Tuesday, June 15th, 2021

Blown Out

The wind really came up around dawn on San Luis Obispo, guesting hard and making the trees sing. And it was warm, 70 degrees at 6AM.

When I got to Avila at 7:35 there was a strong and steady offshore breeze. Flags were standing straight out and snapping and the surface of the water was torn up. The chop was starting to break at the buoy line and out at the end of the Avila Pier it looked narly. The air was 71° and the water a surprising 57°.  The NOAA weather station over in Port San Luis was recording a 20mph wind with gusts to 25, but the port is more sheltered than Avila.....  

Duke wasn't able to join me so I got in just before 8 and figured that I'd go out and find out about the conditions. I planned to swim out to the end of the pier and do two big triangles, reversing the direction after the first, which would give me 8 different swimming problems to solve. 

  

The view towards shore from the end of the Avila Pier.

Tom was there when I stopped at the end of the pier before coming in.

Yes, the photo is out of focus.

He had gone over to the third crossbars on the CP Pier, in to the second crossbars and back to the end of the Avila Pier. 

Afterwards Tom and I compared notes and agreed that the leg in along the Avila Pier directly into the wind and chop was the toughest. I was getting head slapped by the chop every second and it didn't let up until I was in the surf line. 

It is supposed to be 103° in San Luis Obispo on Wednesday. Leslie and Jodi will swim at Avila at 5:15. Meet at the east/left lifeguard tower. Everyone is welcome. It should be an incredible swim.  

I'm doing a short swim at 9 on Thursday.

niel