Thursday, December 4th, 2025

 Niel's Thursday Swim Report - 

It was chisp in Avila Beach this morning. The air temperature was 38° with a steady offshore wind that had chopped up the surface of the water. The surf was 3 to 4 foot. The water temp is holding at 58° and the water felt nicer than the air.

I wanted to start by swimming out to the end of the pier. From there I swam to the second crossbars and then, to the end fo the Poly Pier and back the way I had come. 

At the buoy line before swimming in.

The swimming was nice with the chop making things interesting in different ways on each leg.

At the showers I had to go to the far end of the concrete to stand in some sunshine. 

 

When I was getting ready to get in I had wrapped each of my wool socks around a boot heater and stuffed them into my shoes. After swimming pulling on warm socks over my cold feet was almost as nice as the hot shower from my half gallon jug. 

The group will swim at 7am on Saturday.

niel    

Wednesday, December 3rd, 2025

Tom's Wednesday Morning Swim Report - 

King tide, 7.1, a thin cloud cover, and a chilly breeze blowing from the east to the west. There was a 4 foot set wave rolling through every now and again with a long lull making it easy to get out. The water was about 58° but the windchill made it feel like 54°.  It was a good morning Swim. 

Tuesday, December 2nd, 2025

Niel's Tuesday Morning Swim Report - 

We have large waves and king tides this week. The surf was 3'+ with sets of 5 to 6 footers a few minutes apart. It was sunny and the water temp was still 58° but an air temperature of 38° this morning and the offshore wind made it feel wintery.  The beach is very steep near the water. The waves are running in and over the berm and half way to the sea wall. The water that is runnig back out will take your feet right out from under you.  

The swells were coming in and the chop was running offshore

which comblned to make a surface on the water that was 

coming at me from every direction.    

I did a couple of triangles to experience the 

full range of the surface conditions.  

At the end of the Avila Pier

I'll be back Thursday morning at 7. 

niel 

Monday, December 1st, 2025

Tom's Monday Morning Swim Report - 

Blue skies, a little hazy, and a slight but chilly breeze blowing off shore. The water was beautiful and clear with a 3 foot plus wave rolling through every now and then. My toes tell me the water temperature was 56°… but, I still may be out of calibration. It easily could've been 58° but just felt colder to me. Regardless, it was a good Monday morning Swim. 

Saturday, November 29th, 2025

Niel's Saturday Morning Swim Report - 

The conditions at Avila this morning were a nice suprise. The drive to Avila Beach from San Luis Obispo was in fog of varying densitys. Coming over the hill into Avila I came out of the fog and into another beautiful sunrise.   

Paula, Avery, Niel and Jodi would swim this morning. It was 46° at the beach and still. There was a mixed SE swell on the water. The surf was soft and 3' exceept for an occasional 4+ foot sneaker. I mesured a water temperature of 58.5°.  We agreed on a route of Jodi's that we swam a week ago, but would do it in the opposit direction this morning.

We'd swim to the end of the Avila Pier, to the second crossbars on the Poly Pier, to the end of the P Pier, return to the end of the Avila Pier, swim to the 4th buoy on the west side and back along the buoys to the #1 buoy on the east side.       

                         

The top 6 inches of the water on the west side of the Avila Pier was a degree or two colder than everywhere else. 

Niel with Paula, Avery and Jodi at the end of the P Pier 

I'll swim at 7 on Tuesday, Thursday and next Saturday.

niel

Thursday, November 27th, 2025

The Thanksgiving Morning Swim -

 

Paula, Tom, Niel and Avery swam at 8 this morning. Avila Beach was already crowded with holiday visitors. It was 63° and clear with high clouds and a weak offshore breeze. The water was 59° and the surf was knee high.  We were able to walk out to beyond the surf line. 

We decided that it was a good morning for a swim to the Avila Rock.       

The water was nice and smooth except for a stretch half way between the Avila Pier and the Rock where it had some chop.  

Me with Paula, Avery and Tom at the Avila Rock. 

The conditions were very plesant and we had a fun and somewhat adventurious swim. 

Today was Tom Lorish's birthday so at 10AM he swam bareback 

around the Avila Pier. He was accompanied by Hillary Trout.

