A very California edition

On swimming

Jul 08, 2024

I’ve spent much of my time in northern California thus far Googling where to swim. The temperate climate I was promised has been on vacation, and in its place are unforgiving 105 degree days. This has left me desperate for a swim—a spiritual and grounding exercise my body aches for in moments where I feel untethered.

Palo Alto, or what feels to me like an arid city (it’s neither thing, but coming from humid, rural upstate New York, sure feels like it) has only the refuge of chlorinated pools, one of which sits just next to our apartment. The freshwater rivers and swimmable beaches all require more than an hour’s drive, which admittedly, makes me long for the abundance of swimming holes just about everywhere in the northeast. The oppression of the dry heat, however, has been enough incentive make the drive.

While my transition to this surprisingly foreign land has brought up a level of homesickness I can only recall feeling as an teary-eyed 8-year-old waving goodbye to my mom at summer camp, the water that I’ve found here has the special ability to drive away this longing for home.

Water, in California, is a precious gem, and as rivers shrink throughout the dry summers, it can feel like a fleeting one, making it all the more precious to seek out while one still can. Therefore, on hot days, even measly creeks become gathering places for everyone from Bay Area Tesla drivers to rural families, with truck beds full of inflatable sharks and lawn chairs.

In California, where currently my closest friends are our two toddler neighbors and the local librarian, I’ve found much needed camaraderie and companionship just being beside the mix of characters seeking a dip during these scorching days. A strong sense of belonging washes over me among these crowds, and my longing for home recedes.

Maybe because in these places, it feels we are all seeking the same thing: water, and really, a true refuge from the heavier things.