January 1, 2017

It looked and felt wintery at Avila Beach today. Clouds were moving in, there was a light breeze out of the SW and the air temperature was in the low 50's which would turn out to be the same as the water temperature.  Swimming today were Niel, Amy, Sydney, Sam, Heidi and John Hampsey. Rob Dumouchel and Allison Baine were in town and joined us on the beach.  We decided to swim on the left side of the pier and would start out parallel to the beach. This would be the coldest swim of the year so far and people would need an opportunity to acclimate or cut their swim short.

Rob, Sydnes, Niel, Sam, Heidi, Amy and John

 The water was quite a shock to my feet so I was guessing a water temperature of 52 or so.

John, Heidi, Amy and Sydney before we started along the beach.
Sam had found the water temperature to be just too uncomfortable. 

Sydney at the end of the first leg parallel to the beach. She was the only one wearing a shorty wetsuit and small goggles and had been swimming with her head up or doing the backstroke because she couldn't keep her face in the water.  

John at the same spot

Amy and Heidi, at the same spot.

Heidi and Sydney were getting cold and returned back along the beach while Niel, John and Amy swam to the end of the pier and came in along the pier to the beach. Amy was getting cold so I doubled back to her several times so I could both keep swimming and keep track of her. 

Sydney and Sam finished up by jumping in with the Avila Beach New Year's Day Polar Bear Swim

   

After everyone had left the beach the sun broke through and made some nice patterns on the water. 

We will be swimming next Sunday unless the tentatively predicted large rainstorm dumps like it might, the creeks rise and dirty up and we stay out to avoid the dirty water.

niel 

Neoprene booties and gloves review by Heidi Bezaire:

Hi Niel,

Well, the gloves and booties I wore were a flop.  While they did keep me toasty warm for the first 5-10 minutes, they they filled up with water and became heavy.  I think the material I chose is too thick (3mm neoprene) and they weighed me down, I was just sloshing around inefficiently.  Good for surfing, not for swimming.  Oh well, it was worth a try.
So, I plan to swim without them next time and, as usual, exit when I’m getting cold and deal with the frozen feet & hands afterwards.  It is much more fun to swim this way than with soggy sponges on my hands and feet. 

Heidi