The group will swim Saturday morning at 7. 

niel   

Wednesday, November 26th, 2025

Tom's Wednesday Morning Swim Report - 

The answer is: a pancake. The question, of course, what was Avila flat as this morning at 850AM?  Clear blue skies and beautiful water quality. My toes tell me the temperature was 58°. By the time I got out there was a cool breeze blowing east to west.  It was a beautiful day before Thanksgiving Swim. 

Tuesday, November 25th, 2025

 Niel's Tuesday Morning Swim Report - 

It wsa a beautiful morning in Avila Beach so I decided to follow in Tom Lorish's wake from yesterday morning and swim to the Avila Rock today.

At 7 o'clock it was 56°, it would be 74° when I got in my car to head home. It was clear and sunny with a light offshore breeze. The surf was 3 to 4+ feet. The water was 59° at the Avila Rock and a degree or two colder near the Avila Pier. With just a small swell on the water the swimming was relaxing and uneventful. 

I couldn't find Tom's wake in the water but the rising sun was behind Avila Rock so I swam into the sun, missed the kelp beds and arrived at the rock.     

 

Niel and Avila Rock with Fossil Point in the background

I'll swim Thursday morning at 7 to earn seconds of stuffing and pie and on Saturday at 7 with  the group to work it off. 

niel 

Monday, November 24th, 2025

Tom Lorish's Mornday Morning Swim Report - 

Around the Rock Monday. Blue skies, wispy clouds, and as swell kicking up 4-5 foot waves.  There was a curious chop on the water out by fossil point that made the swimming a little more work. It was a good Monday morning swim. 

Saturday, November 22nd, 2025

Niel's Saturday Norning Swim Report - 

It was a picture perfict morning in Avila Beach. The air and water temps were 58°. It would be a warm and cloudless day. There was no wind yet and the surf was down to 2 to 3 foot with long gaps between sets of 5+ footers.   

At 7AM Avila was like this:

Niel, Jodi and Tom Israel swam today. Jodi picked today's swim. We got in on the right side of the pier, timed out way through the biggest waves, swam out the #1 buoy, to the 4th buoy, to the end of the Avila Pier, to the end of the Poly Pier, in along the P Pier to the second crossbars, to the end of the Avila Pier a second time and in to the beach on the east side of the pier.  

While we were swimming the surf had laid down so we were able to swim to the beach without waiting for a gap.   

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

Avila Beach after the swim. 

I won't swim on Sunday. This coming week I'll swim at 7 on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.

niel

Patagonia Wetsuit For Sale -

Jodi wants to sell her MEN'S Patagonia R3 back zip wetsuit. It is a MS size. The women's sizes were not tall enough for her so she tried a Mediun/Short Mens but it is too loose around the neck and doesn't seal. She has swum in it twice. Cost $539 and she'll sell it for $400.

Email her at jodiblanchard@att.net    

  

Thursday, November 20th, 2025

Niel's Thursday Morning Swim Report -

This morning I was ready to be back in the water after a week doging the increase in bacteria from the recent rains. It was drizzeling in Avila, the air temp was 50°, it was overcast and still. The surf was 1 foot and breaking on the shore. There was a swell from the SE. A big swell was in the forcast this morning but now the prediction is for 1 to 2 feet for several days.  

The beach is in winter mode now: its' slope to the water is very steep so the water pulls hard on you as it runs back to the ocean and there are holes in the bottom as you wade out.  Soon the sand will be pulled away and the bottom will be rocks and shells. The lifeguard towers are pulled back to the sea wall and fewer people bring their dogs to the beach. The parking is more convient.  
I walked out to beyong the break to start swimming. The water temp was 58°. I swam to Fossil Point, came back to the pier and stayed on the east side away from the creek mouth. SL Creek will be carrying a lot of bacteria after the recent rain. The Blue Water Task Force collected water samples this morning so there will be results for bacteria levels from Avila Beach and SL Creek tomorrow at https://bwtf.surfrider.org/explore/34.  104 is the CAL EPA max number for safe human contact.        

At Fossil Point

The swell put a nice lump to the water to go with the wintery vibe. 

I'll swim with the Saturday morning group at 7. 

niel

 

Wednesday, November 19th, 2025

Tom's Wednesday Morning Swim - 

Clear blue skies, high tide, and a small swell. It was a gorgeous morning at Avila. The water temperature was 56°. The swimming was nice. 

Monday, November 17th, 2025

Tom's Monday Morning Swim Report -  

Storm conditions, a mixed up swell, and rain, rain, rain.  I can only stay out of the ocean for so long before it affects my mental health.  I had to Swim this morning even though it was storm conditions.  The water was bumpy with a mixed up swell. The waves messy and stacked on top of each other.  Nevertheless, it was a beautiful morning Swim. 

