Saturday, November 25, 2023

Saturday, November 25th, 2023

At 7 this morning the air temperature in Avila Beach was 35°, ouch! The water was 55° - 56°. It was sunny with a steady offshore breeze, no clouds and 3 foot surf with a very occasional 5 foot set. The waves had more power than recently but with good timing we got in and out without any extra fun. 
After the long swims on Tuesday and Thursday I suggested a simple 3200M loop via the Poly Pier and the reef buoy on the east side of the Avila Pier.  Yes, on Thanksgiving I did have a second piece of pie that I felt that I'd earned that morning.  

Jodi, Jim and Niel at the Poly Pier

From the shore you could see the wind chop out beyond the surf but the it didn't look large and the swimming looked like it would be easy enough. The first leg over to the Poly Pier informed us that it was very much not flat our there this morning. The one foot +/- chop was being blown offshore against a 3 foot south swell which made for messy swimming.  The good part was that the water temperature felt comfortable. Unfortunately Jodi was cold. She'd had some trouble doing up the neck of her wetsuit and had water coming in around her shoulders for the whole swim. 

Jodi and Jim riding up the swell at the end of the Poly Pier. 

The leg from the end of the Poly Pier to the reef buoy was across the chop going right and  the swell going left and seemed to take a long time. Figuring our how to correct for the combined drift was entertaining. The chop was moving me more than the swell.

I'll be back tomorrow at 11.

niel

   

No comments: