It is surprising and mysterious how much more comfortable the water will fee if there is a warm(er) air temperature and strong sunshine. The water was 50° today and at 12 O'clock in sunny and 75° conditions it felt much more comfortable than yesterday's 49° at a completely gray 7AM.
Yesterday Jodi, Tom and I thought the water had a bit of the look of red tide to it but the lack of sunlight made it hard to tell. There was no question today. Tom Lorish mentioned the poor water quality to me when we spoke and I found the water to be 'snowy' until I was half of my way to the Poly Pier. Google tells me that spring plankton blooms are not unusual but I expect them after the water has warmed up to the mid 50's.
The lifeguards were training on the east side of the pier so I got in on the opposite side. The offshore breeze made the swim in along the Poly Pier the toughest leg of today's swim. Approaching the end of the Avila Pier I found myself with a lot of birds for company. I took a good look and there was a bait ball feeding frenzy forming up east of the end of the Avila Pier so I turned left and let the birds have their lunch without me.
Rick and Rhonda pulled up next to me as I was getting out of my car so we got to catch up on what's been happing since before COVID and Rob Dumouchel walked up to me on the beach! He is taking a break from Homer Alaska for several weeks and was awed by the fleecy clouds and sunshine. I'll try and see him a few times before he returns to Alaska.
The weather looks good so I'm expecting to swim at 7 on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday and at 11 next Sunday.
niel
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