Thursday, November 13th, 2025

Niel's Thursday Swim Report - 

The air temp was 59°, the water was 58° there wa a light wind from the SE, the surf was 1 to 3 foot and the water had 2 foot plus waves from the SE.  It was comfortable in the water but at times it felt like I was moving more verticaly than horozontaly. The effort required to get out to the first buoy and down the line towards #4 convinced me that I did not want to stick with my initial plan of swimming to the end of the Poly Pier.  I decided to complete a triangle and to then see how I felt about more of this. 

https://youtu.be/lY2CFBX58P4

I was done after the one trip around the pier and came in. I spoke with Duke at the showers. He had shortened his swim and soak because of the conditions.   

If we get an inch or two of rain tonight and some more on Friday the Saturday morning swim will be scrubbed due to teh bacteria contect of the water.

The Central Coast Aquarium is having their open house Saturday from 9 to 3.  There is a lot of cool stuff going on there so it is worth a look.

niel   

Wednesday, November 12th, 2025

 Tom L's Wednesday Morning Swim Report - 

Beautiful November morning at Avila – cool looking cloud formations, blue sky showing through, and beautiful glassy water.  There was a 3+ foot set wave passing through every now and then and swimming was excellent.  My toes tell me the temperature was 56°.  Excellent morning vitamin. 

Tuesday, November 11th, 2025

 Niel's Tuesday Swim Report - 

I played hide and seek with the fog this morning.  On the drive to Avila the fog was dense but Avila Beach was in a hole of good visability with the Poly Pier and the Avila Rock both in clear site. During my swim the fog closed in to where at one point I was swimming with nothing to see of the shore finding my way to the somewhat darker shadow of Fossil Point in the solid gray.  The photo below was taken after I got out when the visability had improved considerably.      

The air temperature was 51° and I measured a water temperature of 58°.  There was enough wind to lump up the surface of the water. Tom and I have been going back and forth about how the water has felt colder than my thermometer says. We both have felt good at the start but gotten cold later in the swim. This morning I started out feeling fine, got colder at half way and then felt warmer for the last third. If that was all in my head I wnat to figure out how to make that ahppen.   

I'll swim at 7:30 or 8 on Thursday, unless the experdicted showers turn into a real dump that makes me think aobut bacteria and sitting out.

niel 

Monday, November 10th, 2025

 Tom L's Monday Morning Swim - 

Around the Rock Monday.  Clear blue skies, and glassy calm water.  It was a perfect morning for swimming around the rock. My toes tell me the water temperature was 57°.  Excellent morning vitamin. 

Sunday, November, 9th, 2025

Niel's Sunday Swim Report - 

Sunday was different than Saturday, it was cooler and felt more like fall than yesterday's bit of summer, and there were a lot fewrer people at the beach.  At 10:30 a fog bank was hanging off of the coast. It was 67° and there was an unusual east wind which may explaing the fog hangin around. The wind was strong enough to put a good chop on the water. I measured a water temperature of 59°.   

I decided to do the Poly Pier Fog Swim. I could see a third of the shore end of the P Pier so I'd swim over to the second crossbars and out and back along the length of the pier. If the fog closed in I'd have the pier to follow.     

The wind chop was large enough to requrie some extra work to get out to the first buoy and to every other point I swam towards. The swim was all uphill. 

When I arrived at the end of the pier the fog had cleared and then closed back in after I got out. 

When I got back to the #1 buoy the tide had changed and the surf had flattened out so the 200M to the beach was the only easy part of the swim. 

I'm planning on swimming on Tuesday at 7, Thursday at 8, and Saturday at 7, unless the chance of rain late in the week washes things out. 

niel         

Saturday, Npovember 8th, 2025

 Niel's Saturday Morning Swim Report -

A best of fall morning today; at 7 o'clock it was 60° and heading for the 70's, the water was 58°, it was calm and the surf was mixed with 3 to 5 foot waves. 

Jodi and I swam a Yo-Yo on the east side of the pier. Even out at the end of the pier the larger swells put enough character to the water to make the swimming interesting.   

Coming in I swam until one of the largest waves passed under me and then started checking behing me and at the gap made my sprint to the beach.
It was sunny and warm at the showers.

