hole above the surface for that all important breath of air. This allows me added time to exhale and inhale more deeply.
I wear soft gel earplugs; exhaling from both nose and mouth bubbles create an echoing sound, and then pop when hitting the surface.
When I make my turn to swim back towards the beach I’m looking up at the majestic West Maui Mountains of 5000 feet, -- just above -- the rising sun.
Breathing only on my right side, at times I close my eyes. All is dark with sparkles of light to fill my view. When I exhale, under water I look down into darkness.
Along with the slow rocking and twisting movement of my body I feel as though I’m being held in my Mother’s arms. With eyes closed, only the sound of my breathing, I find myself falling asleep into somewhat of a catnap, fully aware of my surroundings. Such as whales when swimming in the darkness of the abyss.
It is the most calming period. All I have to do is breathe, just as when we are sleeping, we must breathe. 
With eyes open bubbles emerge in front of my finger tips as I reach out to into the abyss.
I look up midway on my left side and like whales I’m viewing two worlds at the same time above and below.
For the duration of my swim the only sound is of my breathing as I fill my lungs to their capacity.
Swimming is truly a form of exercise, however for myself a Way of Life, a meditative experience, of living truly in the Moment. A form of ZEN, in being a part of being captured within the rhythm of the sea.
Sailing the world’s oceans for many years, and on fairly calm days, thousands of miles from land, I’ll swim alongside the boat. With the slow moving huge open ocean ground swells, one realizes just how insignificant we as humans really are.
THE SEA:
(Joshua Slocum –The first to sail solo around the world – 1895-1898 writes “To cross the Pacific Ocean, on his 36 foot sloop, even under the most favorable circumstances, brings you close to nature, and you realize the vastness of the sea. I was in harmony now with my surroundings, and was carried on a vast stream where I felt the buoyancy of HIS HAND who made all the worlds, I sailed alone with God”. 
The Last of the Cape Horners – With the gale blown out, the ship was almost steering herself, gently swaying through the water, her sails a pattern of sun and shadow until the night came, and before long 55,000 Square feet of white canvas was gleaming in the bright moon light while the wind scarcely rustled overhead, and the whole silent machinery of the dialing ship passed slowly down the Baltic Sea” ----------------------------------------------------------
Four decades ago along with and escort boat I swam the 10-mile Auau channel, which flows between the Hawaiian Islands of Maui and Lanai. Deep breathing, in a weightless environment -- living in the Moment -- only feelings from within can describe this 8-9 hour experience of looking into the abyss of blue indigo - turquoise rays of sun light surrounding me. I feel as though I am truly in the arms of a higher entity. THE SEA, ALONE – NEVER ALONE
The Pacific Ocean: Green, blue, turquoise, ultramarine, saffron, stretching 9,600 miles from the Bering Sea, to the Antarctic. 64 million square miles – 25% larger than the entire landmass of planet Earth with an average depth of 2 miles.
Today at 75 years of age as of Nov. 2, 2020, I swim out a little less than 1⁄2 mile from shore over a sand bottom towards the island of Lanai.
Swimming 5 to 6 times a week – or 3-4 miles a week.
If I were to swim over a reef, my focus would then be on the reef and its life. My purpose is deep meditation, (deep breathing) freeing the mind from thought upon a weightless environment, and the further from shore the more at peace I feel from within. 
HOWEVER: There is life within sand bottom. From time to time I view
tracks made by crabs that bury themselves within the sand. Groves of polyps which grow in abundance during the winter months, when sea temperatures are cooler. Cooler waters more oxygen more life and I believe bottom dwelling fish or crabs feed on these polyps.
SAND BOTTOM: The formation of the sand close to shore is formed like waves due to the back and forth movement of the shore break. As I move further into the depths the bottom flattens out reflecting soft light and shadows as clouds pass overhead. I can estimate how far into the channel I am by the formation of the sand. Aided by the different shadows created from the clouds.
Light penetrates to about 300 feet. Swimming upon a depth of about 100 feet turquoise rays of sunlight surround me, I reach out into the blue indigo -- absent from thought.
While swimming upon the depths I think of myself as the Southern Albatross with its 10 to 12 foot wing spans riding the thermals of the Southern Ocean. I too ride upon the thermals (currents of the sea. the depth of the sea floor becomes more distant, I too am gaining altitude, now 100 feet above the sea floor upon a weightless environment. 
What I really enjoy are my midnight full moon swims. The moon high in the sky reflects a soft halo of light that surrounds me. It’s beautiful.
Once again with a high extended stroke, inhaling only on my
right side, I hear and see the water dripping off the end of my hand
as I bring my arm up and over. Water droplets from my hand; also create a soft reflection of light. During daytime swims the droplets reflect a sparkling image. “This must be heaven”.