Well summer has come and we've been in it for about 2+ months now. So we finally made it happen this past Sunday (8.10.08). Something that I didn't take into consideration was the fact that the last time i did anything like this I was about 18 or 19 years old and about 35 lbs lighter and leaner. Back then the rock climbing happened more often and so did the swimming. I also didn't have the extra life ring around the waist. This past Sunday Ander, Steve and I started ahead of Bobby, Kris and Scott, about 3:30 pm though the plan was to start around 1-1:30pm. We arranged plans to meet them at Salt Creek Beach about 1 1/2-2 miles up the coast. The first leg of the adventure isn't too hard except for the rocks to walk over and the cave to walk into and then swim out of. The experienced Coastal Challengers, Steve( aka Baker) and myself, were fairly convident in our abilities and pressed on while Ander was not so sure at first. To him the waves crahing on the rocks and the tide coming in wasn't reassuring of what lay up ahead and no assurance of making out of the cave unscathed. With a little reassurance and prodding, while in the waves and in-between pounding surf, we coaxed Ander into continuing and not turning back. Once we reached the beach we all took a knee and prayed.
You can see where we had to go into the cave and swim out in this picture by following the dotted line.
Our prayer was about the safety of the day and our friends. About those who were facing similar challenges and scared of pressing waves like work, school, home-life, relationships etc- would crush them. We prayed for wisdom for each next step for The LORD to literally guide each foot step, each hand hold, our direction. It helped us all think about our friends and families who don't get to see the danger so clearly present. At most it's usually felt. So we prayed for them. We prayed for us too. For we aren't above any issues that face our friends or family either. This moment helped shape the days adventure to seeing again, life as the great adveture.
After we met up with the other three at Salt Creek we continued to one of the hardest parts of the journey. We had to swim around the point near 3 Arch Bay where it's tresspassing to even walk up onto the hilltop to scan what's around the point!! So we swam blindly as it were. Kris and Scott (aka Prayer Partner and Scotto) pressed on ahead knowing that they could handle whatever the waves could throw at them. Ander-Calrizyin, myself and Baker weren't so sure. While BOBBY! had no question we could all do it. The Security Guard after telling us if any us set foot on the rocks we'd be immediately arrested, said the beach was only 400 yards to shore...but it was way longer or at least it seemed it when waves pounded overhead, undercurrent pulled the opposite way and rocks threatened to break you to pieces. This is also the place where Baker couldn't go. He turned around in the middle of the waves and fighting currents. We weren't sure if he had the strength to make it back onto the rocks where we jumped in. Soon the waves covered his path and we couldn't shout loud enough. We also couldn't go back through the most dangerous part through which we had just come. Hands and feet began to start feeling like lead. Hope seemed to be ebbing like the sand in my surfing booties. Then the guard let us know Baker made it to the beach shore, because we hadn't stopped yelling when we hadn't seen him come out onto the rocks to let us know he was ok. But we couldn't turn back now. Were we going to meet up later? Should we wait on the beach? Was he going back to the car? We had no way of knowing and we said a prayer and hoped for the best.
Something that I learned around here was that the waves that looked so huge and ominous looked manageable while under the water. I kept duck diving the waves and realized the waves just pass over me while they crash into rocks later. They looked as if they would pound me to Davy Jones' Locker. Under the surface though was different story. I could see the waves merely traveling up and down, almost unthreateningly. It was almost peaceful if i didn't need air to breathe. Each time I reached the surface for air I had a little more comfort knowing the waves weren't going to crush me onto rocks I couldn't see, because i knew where the rocks were I had seen them under water!
Once on the sand of the next beach we reached another blind swim but it promised to be more unforgiving than the last one. So Ander, Bobby and I found our way to PCH. My surf booties were not made for walking on cement nor hard ground...never-the-less we walked 1/2 -1 mile to Salt Creek Beach. I was still feeling down about leaving Steve back in the ocean waves and was wondering if he was at the car missing out. Also was wondering how far ahead Kris and Scott were. Once on the beach again we started making good time. We heard some faint yelling turned around to see Kris and Scott waving. The 3 of us cheered. Then a silhouette appeared from behind the other two. The cheering stopped. Then recognition, it was Baker!! The cheering continued but louder this time from all 6 of us!! Brothers reunited. From this point we made a reconnection point incase separation happened again, in front of BJ's Pizzeria until everyone had arrived.
The next sectioned involved a rock/cliff climb which Bobby and Ander elected to swim around through crazy waves. Scott and Kris made it up over and into the ocean and onto the rocks. While Baker and I trying to rock climb the dirt and pebbled rocks. When clinging to a single hand-hold within the rocks Baker made the decision to walk the last 1 and 1/2 to main beach Laguna. I thought that was a great idea, since at that moment the sun was setting into the deep blue.
When the two of us reached main beach we looked very odd indeed. Everyone dressed to the nine's and here we were in no shirts and I in weird booties I refused to take off before having my sandals with me. Steve and I recounted times we just had and recalled times doing the Coastal Challenge before and the difference. The main difference besides our stature and shape was our view of getting hurt. It was a lot easier for us to get hurt this time and this time we cared more about not getting hurt where 13+ years ago we didn't care at all!!
Then it happened. We heard it...very clearly. It was the other four. There they were in the sea of people, now, waiting to cross the street near where we were looking as ridiculous as we did; no shirts only sandals on the feet while everyone else was dressed to impress. Steve and I on the wall facing the street stood and cheered and went to welcome them! Once back to the car we made calls to tell people were not dead and very much alive even though we were about 3 hours later than we had planned on being done. It was 9 pm and we were tired and hungry. So we went to dinner and talked about the days adventure that let us live, both figuratively and literally. We thanked God for letting us survive, for friends, family, enjoyment and for the days adventure that reminded us of our lives of adventure that have all the same elements in it. From fears to failure to disappointment to success to triumphs to joy in the journey, to knowing that you have friends like family and family like friends, where one day we will be reunited with brothers and have a celebration over a meal and the Host is God Himself and we be thankful that it was He who guided the steps we took. What a day that will be!! Until then we continue the greatest adventure He could have placed us on!!
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