Editor:

Nowhere in your otherwise excellent article on the dearth of swimming pools in Eureka (“Can’t Swim,” June 19) did you mention the one no-cost, larger-than-Olympic-size, local “pool”: Humboldt Bay.

Instead of wasting gas and guilt driving to the Arcata pool, I stroll over from my home in Old Town to the C Street dock early in the morning, while the water is still calm. Minutes later, under watercolor skies or a rising sun, I’m in my solo reverie, interrupted only by skullers and fishing boats, herons and seals. Today my object of study was the Yaquina, the Army Corps of Engineers dredge boat. I swam up and down the length of it observing its every nook and mark.

The bay has its limitations, of course. It’s not the place to learn to swim, you won’t find me there during winter rains, and my crawl isn’t getting any better, because I don’t submerge my face.

So yes, every town needs a pool. But meanwhile, where is everyone? Open-water swimming in the bay offers so many things—exercise, challenge, adventure, exploration, beauty. I’m amazed no one else is out there. Come on in, the water’s fine.

—Louisa Rogers, Eureka

Sweet Spot:*Louisa Rogers wins a post-swim Bon Boniere sundae for sending our favorite letter of the week.*