Sunday, August 30, 2020

 

Sunday's conditions were a copy of Saturday's, grey skies, cool temperatures, flat and glass water conditions and a water temperature of 14°C/57.2°F. The only changes were larger surf, the sharky signs were down and more red tide. Yuch!

NIel, Leslie and Grace swam yesterday's route in the opposite direction. 

Swimming over to the Cal Poly Pier world have been fun but the recent shark sightings have been near the end of the CP Pier so we decided to do our distance closer to our own neighborhood.  

Leslie and Grace getting started.

Grace doing her otter float 

 

Niel and Grace at the 4th buoy on the west for the first time. 

And here we are at the same point for the second time. 

Leslie was attached by this floating beer bottle as we came in along the Avila Pier.

I managed to drag it along to get it out of the water.

Tuesday's swim will be at 9:00 but I have a Dr's appointment at 10:30 so my next swim will be Thursday. 

niel 

Saturday, August 29, 2020

 

Our fall friend is still around, I didn't get a report from a lifeguard but this is probably the same fish still hanging around. We also had a humpback whale about a half mile offshore towards Avila Rock.   

It was gray, cool and calm with glassy water. The red tide is also a fall occurrence and is here for a while. Water conditions were much worse on the west side of the pier. The water temperature was 14°C/57.2°F and felt colder.

Swimming today were Brittany, Tom, Niel, Teresa and Grace. If the big fish sign hadn't been up I would have liked to swim the length of the C.P. Pier but the end of that pier is on the big fish zone and there are plenty of opportunities to do the same distance and to stay closer to home. We swam the same route as Thursday, down the buoy line to the creek, back along the buoys then out and back along the length of the Avila Pier and down and back along the buoys on the east side. Tom and Brittany went in at that point. Niel, Teresa and Grace went back around the end of the Avila Pier and down to the creek mouth and back along the buoys. Other than the cooler water and the red tide swimming conditions were flat with no current.  

Grace, Teresa and Brittany getting in.

Tom wading in.

Teresa, Grace Tom and Brittany at the las buoy on 

the west at the mouth of San Luis Obispo Creek

I'm swimming tomorrow at 9:30.

niel

Thursday, August 27, 2020

 Avila was grey and overcast but no foggy. It was calm and the ocean was flat and glassy with just a slight swell from the SW. The water temperature was 15°C/59°F and the water looked like a plankton bloom was starting. 

Swimming today were Niel, Tom, Grace and Lindsay. Lindsay is a friend of Hillary's who was visiting from Seattle.  

The Beware of the Big Fish signs were up. Tom checked with a guard and a large shark was confirmed yesterday near the end of the Cal Poly Pier.

We decided to do the buoy line with a trip around the end of the Avila Pier in the middle for a mile and a third.

Tom, Lindsay and Grace getting started at the first buoy.

The gloom factor (cool air and no sun) was in effect making the water feel more like 57 - 58 degrees

Niel, Grace, Lindsay and Tom at the 4th buoy at the mouth of the creek. 

We will swim on Saturday at 9:30.

niel

Tuesday, August 25, 2020

Tom's Swim Report for Tuesday August 25

 

Avila was socked in fog this morning.  It was dense enough that I could not see a sail boat anchored not 20 yards off the second buoy on the eastside.  It also seemed to make two knuckleheads in a outboard trawler decide they needed to be boating inside the buoy line. 

 

Swimming today were Grace, Teresa, Hillary, and Tom.  The water was probably 60ish, but with the fog adjustment, it felt 58.  Due to the fog, and the knuckleheads, we swam west along the buoy line to #4 on the westside, then back to the pier, where we decided to hug the pier to the end, around it hugging it again to #1 on the East, to #4, out the end of the pier and in.  The fog had lifted a bit by the time we finished up.

 

TOM     

Sunday, August 23, 2020

We had a nice group today and great swimming conditions. There was thin high overcast, high humidity and a chance of thunderstorms from Tropical Storm Genevieve down Mexico way. The air temperature was in the high 70's and the water temperature was 16°C/60.8°F. The ocean was flat and glassy.

Swimming today were Tom, Niel, Hillary, Leslie, Brittany, Grace and Teresa. I wanted to do yesterday's route in the opposite direction, modified for the additional sailboat that had anchored in the bay. At the 4th buoy on the west side Tom, Teresa and Grace headed over to the CP Pier. They went to the second crossbars, along the pier to the third crossbars, to the end of the Avila Pier and in to the 1st buoy on the east side where Teresa and Grace did an additional half lap of the ease buoy line. Leslie headed to the end of the Avila Pier directly from the 4th buoy on the west side without swinging around the sailboats.

 

Teresa at the 1st buoy

   

I think that is Teresa, Leslie and Brittany heading under the Avila Pier. 

Grace, Tom, Teresa, Leslie, Brittany and Hillary at the 4th buoy 

on the west side before we split up.

Brittany at the end of the Avila Pier

Hillary at the end of the Avila Pier.

