It's no secret that I love the ocean and I'm sure it's no secret that I also love swimming in the ocean. The hot temperatures came early this year. June was warm enough to go swimming but the jellyfish made an appearance around that time too and I don't swim when they're! Fortunately, they had a short season and were gone just in time for me to start swimming a little earlier than normal. Mid-July is usually when I find the water warm enough to enjoy longer dips but the water warmed to a comfortable temperature earlier this year.
I only live about ten minutes away from Dominion Beach so that's where I spend most of my time but whenever I get the chance, I head to Inverness Beach. It's a 2.5-hour drive to this long, sandy stretch on the northwestern coast of Cape Breton but the drive is worth it for the warm, clear water and spectacular sunsets.
I made more trips to Inverness than usual this summer but still not as many as I would have liked. That being said, I made the most of each trip by leaving early in the morning and spending as much time as possible enjoying the two things that draw me to this beach; the swimming and the sunsets.
It's always my first stop of the day and my last. After a late morning swim and long walk in the surf, I head further north to check out some of my other favorite beaches at Chimney Corner and Whale Cove. Sometimes I stop at Plage St. Pierre on Cheticamp Island, usually I grab a coffee in Cheticamp and go for a scenic drive into the Cape Breton Highlands National Park and along the Cheticamp Back Road.
Before heading back to Inverness, I grab something to eat at La Gabriel or Wabo's Pizza and eat on the boardwalk while watching the boats coming and going. I always make sure to be back at Inverness Beach at least an hour before sunset. I set up camp in the sand once again and head into those warm, clear waters to enjoy a final evening swim.
The true magic happens just as the sun dips almost to the horizon and the last glowing rays sparkle in a strip leading from the surf to the great depths as far as the eye can see. As long as I stay in that glowing strip, I can still see straight to the bottom. Sometimes a boat or lone paddleboarder will appear in the distance making that sparkling strip of light leading to the setting sun even more spectacular. One evening, there was even a lone bagpiper playing high above the beach.
The air cools quickly and by the time the sun is gone and the sky darkens, I know it's time to get out of the water. This is the hardest part of the day. The water is warmer than the air at this time and I never know if it will be the last Inverness sunset swim of the season. Reluctantly, I head to shore, dry off, change into dry clothes and make the long journey home.
It's fall now but thoughts of days like this are what keep me going through the long, cold winter. Let the countdown to summer begin!
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