Snow warnings for Vancouver reminded me of a snowy day of last winter. In winter I like to run on the beach sand, at a time of year when only the hardest of beach devotees will bother with the freezing whipping wind lashing straight off the water. The chance to exercise alone out of doors is more of a necessity now, what with covid, although this year’s winter runs will be significantly less enjoyable, without the Aquatic Centre’s spa and sauna to thaw out in post run.
December 2019
Extraordinary scenes down at the beach today. At first, it was like a sentimental painting. Dogs frolicking in the snow, children making a snowman with their dad, and such a cheerful honking, waggling gaggle of Canada geese that even Vancouverites took notice. Only one or two of us went right down to the shore, because of the mid calf level of snow that had to be tramped through to get to the sand.
There were tall piles of purple shells, pushed up by the storms, and lots of refuse from the sea. My favorite was a long, brunette wig.
An old man right by the water was surrounded by scores of ecstatic ducks, gulls and crows he was throwing seed to. The growing-up, fluffy seagull babies looked like overgrown teens, a bit too loud and too large for good behavior yet. The sun shone so bright and warm.
When I turned around on my short run along the sand and saw the old man again, I experienced one of those double blinks of surprise which I thought only happened in cartoons. Hidden from everyone by the rocks and the curve of the beach, except me, he had built and lit a very small fire, and as I ran, I watched him disrobe down to his naked self, plunge fully into the water and emerge again to wrap himself in a towel and warm up by his little fire. I really wanted to warm up by his little fire too but he looked so embarrassed when he noticed me that I steered off to thaw out in the sauna at the Aquatic Centre instead.
“You’re desperately missed, Aquatic Centre spa”