The next swim will be at 9:30 on Tuesday.

niel

Saturday, August 22, 2020

 Avila Beach was had beautiful swimming conditions today. The sky was a bit hazy with high clouds of smoke, it was calm and the surface of the sea was glassy. There was a slight swell out of the SW. The water temperature was 16°C/60.8°F.

Swimming today were NIel, Teresa, Davis, Brittany and Hillary.

I'm trying to be good and let my shoulder come back after 3 weeks rest si I did the same route as last Thursday; a triangle with a detour around two sailboats that are anchored between the Avila and Cal Poly Piers. Brittany and Hillary joined me while Dave and Teresa went from the end of the Avila Pier over to the second crossbars on the CP Pier before returning to the west ern end of the buoy line.    

David getting in.

Teresa getting in.

Hillary of the day-glo wetsuit and Brittany, who had forgotten her wetsuit and went without, heading for the first buoy. 

Brittany, Teresa and David at the 4th buoy on the east side.

Hillary and her flotilla at the same spot

David, Teresa, Brittany and Hillary at the end of the Avila Pier. 

A selfie at the 4th buoy on the west side with Hillary stroking in in the background.

I'll swim tomorrow at 9:30.

niel

Avila had either grey overcast or was smokey, it didn't smell of smoke so I swam. The air temperature was 72, the water was flat and glassy and 17°C/62.8°F. There were some pelicans randomingly diving for breakfast but no bait ball activity. I did the triangle with a detour around an anchored sailboat  over between the Avila and Cal Poly Piers for 1871M.

Looks more like smoke than fog but didn't smell.

Getting in.

My only stop was at the end of the Avila Pier. By this point the pelicans had noticed me and were following, I guess hoping that I would stir up some fish for them.

The sailboat that I went around is in the background. 

I'll swim Saturday morning at 9:30.

niel

 

Tuesday, Augusl 17, 2020

It was clear and sunny and already getting warm at 9 AM. The water was flat and warm with an estimated temperature of 62 - 63 degrees. There was a bait ball between the end of the Avila Pier and the sewer outfall buoy when I arrived but it dispersed before the swimming began.  Tom and Teresa swam the left (east) side of the buoy line, continued on to near Fossil Point, back to the end of the Avila Pier, to the west around an anchored sailboat and to the 4th buoy on the western end of  the buoys. They came back along the buoys and under the pier to their starting point. Their route was about 1.75 miles.

I'll be swimming at 9 on Thursday. Teresa may join me. Tom will be moving.

niel

Sunday, August 16, 2020

We had wonderful swimming conditions today. It was sunny and warm at 9:30 when we got in, the water was just rippled on the surface. The water temperature was a very comfortable 17C/62.6F with good visibility. Swimming today were Tom, Leslie, Teresa, Brittany and AnnMarie and Niel. Teresa and Leslie swam together, Tom did his own swim and I stuck to an easy tour of the buoy line. 

Brittany, Niel and AnnMarie

Tom getting in

Leslie and Niel getting in. 

After 3 weeks on shoulder rest it was great to be swimming.

Leslie and Tom at the 4th buoy on the east side of the pier.

Teresa caught up with us at the 4th buoy. 

Niel at the 4th buoy on the west side.

The next swim will be on Tuesday at 9:30.

niel

Saturday, August 15, 2020

 2020 refuses to give us a break

Theresa, Brittany and I were in the water this morning around 930.  Brittany headed out before we got in so Theresa and I headed out to the 4th buoy by fossil point and back then paralleled the pier to the end, around to 1st buoy on other side and  then to the creek buoy.  We'd planned do the same in reverse but the sky had changed and was dark blue.  Theresa said it had rained in Pismo on her way to Avila.  Then the lighting started, really close to Fossil Point with thunder and started coming closer to us.   I saw a bolt hit the end of the Avila pier so we just headed straight in from the creek buoy to the beach to be met with lifeguards with bull horns yelling at tourists to get out of the water and off the wet sand...of course no one was listening to them.  Theresa and I ran under the pier to check on Brittany and she was coming out by the first buoy on the south side of the pier.  A very frustrated Wyatt was trying to get the tourists to back from the water with his bullhorn.    

Were going to try again tomorrow at 930 if anyone wants to join us! The water was warm and extremely clear, calm surf and no wildlife.    The beach was packed and parking was at its usual minimum.

Leslie Tappan

 Tom's Swim Report for Thursday August 13

 

Thunder, lightning, rain, and blue skies.  It was all happening at Avila this morning. 

 

After weeks of ‘overcast and calm waters’ the conditions were much different this morning.  It was raining and breezy when I arrived at 9:10 AM.  By the time I got in the water, the rain had stopped, but the wind was gusting to the southwest – blowing enough to stir up some pretty good wind chop on the water.  I swam east somewhat against the chop along the buoy line.  I ended up swimming  triangle twice.  As I went around the Avila pier on the first loop, I found it noticeable calmer on the westside.  Then, as I crossed under the pier starting my second loop I was again hit with the chop – it had increased.  And, again once back on the westside, much calmer.  As I passed under the pier for the second time finishing up, the wind had died off and the rain started up again.  Through it all, there were several openings of blue skies, and looking further out to sea, the skies were deep blue with scattered clouds.  Wild day, beautiful colors.  A good way to start the day!  See before/ after pictures. 

