Sunday, September 6th, 2020

Today Grace, Brittany and Niel enjoyed the best swimming conditions that we have had in a year. At 9AM the water was flat and glassy. The visibility was even better than yesterday, I could see shadows on the bottom at a depth of over 15 feet when I was at the 1st buoy, there were no birds were around and, the water temperature was up to 16.5°C/61.7°F.

We decided to start with a counterclockwise triangle and would add in whatever felt right. 

Grace and Brittany at the end of the Avila Pier. 

Niel, Grace and Brittany at the 1sh buoy after completing out first triangle. Niel reversed course around the east half of the triangle and came in along the pier. Grace and Brittany went under the pier and down the west side of the buoy line.  

When we were getting changed the pelicans and cormorants showed up and began diving on bait fist to the east of the end of the Avila Pier.  I'm glad that they waited until we were out of the water before going for lunch.

Product Report on the Orca Openwater CORE

Yes that is me in a screaming orange Orca wetsuit. It is the same model that Craig wore on Thursday but is NOT the Openwater SW model that Hillary has been wearing the past couple of months. They both have lots of dayglo orange and make you very visible in the water. The SW has 4mm material and a tow ring at the base of the spine and a electronic ID system. The CORE is 2mm material and the sleeves are more like a fabric than neoprene.

I don't like to be cold in the water, I may go in without a wetsuit once a year for a short swim. I swam 1.7 miles in this suit today in 62 degree water and I did not get cold. The suit is extremely light weight, it feels like a feather when compared to my EXTERRA tri suit, and is wonderful to swim in. I could feel the cold of the water through the sleeves and shoulders for the entire swim but my chest and legs felt fine.  The seams are not glued so water came into the suit as soon as I was knee deep in the wash. These are all things that a tighter, heaver wetsuit would prevent, but while I could feel the cold more than with a tri suit I did not get to the point where I was actually cold today and enjoyed a tremendous freedom of movement like I was not wearing a wetsuit.

I'll use this suit when the water temperature is 60 or above and it is sunny.  I like the freedom of movement and the visibility. As the water temperature drops I'll switch to my tri suit and then to my 3mm surf suit when the water slides below 55 degrees. At $170 list the CORE is a great open water suit in the right conditions. The SW model would have a much broader temperature range and is $399.

I'll swim Tuesday morning at 9.

niel