SURFIN' SAFARI SUMMER TWO - DAY TWO - June 12, 2020

 


Day One, alas, revealed the extent of Anna’s cognitive decline since last summer. She was skittish, and out of sorts. Alzheimer’s patients like their routines and are upset when these are trifled with. Hopefully, if we are able to continue surfing this summer, the beach trips will become routine for her. The environment is healthier than hanging at home in the middle of the city (and I wanna surf).

I fear we’ll be forced to stay at our Marina del Rey home court more often than last summer. For Day Two, I fixed a blanket location at the southwest corner of the nesting area set aside for the California least tern. We will settle here every time. Hopefully it will serve as landmark should she get confused and lost.

There is a fence ending, and it’s about 60 yards from the public bathroom, which is important. Strange as it may seem, Anna does not want to sit at ocean's edge rapturously watching her dashing husband carve waves, and if you tell an Alzheimer's patient to stay put they will smilingly agree and promptly forget. So, it's important I can see our blanket from the water, which I can.

It is bounded on the south by a lagoon, so she can only wander in one direction. That's something I learned the hard way. Anna has a tracking device on her ankle and I can call the Sheriff’s department to activate a search.


There are two guys who patrol the beach in a Jeep and I introduced them to Anna yesterday and explained the situation. I will try to set up similar systems of safety at other beaches as summer moves on, but the Marina is city beach with more amenities than some of the wilder spots.

This is all largely for my own peace of mind. Most times, if Anna wanders off, it’s because she’s an adult and wanted to go for a walk without checking in with someone. But when she slips from my sightline anything is possible, so it helps to have things set up for when it happens...because it will happen.

Had a good time. We packed a picnic of french "sandwich mixte," barbecue chips, a Pabst tall beer, and Lucky Charms rice treats. I caught some nice waves with my new blackbird model, compliments of Ian McColl. Every board makes surfing a new thing, does something you couldn’t do on the others, or anywhere else.



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