From the category archives:

The Swim

Day 500

February 17, 2004

I want to explain why it is that even after 500 days I will continue to swim; why this daily immersion into the waters of Roaring Beach is still important enough for me to continue unabated. In early April there is to be a colloquium of gathered nature writers discussing the issue of art and [...]

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Surprise

October 22, 2003

Yesterday evening just at dusk I went into a fairly choppy, roller coaster surf at Roaring Beach. In the dimmed twilight with the setting sun hidden behind darkening clouds the colors of water, land and sky were a steely grey. The air temperature was cold with a stiff breeze blowing across the water. It wasn’t [...]

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Friendship trees

October 6, 2003

Exactly a year ago on October 6, I began the simple ritual of going into the surf everyday. When I first wrote about this to my dear friend Debra Frasier she sent back an email all full of worry. I replied, in part, with the following: “I am standing on the beach looking out across [...]

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Day 333

September 4, 2003

Yesterday was day 333 of swimming daily at Roaring Beach. During the preceding night I was awoken by thunder, lightning and a noise only made possible by terrific winds howling through trees. The Tasman Peninsula was being hit with gale force winds gusting to 90 knots. Trying to photograph mountainous seas in salt spray laden [...]

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Day 250

June 12, 2003

On October 6th of last year, I started out on what was to be a three week ritual of surfing daily at Roaring Beach. It turned into a six month ritual, then into a year ritual. Well, after eight and a half months I still feel strongly compelled to make the walk from the house [...]

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Day 200

April 23, 2003

Last October, after the first three weeks of starting the ritual of surfing Roaring Beach everyday, I had assumed that it would end on the first year anniversary of the Peace Fire, April 6. Obviously, this date has come and gone and I still find myself walking down to the beach each day dressed up [...]

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Day 148

March 2, 2003

What you’re looking at is what I had to look at before heading into the water for Day 148 of my six month ritual of swimming at Roaring Beach everyday. With such a strong wind and squalls of rain blowing in, it was hard to take a decent photo, but I hope you get some [...]

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Valentine swim

February 14, 2003

All Hearts Day. A time to express one’s love to another. A time to affirm one’s desire to be wholly present in the company of the adored. A time to linger in the sensuous meshing of two hearts pressing into one. With feet bare upon sand, I slowly walked Roaring Beach this morning to the [...]

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Sweet wetness

January 30, 2003

A picnic table glistening with water might signify a washed out lunch for some people, but today it represents the difference between plants and animals dying or making it through this long, dry summer. To me, waking up this morning to the first spits of rain on the roof was a real blessing. And I [...]

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Day 100

January 14, 2003

“I want to bathe myself in the waters of Roaring Beach. I want to slip into the softness of forgiveness; to cleanse my soul of the pain and anger that comes after days of listening to chain saws rip into the trees on a nearby hill. I want to float in the arms of the [...]

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