After work, my friend A. met me at the restaurant for drinks and dinner. We were joined by another friend and decided to watch the sunset and swim at Airport Beach.
The water was cold but the view was lovely, and even though it felt a little chilly to go plunging into the ocean, I had to get in. It seems wrong to go to the beach and not get wet.
I snapped on my swimming goggles, slowly walked in until the water was up to my calves and then dived in.
It was cold, but I swam hard and fast to shake the chill off. Even in the low light, there was a lot to see on the shallow reef. I saw a fish I had never seen before, and I wonder if it only comes out a little later in the day to feed.
I also swam into a small turtle. He startled me at first because from a distance, I couldn't figure out what it was, and my slightly paranoid brain instantly rang out "shark!" When it got closer, I realized it was only a small sea turtle, and we swam together for a little while and when he was close enough to touch, I reached out and brushed my fingers across his shell. Please, Turtle Police, don't find me and put me in jail!
I left the turtle and continued my swim parallel to the beach in the shallows--once again, it was near dark, and although I have never seen a shark in the open ocean out here, I know they are out there. I don't want to push my luck with the Man in the Grey Suit (what surfers call sharks--apparently it's bad juju to say "shark" when you are paddling out).
I only swam along the beach for a little ways before I turned and looped back. On my return, I swam into the same turtle. I watched him for a little while before hitting my spot on the beach. I quickly ran out of the water and wrapped myself up in a big towel and continued to watch the sun go down.
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