Saturday, November 18th, 2023

Storm Swimming -

At 6 AM it was not raining and there was only .1 inch in the rain gauge at my house, so I texted Jodi and Tom Israel that we would be swimming.

The air temperature was 60° and it was breezy. While we were getting our gear on it began drizzling, which turned to a light rain which kept up until we were on our way home. 

There weren't what I'd call 'waves' but there was a short period SE swell that was rolling all of the way to the beach. The swells would start standing up half way between the end of the Avila Pier and the buoy line. They got bunched up as they came closer to shore. Inside the buoys they were about 7 seconds apart and 3 to 6 feet tall but they didn't break, the tops just rolled over and they collapsed into white water. Even at 5 to 6 feet the swell/waves didn't have mush power. Getting out was a matter of just pushing through the peaks until we got to the buoy line and caught our breath.         

After getting out, the swim down the buoy line to #4 was the toughest part of this swim. (I didn't start my watch until I was swimming along the buoy line). Swimming east across the swell was harder and way messier that swimming into or across the swell.      

  

Jodi, Tom Israel  and Niel at the end of the Avila Pier. 

The water had warmed up to a comfortable feeling 55°. 

We swam around until we had had a good hour of abuse and came in along the pier. The swell had laid down some and getting in to the beach was just a matter of swimming in until standing up in the white water. 

I'll swim tomorrow at 11, Tuesday at 7 and Thanksgiving Day at 7 to justify those second helpings of stuffing and pie.  🍗 🍰.

niel