drove me to a lake about 10 miles away. There was nobody there, which seems bizarre to me because where I live there are always people around, even if just a few people walking their dogs. But this is a rural area.
The lake looked amazing and inviting with a tidy dock system that organized several swim areas: shallow space for tots, a protected area for others, then two parallel docks that lead out to deep water. One had a platform for diving.
The water was cold. It seemed colder than the sea water. Maybe because it’s deeper? The water was crystal clear, but as soon as it gets deep the water looks brown because of the plants that grow on the bottom of the lake. I had read this before I arrived in Sweden, so I wasn’t surprised.
I kind of liked that the water got dark because sometimes when I’m swimming it can be scary to see the lake life growing up to meet me. If I can’t see anything, I feel safer since my legs won’t get tangled in seaweed or viny things if I stop and tread water.
I swam right out into the deep water, and instantly found myself in a sunbeam tunnel. It was a different tunnel that I experience at my home lake. It was more focused and direct. Not as bent. Maybe because the water was so flat and calm.
Anyway, I took full advantage, swimming into the tunnel, while chanting outloud, “H, E, T, R, A.” Then, “SC, SP, TW.” My voice sounded weird and muffled in the water and with my mouth full of snorkel. But I liked saying the names out loud.
I swam a bit, trying to focus on the sensations in my arms and legs. I really dig how my shoulders feel when I swim: strong and functional, nothing like my old knees. I realized I had forgotten to wear sunscreen, but I didn’t care. I just wanted to move forward, and alternating between my goofy breast stroke and crawl. I liked the burn on my legs when I flutter kicked.
My host was waiting for me on a picnic table a few yards from the beach. The park is lovely and grass-covered, with a little structure where people can change into their swimsuits (how totes civilized). There’s also a little playground for kids and a volleyball net.
I loved the dark water, greenish and brownish, with the sunbeams piercing in. I was intersecting it, and it stayed with me as I swam. I kept looking to the right so I could see into the tunnel. I stopped a few times to repeat my chant in my head. “H, E, T, R, A.” Then, “SC, SP, TW.” Then I added some others, classmates, “MZ, ME, MF.” Too many people gone too young. It’s not fair.
The water was cold. It felt refreshing, but it if was a bit colder it would really feel cold. I’m ok with that. I sort of like the colder water because it jolts me into a more alert place, and I really need that.
I didn’t have much in my head as I swam, just some joy at being in the water. It’s been an adjustment to be here. I’m quite happy here, but we havn’et figured out a wifi situation yet, and it’s hard not to be able to watch movies, work not the blog, upload my videos to the blog. I’m sure we will get it sorted, but I’m antsy.
After swimming back and forth for what seemed like at least 20 minutes, I swam into the shallower area, and used the ladder to get up onto the dock so I could walk to the beach. Then I felt a bit cold. Not too cold.
At my home lake, we all shower because nobody wants to get swimmers itch, a parasitic infection from the little creeps who live in duck poop. My host says the water here doesn’t have that, so I’m not showering. I like the lake-clean feeling.
Tomorrow I will do some walking. I wonder where I will swim on Weds? If I can figure out the train schedule, which is harder than it would seem to be, I will get myself here again soon.
I am still reeling from the Barbie movie.
https://vimeo.com/manage/videos/858977105