Sunday, July 30, 2019

The last day of June gave us genuine Central Coast June Gloom; gray and cool mornings with sun later (south facing beaches only) as the wind came up. At 10:30 the air temperature was in the upper 50's and the water was 60.5 degrees. The flat water in the first photos lasted only until the wind came up and the sun came out, which is  a pretty nice trade.

Today's plan was to swim left along the buoys to the end (4th) buoy, to the end of the Avila Pier, then either to the end of the buoy line at the creek mouth and back along the buoy line to the start for a mile or to head over to the third set of crossbars on the Cal Poly Pier and then back by some route to our starting point. This would be about a mile and an half.

John, Jonny, Amy and Heidi did the one mile while Niel, Tom, Jim and Duke opted for the longer swim. 

 

Tom, Jim and Duke at the 4th buoy before heading to the end of the Avial Pier.

The sun is coming out, making the water feel warmer, but the wind is coming up. We had some chop to swim into on the way to the end of the pier. 

This is Duke modeling the new Arena Tr-Goggles.

At the end of the Avila Pier. Jim, looking for a great white whale, Tom and Duke.

The sun is out and is has gotten bumpy. The next 700M over to the Cal Poly Pier was not sheltered from the wind so it would a real ocean swim.

Tom, under the Cal Poly Pier at the third set of crossbars.

Niel, Duke and Jim. The same place

Niel and Jim swam towards shore under the pier to the second 

set of crossbars and from there to the base of the Avila Pier. 

Duke and Tom didn't need any lane lines so they took 

a more direct route back to the Avila Pier.

 

The leg back to the Avila Pier was with the current and chop at our backs so it was a nice way to finish. I had 1.62 miles on the clock when I stood up at the beach. 

niel

Sunday, June 23, 2019

More June Gloom and the Introduction of a New Swimmer

 

Avila Beach was in full June Gloom mode this morning; thick gray overcast, maybe even a little spitting, about 55 degrees with a calm and flat ocean and with a warm water temperature of 59. As the water warms the visibility fades away and we are down to being able to see your feet and that is about all.

Swimming today were Heidi, Niel, Amy, tom, John, Jonny, Maria, Peter and AnneMarie

AnneMarie would do a short swim on her own. The rest of the group felt like doing about a mile and the familiar triangle sounded just fine. 

That is Peter and Tom getting in.

Tom and Niel at the forth buoy on the left of the pier. 

Niel swimming past Tom

Niel, John, Morgan and Jonny White with Huxley White, at 2 months our newest swimmer, Amy and Kevin Clark, Heidi, Maria.

There is a rumor of a new swim format, possibly begun by Heidi, Maria and Niel; In the water at 11 as usual for a mile to mile and a half swim, out, lunch, back in for a lap around the Avila Pier in the wind chop, bareback.

niel

Sunday June 16th, 2019

To the Poly Pier Another Way

Conditions were gray, overcast, cool and calm with the wind just starting to come up. I measured a water temperature of 57 but it felt more like 55 in the water, possibly due to the overcast. 
Swimming today were Tom, Niel, Duke, Emily, Heidi, Jonny, Eric and Teresa. 
This was Emily's last swim with us. She graduated in architecture yesterday and is traveling back to her home state of Minnesota on Tuesday to begin her career.  Congratulations and we'll miss you!
and this was Teresa first day to go bareback!
The plan today was to go down the buoy line on the west side of the pier to the creek mouth, over to the third set of crossbars on the Cal Poly Pier, back to the end of the Avila Pier and in. Going to the third set of crossbars instead of the usual second set would swing us out past the kelp bed that is close to shore. 

Tom with Eric behind him, pointing the way, Jonny and Heidi 

in the background and Teresa and Emily doing the chicken dance getting in.

Tom, Teresa, Emily and Eric at the 4th buoy. 

The wind had come up enough that there was a current 

and noticeable chop on the way to the Cal Poly Pier. 

Teresa, Emily, Tom and Eric at the Cal Poly Pier

The water clarity isn't what it has been.

10 feet away and all you can see is Emily or Teresa's blue cap. 

Duke got a late start, swam almost the same route 

but never quite caught up with the group.

niel

Sunday, July 9th, 2019

Tom's Jeopardy Route - What was the question that this route is the answer to?

Conditions today looked pretty nice, especially compared to the last few weeks.

The water temperature was 55 to 57 with some exceptional 

spots of much colder and warmer water. 

The wind was mild and out of the NW but was going to build as the day went on.   

Swimming today were Niel, Tom, Duke, Amy, Heidi, Sue, Jonny, John, Margarite, Annemarie, Emily and Katy.  Tom came up with this route and would let us know what question the plot would be the answer to. 

Niel, Tom, Margarite, Duke and Emily swam Tom's route for 1.51 miles. 

Amy, Heidi, John, Jonny, and Katy swam part of the buoy line and out to the end of the pier and back, for about .8 of a mile.

On the west side of the pier I swam into water that was both about 4 degrees colder and warmer. The warmer water was from San Luis Obispo Creek. I don't know what was the cause of the upwelling that would have made the cold spots.

Sue, Margarite, Emily and Tom at the end of the Avila Pier

NIel, Emily behind and Tom giving a hint. At the end of the Avila Pier

Niel and Emily giving Tom's hint.

A couple of water clarity checks.

The water is still nice and clear. 

Another hint from Tom. Tom had to tell all of us what the question was;

Which was is South?

 Next week we need to start planning a 4th of July Swim.

niel

June 3, 2019

Avila was gray and wintery looking but there wa no rain or fog and the water was flat, so things were lined up for a very different swim that the week before.

I measured a water temperature of 53.5 degrees from the pier.

The view to Shell and Pismo Beaches to the east did not look like a regular June day.

Swimming today were AnneMarie, Niel, Duke, Heidi, John, Jonny, Loranne, Tom, Sara and Emily. The A Group (Niel, Tom, Duke and Emily) swim was 1.5 miles, out to the end of the Avila Pier, over to the end of the Cal Poly Pier and back along the same route. The Group B (John, Jonny, Heidi, Amy Sara and Lorraine) swim was along the buoy line to the left, to the end of the Avila Pier and in for about a .8 mile swim. AnneMarie is getting familiar with ocean swimming by going out to the first buoy and back.

Yes, the plot keeps going. I hit the Start button after getting out and continued the track all the way to San Luis Obispo.

Tom, Duke and Emily at the end of the Avila Pier. Wading in was a big surprise for everyone, my toes were telling me 51 -52, not almost 54. Emily's face was bright pink from the cold. 

Niel Dukw, Tom and Emily at the end of the Cal Poly Pier.  

The distance between the ends of the two piers is about 716 M, 

a nice opportunity to stretch out and think about your stroke.

Niel

The water was still pretty clear (for the Central Coast) without the fog 

of plankton that comes with the warm(er) water during summer.

Duke and Emily saying it more like it was, 

'I'm cold and I don't feel like smiling for the camera'. 

Instead of doubling back the way we came with us Duke decided to swim in along the Cal Poly Pier and then over to our starting point. This was 1.55 miles and we arrived at the beach at almost the same time. 

Except for the water temperature we had great swimming conditions. I'm ready for numbers above 55.

niel