It was a pretty typical Saturday morning.  A group of us took off from La Jolla Cove and headed for La Jolla Shores.  After playing in the surf  awhile…we stroked to the shallow water in front of the Marine Room restaurant and floated quietly as scores of leopard sharks darted back and forth.   On the return trip…. a group of sea lions barked at us from beneath the cliffs… and as we meandered through a forest of kelp…. we swam over a glittering school of mackarel, a huge, lumbering sea bass and several elegant sting rays with two-foot wing spans! 

     Later…on the beach… a young woman clutching a cap and pair of goggles approached and asked ,  ”Is it hard to swim out there?”  As she pointed to the expanse of water, I thought of all the words I could use to describe a  swim in the Cove.   Beautiful….refreshing…peaceful.  Certainly not “hard.”   She told me she’d like to swim to the quarter mile buoy…..but wasn’t sure she could do it.

     I remember that feeling.  When I moved to San Diego nearly 28 years ago……years of experience pool swimming in the midwest did not even begin to prepare me for my first encounter with the ocean.   And yeah… in those days, it was difficult.   I didn’t know how to negotiate the surge….the surf or the motion of the ocean!   Not to mention the fear!   I was convinced every piece of seaweed that brushed my leg was a great white.   As I peered through the murky water…. surely every sea creature was out to get me.   But over time…the beauty of the open ocean replaced my fear.  The mysterious critters of the deep proved to be awesome…AND mostly harmless!  The chilly, wind chop became an invigorating workout and a great stress reliever.  

    But that’s not the case for the woman I met on the beach…..or for many who would like to venture into the ocean…but don’t know where to start.   So I decided to talk to an expert.  Anne Cleveland has swum the English Channel four times.  She’s one of 18 people worldwide to do a double Channel crossing!   She’s taught open water swim classes for UCSD’s Recreation Department and currently coaches masters swim workouts at La Joll High’s Coggan Family Acquatic Complex.  www.annecleveland.com

   Here are “Anne’s Tips” for getting your start swimming in the ocean:

…Find a buddy to swim with….perhaps a friend who is already an ocean swimmer.  Swim near a lifeguard and tell the lifeguard where you plan to swim.  (Check out the La Jolla Cove Swim Club. More below.)

….Know your limits and don’t exceed them.  Start our with shorter distances and work you way up.  (This is especially important during the fall, winter and spring when the water temperatures are colder.)  And if wearing a wetsuit and/or fins make your swim feel safer and more enjoyable…then wear them!

…..One of the main fears swimmers face in the ocean is “What’s under there?”  More often than not, it’s just fish and seaweed.  Get a good pair of goggles or mask and snorkel so you can enjoy the view down below!  ( Despite the tragic attack off San Diego’s coast last spring…. statistically, shark attacks are far less likely than being struck by lightening.)

….Jellyfish can be a nuisance if you brush up against one and get stung.  Salt water in the ocean will neutralize the poison from the sting….or just pour vinegar on the affected area.  During the warmer months…stingrays inhabit the shallow waters along the shoreline.  They’re timid and harmless….unless you step on one!  You can avoid stingrays by shuffling your feet when entering and exiting the water.  Contact with the stinger at the end of their tails is painful enough to put an end to your pleasant day at the beach.

….Whatever your open water goals….whether swimming around looking for fish…swimming to the 1/4 or 1/2 mile buoys at La Jolla Cove….or swimming your laps in the English Channel…open water swimming can be a great way to have some fun, get some exercise and meet new friends. 

   And may I suggest….meeting those friends through a wonderful group called the La Jolla Cove Swim Club.  lajollacoveswimclub.org  La Jolla Cove and the bay between the Cove and La Jolla Shores is one of the best places in the world for ocean swimming.   The club is an informal organization of (mostly…their word!) friendly people who like to swim in the ocean.  The Club sponsors monthly swim activities….most notably the “Polar Bear” Swim on New Year’s Day!  The Club is made up of swimmers of all abilities….from social swimmers to hard core competitors.   I’ve been a member for more than 25 years,  and I assure you the Cove Club is a fun-loving group where anyone who loves the ocean can feel welcome.

