Sunday November 25, 2018

Summer Conditions at the Wrong Time of the Year

Beautiful clear skies, an air temperature in the 70's, a water temperature of 60 degrees and great swimming conditions. This is not a normal description of Avila Beach in late November but it was what we enjoyed today. 

We had the first rain of the season Wednesday night into Thursday so the water in San Luis Obispo Creek was full of bacteria.
You can see the numbers for the amount of enterococcus bacteria (the EPA's indicator for human waste) at https://www.surfrider.org/blue-water-task-force/chapter/34.  The CA state standard beyond which peopel should avoiding contact with the water is 104 organisms/100ml, so samples that clock in at 6 to 10 thousand mean you need to stay clear of the creek.
Considering the tide and lack of wind we decided that swimming on the east side of the Avila Pier would be reasonable. 
In the water today were Niel, Duke, Emily, Heidi, Peter, Theresa, John, Jonny and Maria. The wind picked up out of the SE and made the swim from the point to the end of the Avila Pier a good bit of work. With the water so comfortable we spent a lot of time waiting to pull the group back together before starting on the next leg, just hanging in the water talking. Just like August.
We had a nice pot luck snack after the swim of desert leftovers from Thanksgiving.

niel