Sunday, September 22, 2019

Over the previous few days there were several news reports about a large red tide event in San Luis Bay, where Avila Beach is, so swimming on Sunday looked iffy. I decided to show up regardless and even if swimming conditions were not favorable I'd enjoy my lunch on the beach.
The red tide is very wind and tide dependent and when I arrived at Avila Beach the conditions looked really nice. It was warm (80 ish), calm and sunny with 1 to 2 foot surf that had clean transparent barrels. I got this picture from the Avila Pier while I was taking the water temperature; the water was clear enough to get a good look down the pilings. That is my line and the float (from an old shampoo bottle) on the right. The water temperature was 58 degrees so all things were looking good for a nice swim.

On the beach today were Duke, Marguerite, Niel, Brenda, Tim, AnneMarie, Jim and Sylvia Glenn! Sylvia has been swimming at Paul Nelson Pool in Santa Maria and doing the Night Moves swims in Santa Barbara. At the younge age of 81 Sylvia has been swimming at Avila for 73 years, always bareback, and is the most knowledgeable ocean swimmer that  I know. 

Niel, Duke, Marguerite and Tim wanted to do about a mile and a half so they planned a swim over to the Cal Poly Pier. AnneMarie, Brenda, Jim and Sylvia would do a triangular route made up of the buoy line and the end of the Avila Pier for a distance of closer to a mile. 

Dule, Tim and Marguerite at the start.

Marguerite and Duke leaving the end of the Avila Pier

heading for the Cal Poly Pier, about 650 M away.

At the Cal Poly Pier

Marguerite, Duke and Tim behind the water drop.

Our destination, the ocean end of the Cal Poly Pier, is in the background.

Time, Duke and Marguerite at the end of the CAl Poly Pier.

The group back at the end of the Avila Pier.

MAX, I found your keys on the beach today! If you, or anyone else who knows you, will respond to this post I'll arrange to return them to you.


niel