   So grab your cap and googles!  Labor Day may be right around the corner….but for those of us who live here….summer’s just getting started!  The best swimming conditions are yet to come!   And if you want a little inspiration…stop by the Cove Sunday, September 7.  The 78th Annual La Jolla Rough Water Swim…the largest and longest-running rough water swim in the world….gets started with the youngsters early in the morning with a 250 yard swim….followed by the 1-mile swim for all age groups…. and the elite 3-mile “Gatorman” event at 1pm. LJRWS.COM   It’s quite a sight! 

If you’re interested in personal training or one-on-one lessons in the ocean…contact Anne Cleveland or the La Jolla Cove Club for referrals! 

“Sea” you at the Cove!!

    I’ve been an ocean swimmer since the moment I laid eyes on the Pacific in 1981.  I’ve always loved the water….but growing up in the land-locked midwest…. my only options were the pool and the Mississippit River that ran through my hometwon of Davenport, Iowa.   I ususally chose the pool over a mouthful of oily goo from the river….but once I moved to San Diego…the ocean became my new friend.  All these years, swimming in the open water has provided me relief from life’s stress….lifelong friends who share my passion for swimming and a healthy set of heart and lungs.

But there’s a downside to spending a lot of time swimming with the dolfins.  The ocean leaves my skin and hair as dusty and dry as the sand on the beach!   My heart rate may be low and strong….but my skin’s not aging as gracefully…. and my hair could use a little moisture boost! 

      Fortunately, I’m getting a little help these days.  I recently ran across a new line of fabulous skin and hair products. And what’s most exciting?   “Sea Enzyme” is manufactured right here in San Diego…AND it actually uses the “healing power of the ocean” to help problem hair and skin.   And if going “green” is important to you, “Sea Enzyme” is an organic, enviro-friendly, California-made line of skin care.

    Women’s World Longboard Champion Schuyler McFerran (a woman who’s logged plenty of time in the sun and surf) is so sold-out on the product line….she’s the spokesperson AND the face of “Sea Enzyme.”    McFerran hopes to teach active young women how to care for and protect their skin.  “Because…. lets’ face it, “says McFerran, “while the sun can be an epic gift….it can also be abusive and insulting (sort of like a bad boyfriend!)”    The champion surfer knows, the earlier girls learn how to protect themselves from the downside of the sun, wind and waves….the healthier they’ll be in the long run.

The irony is, as I’ve researched this product, it’s the very things we need to protect our skin and hair from…the sun, the salt water….that create the cool ingredients in “Sea Enzyme.”   The skin products are SO lush feeling!  Turns out, kukui oil, aloe and tons of deep-sea enzymes are the basis for the moisturizing and gentle cleaning abilities.    Bottom line for this health and fitness reporter?   These products feel wonderful and work great.   I especially like the facial cleanser.   Even my sun-damaged skin feels really clean…but not tight and dry.  

The product line is extensive….everything from moisturizers, seaweed gel masks body lotion and shower gel….the sun screen is extraordinary.  Dermatologists say we need “broad-spectrum” protection…and this product uses zinc AND titanium to get the job done.  I’ve used literally scores of  sun protection products….and I love this one.  It’s not thick and nasty and blends into the skin very easily.

    I’m sorry to go “on and on” here.   I don’t mean to sound like a “pitch woman!”  But this stuff is really cool!  And I didn’t even tell you about the botanical shampoo, seaweed peppermint scrub and “Mega-Moisture Mist!”   Check it out yourself!   www.seaenzymeca.com  You can support your skin and hair….while supporting a local business AND the environment!  Sea you in the surf!!

I donated blood for the first time nearly 35 years ago.  A blood donation station was set up by the local Blood Bank in my student union at the University of Northern Iowa.    On a whim, I decided to give it a try.   As the nurse inserted the needle, I held my breath…anticipating the pain.  Nothing!  It was no big deal!  And as I watched in amazement as the sterile bag hanging at my side fill with rich, healthy blood from MY body, I remember thanking God for good health… the opportunity to give…. and I vowed to give again!

Over the years, I continued to donate blood once in awhile….when it was convenient. But since moving to San Diego, I’ve run out of excuses.   The San Diego Blood Bank makes it so easy!   They’re everywhere!   In just the last several months, I’ve had the opportunity to donate on board the Bloodmobile at my church…at work… and at the main Blood Bank facility in Hillcrest.  

