I find that the best time to exercise swim is  around sunrise.  The water feels wonderful and clean at that time, it appears to be more glassy as opposed to afternoon swimming when the water is more cloudy and murky, and of course more crowded with people.  The only unusual site is, ( beach near Magic Island) that it’s covered with about 50 plastic bags of clothes which the senior citizens use to keep their things in while they enjoy their daily morning swim.  And you’ll notice that it’s the same bunch of people every morning.  Also, from the back they appear to have really good shaped bodies and when they turn around you suddenly realize that they’re in their 60’s and older.  Guess swimming really keeps your body looking  younger. 

If  you keep your eyes open, you may be visited by a friendly turtle who swims by once in a while,  as if to check you out and then continue his swim.  You’ll also see sassy silver fishes about 12″ long,  who think they are whales and jump out of the water as if to breach about 8″ high, then dart quickly by you under the water as if to be saying, “You can’t catch me!”  Once a month the Jelly Fish come in but that doesn’t seem to affect the truely dedicated swimmers.  A couple of times I’d be swimming and I felt a glob about the size of a grapefruit stuck on my leg and I continued to swim trying to kick it off, after a couple of kicks I could continue swimming. Guess it wasn’t the harmful kind, cause sometimes I’d be stroking and my hand would accidently hit one  and I just make a right angle turn to continue out of its way.  Well, that’s been my experience with them. It goes his way and I go mine.  I like to swim from the shower area of Magic Island to the middle of Ala Moana Beach Park following the shore line.

The reason I go so early too is because I don’t want to get too dark,  since I can tan easily and I tend to get freckles on my face.  Also there is less glare from the sun on the water.  Sometimes it’s a little cold at first when going in, but after 20 strokes it starts to get warm and wonderful.  After about 20 minutes, when you come out of the water, there is a sensation like you’re 20 lbs heavier on the legs.  I guess that’s really feeling gravity as opposed to floating in the water effortlessly, suddenly you feel 50 lbs less and you glide through the water with the currents.

You could become really hooked on this, because of the after effects.  You feel really strong both in your legs as well as upper body strength and your mind seems clearer and sharp.  And all the body aches and pains seem to dissipate.  Nothing like swimming in the ocean, early in the morning, enjoying the view of Diamond Head, Tantalas Mountain, La Ronde building at Ala Moana Shopping Center, and all the coconut trees, the pidgeons leaving foot prints in the sand and of course all the different shaped people who sometimes say “hello” or “good morning” and smile!