 

Oh, in case you were wondering, Larry the Harbor seal was there, too.  Doing his thing between buoys # 1 and 2 on the eastside. 

 

TOM

Tuesday, August 11, 2020

 Tom's Swim report for Tuesday August 11^th

 

The conditions at Avila have been pretty consistent lately: Overcast, calm water, with temperatures ranging from 54-59.  Today was no different.  Overcast, calm water with a gentle roll, and a water temperature of about 57.  I swam solo except for a short stretch early on when Larry the harbor seal joined me for a bit between Buoys #2 & #3 on the eastside.  Larry was in good form.  He flapped a flipper, and left me in his wake.  I swam the Eastside buoy line out to Fossil point, back across to the end of the Avila Pier, over and around the #s 4 & 3 buoys on the westside, back around the Avila Pier and in.  Estimated distance: 2700 meters.  A good morning vitamin! 

 

TOM

Sunday, August 9, 2020

 Tom’s Swim Report – Sunday August 9^th

 

Foggy conditions today at Avila.  You can see from the before and after pictures, the fog didn’t burn off much during my 50 minute, 1.5 mile swim (you can tell the “after” picture by the addition people on the beach).  Both pictures were taken from the same spot up the hill on Front Street – see swim route image. 

I swam solo today (although I did see Brittany getting in while I was swimming).  I’d call the water 56, which means it was probably actually 57 adjusting for the fog making is ‘seem’ colder than it is.  The shark sighting signs were no longer posted, but due to the heavy fog, stayed along the buoy line and next to the pier out of concern for humans in motorized vessels.  The water had a gentle roll to it, but had lost the amazing clarity of Thursday. 

 

All in all, it was a pleasant day of ocean swimming.      

 

TOM

Thursday, August 6th, 2020

Swim Report By Tom - 

The water was a solid 3-4 degrees cooler than Tuesday.  55-56. (The water temperature over at the port was 54 degrees at 9 AM)  It felt really cold.  Overcast, calm water, and amazing clarity – I could clearly see the bottom at the buoy line (under the pier was interesting).  Numerous squadrons of pelicans flying and floating, but not feeding.  The two seals I’ve been seeing were not present.  As for the landlord, I couldn’t say…  but, I swam the buoy line boogie again to keep the mental gymnastics at a minimum. 

Rest is doing wonders for my shoulder. I hope to be back in the water in another week or so. In the meantime I've been back on my bike after a year. It seems to have dealt with my ignoring it better than my legs have. 

niel

Tuesday, August 5th, 2020

Swim Report by Leslie -

Ok..here is my report.

I got to avila around 9, little windy already and grey skies.  I was hesitant to go because of all the shark sightings but the Jr Guards were already in the water jumping off the end of the Avila pier and swimming in.  How do they get to go out there?  It looked like you jumped off the pier for your birthday!

I got in on the south side of the pier and headed towards the fossil point area staying very close to shore.  I could not shake off the bad vibes and so I turned at the 4th buoy and just got out.  After I showered I looked at the end of the Avila pier and what looked like a few hundred pelicans were circling and every single one of those Alfred Hitchcock's was diving like crazy.  There was also a pod of dolphins at the buoy line on the north side of the pier fishing happily and 2 nice big seal heads kept popping up halfway from the beach to the buoy line.  I was very happy to be out of the water!   It literally changed within ten minutes.    

I did ask one of the women who teaches the Jr Guards where the last shark was spotted and she said inside the port at the end of the Avila pier.  I didn't ask when, was just kind of stunned by that and not thinking.  

Myself and Heidi and Maria are going to try Lopez Lake friday morning around 9ish if anyone wants to go.  I think im out of the ocean for a bit.    

Happy swimming!

Leslie

Swim Report by Tom -

Overcast, a little breeze, lots of pelicans, and the same two seals from Sunday jumping around on the east side.  The water was about 59-60 – nice.  Swam buoy line boogie out of continued respect for the landlord. 

Sunday, August 2, 2020

Tom’s Report for August 2^nd

Classic summer conditions at Avila today.  Overcast and foggy, calm water, and plenty of people flocking to the beach. 

Swimming today was Tom and Brittany.  Out of respect for the landlord having been in town, we both decided to swim buoy line routes.  And we both started out heading west – there were two harbor seals that seem to be enjoying some kind of Sunday brunch in between buoys #1 & #2 on the eastside, along with several squadrons of pelicans eyeing up the same delectables.  Since the seals themselves are typically on the Sunday brunch menu for the landlord, heading west seemed like the way to go.   

The water temp was 59 – 60.  The sun poke through a couple times during the swim, showing itself as a fuzzy glowing ball, but never quite made it through the fog.  Overall, it was a nice day for swimming.

Landlord note: Lifeguard confirmed there hadn’t been another sighting since the original last Wednesday.  FYI.