Next week, I have a chance to do it again…and I’m hoping you’ll consider joining me!   The San Diego Blood Bank is asking all of us to make a difference in life by donating blood at the 10News Blood Drive Wednesday, August 20^th.   Any time from 10 am to 6pm, you can choose from any of five neighborhood donor centers throughout the county.  (One lucky donor will win a $1,000gift certificate to Jerome’s Furniture!!  How’s that for a little motivation!)

The Blood Bank’s Lynn Stedd tells me the need is great…especially during this summer season when donations are down.   She also shared some “fun facts” with me about blood donations. 

—Did you know 37% of San Diegans are eligible to donate blood…but only 5% actually give?  That 5% is responsible for maintaining our community’s blood supply.

—One in seven people who enter the hospital will need blood….accident victims, burn patients, people battling leukemia and transplant patients.

—-The San Diego Blood Bank must collect 400 pints each day in order to meet the needs of area hospital patients.  The San Diego Blood Bank is the primary supplier of blood to the majority of hospitals in our region.

—One of the new benefits for blood donors who join the “Difference in Life” loyalty program is the ability to track their blood pressure, total cholesterol and pulse in an online Wellness Profile.  All your vitals will be tracked and recorded after each donation.  It’s a great health benefit.

      Would you consider joining us at 10News and Azteca America San Diego Channel 15 to make a difference in our community?   It’s easy.  It’s free.  It only requires a little of your time…you’ll meet some wonderful people AND there are all kinds of yummy goodies and soft drinks to give you the energy you’ll need to build even more blood cells!!

    As, as I mentioned earlier, one lucky donor who makes an appointment at San DiegoBloodBank.org or calls 1-800-469-7322…then donates at any donor center on Wednesday, August 20 will be entered to win a $1,000 gift certificate at Jerome’s Furniture.  

     Make an appointment now and I’ll see you Wednesday.  (Just make sure to save some ”Chips Ahoy” for me!)

   I noticed her in the foyer at the Aviara Four Seasons Resort ballroom.   Very attractive.   Fashionably dressed.   Laughing and talking with a group of women before the luncheon began.   What a surprise as I introduced the featured speaker and the same woman came forward to take the microphone.  

    As emcee for the Scripps Encinitas “Circle of Life” event this week, I didn’t meet her in advance, but was familiar enough with the script to know the luncheon speaker had a dramatic story to tell about surviving breast cancer.   In fact, the purpose of the Scripps fundraiser was to raise money for new equipment to help detect breast cancer in its earliest stages.    The room fell silent as Barbara Massters came forward to share with the audience how that equipment had saved her life.

Barbara Masters was diagnosed eight months ago with stage 0, Ductile Carcinoma In Situ….cancer in such an early stage, it would have taken five more years to show up on a regular mammogram.  By that time it would have spread.    Standing proudly and elegantly in a sleeveless, multi-colored sun dress, Barbara proceeded to explain her decision to have a double mastectomy.  “I did not want radiation treatments,” she said.  “And I did not want to live with the concern of it returning.” 

   Barbara went on to describe what she called a “miraculous” type of surgery which is natural looking (it’s true!) and almost scarless.  The incision is made around the areola.  The breast tissue is removed through the small, round opening…and reconstructive implants are inserted during the same operation.  The areola was then sewn back into place.  She described the result as “natural, perfect and essentially scarless.”    She was home in 2 days, had minimal pain and was functioning with full range of motion wihin a few weeks.   

Barbara gave much of the credit to the team of Drs. Mark Sherman and Paul Chasan.   But she especially wanted to let as many women as possible know that when brreast cancer is caught early….it is possible to avoid the physical scaring and psychological trauma of a traditional mastectomy, radiation or chemotherapy.   “Only a digital mammogram can catch breasst cancer at this early stage,” Barbara stressed.

    As the applause died down and auctioneer Chuck Dreyer came forward…..somehow we knew all the money needed to purchase new state-of-the-art digital mammography for Scripps Encinitas would be raised.   Now, North County women will have access to this critically important equipment.

   Kudos to the “Circle of Life 100″ and Scripps Health Foundation for their efforts to reach out to the community.    Barbara Masters is living proof of what can be accomplished when new technology teams up with the volunteer spirit.