For the last swim of the year Avila was 53°, gray and wintery, with no wind and better swimming conditions than we'd had the past few days. The surf was smaller at 3 to 6 foot with much less energy and decent space between the bigger sets. The beach was loaded with storm debris including a wooden stairstep and related framing at our spot that may have been part of something along the creek. The water was a pleasant 57°. The lack of wind could explain the water temp coming back up, but I'll take 57° over 52° no matter what the reason. .
Tom was getting out when I was getting ready. He had swum most of the way to the Avila Rock and back.
Paula stopped by to check out the conditions. She will swim tomorrow when the surf should be pretty flat.
The surf was close to the maximum of my comfort zone but the water was warm and the waves were not too physical so I waded out and spent about 10 minutes trying to push through the break. I got pushed back a couple of times but eventually saw my opening and swam out.
Tom and I both stayed on the east side of the pier hoping for cleaner water. I swam out to the end of the pier and did two triangles around the reef buoy staying well out past the break. The major swell was from the S/SW but there was a second swell from ESE. When I came back in along the pier I swam away from the pier into the ESE swell to avoid being carried too close to the pier once I was in the surf.
Things look good for 7AM on Tuesday but the swell is predicted to be 12' on Thursday and 14' late Sunday so I'll check the 805webcams.com videos or just drive down to the beach and see what the water is like and swim if it looks good for me.
niel
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