I'll swim tomorrow at 11. 

niel

Friday, November 7th, 2025

 Tom Lorish's Friday Morning Swim Report - 

Clear blue skies and 6.9 peak king tide.  There was a pretty decent big swell combining with the peak king tide. The waves were cresting the pier, and the water was running over the berm all the way to the stairs. The water temperature was about 56. Another fun morning swim.  

Wednesday, November 5th, 2025

Tom's Wednesday Swim Report - 

Blue skies, thin scattered clouds, and king tide.  That was Avila at 845 AM, right at Peak tide - 6.8.  In the picture you can see how close the water is to the pier. There was a decent swell and the water was moving up and down and left and right. It was a fun morning of swimming. 

Tuesday, November 4th, 2025

Niel's Tuesday Morning Swim Report - 

Avila Beach had either high fog or heavy overcast this morning. There was no sunshine but I could see most of the way to the horizon. It was 57° with a light breeze and the water wsa 57°. The surf was up with two or three 6+ footers seperated by 5 minutes of 3 to 4 footers. There would be a 6.2' high tide in an hour and the big waves were already throwing spray up onto the pier.  I got out by diving under one wave and swimming over the lip of the next one.  I came back in at the long gap and swam directly to the beach, frequently looking over my shoulder to see if I was going to get caught out by a big sneaky one. 

The swells gave the ocean's surface some nice character to work with.  The lumps got larger the further east I was and got more out of the shadow of the breakwater. 

I will not swim on Thursday morning, but I will be back on Saturday morning at 7 and Sunday at 11. 

niel  

Monday, November 3rd, 2025

Tom L's Monday Swim Report - 

Heavy Marine Layer, a decent size swell, and the beginning of King tide week. Toes in the water at 9 AM. I missed the peak tide by an hour but will get the full effect of the king tide on Wednesday and Friday when it hits 6.9. My toes tell me the water temperature was 54°. I am at odds with BMN's thermometer. I believe it is gaslighting him to toughen him up for the 40s coming in January. It was an excellent morning Swim. 

Sunday, November 2nd, 2025

Niel's Sunday Swim Report - 

Paula, Niel and Jim swam today at 11 o'clock. It was gray with thick overcast but no fog. There were some large long period swells with the largest waves coming in sets of two 6 footers. The rest of the waves were 3 foot plus.  The water temperature was 57° - 58°. There was a light wind that would pick up as the day progressed. 

Getting in was a matter of timing and picking the gap between the largest sets. We swam over to the Poly Pier, to the end of the pier and back. There was lots of movement to the water, along the buoy line the larges swells would move us 10 feet back and forth and 3 or 4 feet vertically. 

Getting back in was the same as getting out: swim in until you are in the elevator zone just befor the big ones would break and swim for shore when the gap opens. 
It looks easy if you get it right. 

The sun came out as we were getting out. Paula and I hung on thebeach for a while watching a pod of dolphins working back and forth. They were between buoys 2 and 4 and out as far as the reef buoy. 

This coming week I'll swim at 7 on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday and at 11 on Sunday.

niel    

Saturday, November 1st. 2025

 Niel's Saturday Morning Swim Report - 

For our Saturday morning swim Avila Beach served up dense fog and an increasing swell. The air temp was 48° and the water was 56°. It was calm and the water was smooth with a bit of a swell. The waves were peaking at 4 foot. Jodi, Tom L., Jim, Paula and Niel were swimming this morning.  

We couldn't see the swim buoys from the beach so the plan was to swim out to the #1 buoy and see if the #2 buoy on that side was visable from #1. If it was we could swim buoy to buoy down the line and back. If we couldn't see the #2 buoy we could swim around the pier to #1 on the west side and see what cold be seen from over there.

From #1 we swam around the pier. From #1 on the west side we could just make out the #2 buoy so we set out and swam buoy to buoy to #4 and back to #1, came back around the pier to #1 on the east side and were now able to swim the east side buoys down and back. At this point everybody but I went in. I swam around the pier and came in on the east side for 3201M. 

The was a good swim. The water felt nice and the navagation chalenges were fun. Everybody kept together and had a good time. 

NOAA is predicting larger waves from now into Tuesday, Surfline says 0 to 1 foot. The Surfline predictions for Avila Beach have been way off; 0-1 when it was 5'+/-.

I'll swim tomorrow at 11, which is 12 PM if you don't set you clocks back. 

niel