2 • The Southwest Portland Post
EDITORIAL
June 2017
What it feels like to swim across the Willamette River in the summertime
OPEN FORUM
By Willie Levenson
Camaraderie. Summertime.
Propulsion. Activism.
Jumping in the water, the river
feeling amazing, what an incredible
way to start the day, why wait until
after lunch to plunge into a river?
That’s how we start our day.
On a morning with stronger
currents you’re reminded our river
has tidal influence from the Pacific
Ocean, 100 miles away.
The current is never threatening
but its pull sometimes surprises
as your rhythmic spirit takes over
and subconscious choices are
made in carving your path across
the river.
Our swim does not have chlorine,
lap lanes, or flip turns.
Reaching the shores of
downtown we slowly collect and
rest a moment, then count off to
be sure everyone made it across.
Looking around you notice the
eclectic collection of heads and
shoulders wading in the water.
We a l l h a v e s t o r i e s , a r e
individuals, and yet are all united
by our love for our river and our
Green River Hugger swim caps.
As summer proceeds you realize
you have become familiar with a
lot of these people. Is this what
community feels like?
You stop mid-way back across
and take it all in.
The bridges, downtown,
the kineticness of the human
swimming pod, the movement of
the water. Swimming so closely to
others, sometimes you imagine we
are a band of migrating salmon.
Throughout the summer the
sun changes position as the days
shorten. Mid-August the sun
shines right in your eyes at the
horizon as you swim east.
If you play it just right, you can
steer directly behind a Hawthorne
Bridge piling to eclipse the bright,
late summer sun.
You savor the swim as you
climb out of the river, exhilarated,
adrenalized and satiated from
completing a half mile swim.
In the height of summer you are
lost in the sublime, never thinking
about the end. But too quickly
our season ends, like our season
started, darker mornings, and
cooler temperatures.
Frequently it is hard to get out of
bed and go in the summer—we are
in the river at 7 a.m.! Lying in bed,
more than once, I have thought
maybe it’s best to linger, rest, and
miss a morning swim.
But you do make it, and plunge
in, and realize, somehow, you
forgot, how incredible it always
feels to be buoyant and immersed
in our Willamette River. You’re
overtaken by a rush and a smile,
and kick into gear.
Willie Levenson is leader of the
Members of the River Hugger Swim Team take a summer plunge into the Willamette
River. (Photo courtesy of Willie Levenson)
Human Access Project and a member
of the River Hugger Swim Team.
According to Levenson the estimated
date to start swimming is June 19 or
when the Willamette River reaches
65 degrees.
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Editor & Publisher .........Don Snedecor
Reporters / Writers...... ....KC Cowan, Jack Rubinger,
................Erik Vidstrand
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