Sunday, March 15th, 2026

 Tom's Sunday Swim Report - 

Blue skies with thin high clouds. A breeze blowing off shore and small waves rolling in. The air temperature was mid 60s and the water temperature was no 50s. The swimming was excellent. 

Saturday, March 14th, 2026

 Niel, Jodi and Tom got in the water at 7:40 this morning. It was going to be a warm day at the beach. The air temp was 61° when we got in and 74° when we got out. It was clear and sunny with no clouds. At 7:30 the parking along Front St. was full and there were more than the usual number of people on the beach. There was a light offshore breeze that strengthened while we were in the water. The water was clean with no sign of the weird funk Tom Lorish ran into yesterday. I measured a water temperature of 53° off of the Avila Pier. 

Jodi suggested that we do a yo-yo swim in recognition of the return of the swim zone buoys. We chose to swim on the west side of the pier because we would not be swimming towards the sun as much. The wind came up and the legs toward the beach became more difficult to push into the current and chop. We all agreed that the water didn't look like it would be as difficult to swim in as it was.

An hour and a half of that and we were ready to get out. 

This was the first swim for Jodi's new Dakine front zip wetsuit and she gave it a thumbs up for being comfortable and warm.

I'll swim Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday mornings next week at 7:30. Maybe the hot weather in the coming week will push up the water temperature a bit.

niel 

      

  

Friday, March 13th, 2026

Tom T's Friday Morning Swim - 

Beautiful morning at Avila. Low 60s air temperature, low 50s water temperature. Blue skies and high clouds. The water was glassy with a 3 foot swell rolling in. It was around the rock Friday.  There was some nasty splotches of mystery funk along the buoy line on the east side. I have never seen anything like it and hope to never see anything like it again. Despite the funk, once I got past it the water was clear and beautiful all the way around the rock. Good Friday morning vitamin. 

Thursday, March 12th, 2026

Niel's Thursday Swim Report - 

It was a beautiful morning in Avila Beach for a swim.  At 7:30 it was sunny and 62° with three too 4 foot surf and a light offshore breeze. The water temperature was 53 degrees with areas that were colder. There was a backwash that would make the incoming waves jump up.

The big news is that the lifeguard towers have been moved from the back of the beach to their summer locations and the swim zone/no boats buoys were being installed.    

I swam out to the end of the Avila Pier, to the second crossbars on the Poly Pier, to the end of that pier and reversed my route back to the beach. 

It was 72° when I got out which made changing at the showers a casual affair.

I'll swim at 7:30 on Saturday.

niel  

Wednesday, March 11th, 2026

Tom L's Wednesday Swim Report - 

Blue skies, glassy flat water, and the buoys are in on the west side. In the picture below if you look closely midway along the pier behind the pylons you can see the boat installing the buoys on the west side.  The air temperature was high 50s and the water temperature was low 50s. It was a good cold water swim.  

Tuesday, March 10th, 2026

Niel's Tuesday Morning Swim Report - 

It was 54° and gloomy in Avila Beach this morning with a thick overcast and the extra darkness from the time change. There were less than the usual number of people with their dogs on the beach. Maybe dogs are like our cat, she knew that it is too early to get up no matter what I was doing. 

In Avila it was calm with glassy water and 2 foot surf, excellent swimming conditions. My thermometer showed me a water temperature of 54°, but it did not feel like the mid 50's to me, but more like 53° with it 1° colder on the east side of the pier.         

I paddled around for two triangles and called it a very good start to my morning. 

I'll be back Thursday and Saturday. I'll get in closer to 7:30 when the light is better.

niel 

Saturday, March 7th, 2026

The Wind is Up, The Water Temperature is Down - 

It was a beautiful morning in Avila Beach and it was going to be a cold swim. It was sunny with think high scattered clouds and a steady offshore breeze. The surf was 1 to 3 foot and soft. The water was 52° with very good visibility and no bacteria.

Paula, Eileen, Niel and Tom were going swimming.   

From the back, Paula, Tom, Eileen and Niel beginning 

to lose the feeling in their toes. 

We swam to the end of the Avila Pier and to where the 4th buoy on the west side would be. Paula and Eileen went back to the pier and got out. Tom and I swam to the first crossbars on the Poly Pier, to the end of the pier, to the end of the Avila Pier and in. 

Tom, Niel and the end of the Poly Pier. 

Wondering how much it will cost to repaint the pier.

Being able to have sunshine and warm(ish) concrete at the showers makes it so much better. 

The Avila Lifeguards were there doing their recertification swim. 

Next week I am planning on swimming on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday at 7. The sun will not be up as far but the light will be OK for swimming.

niel
    

Friday, March 7th, 2026

Tom L's Friday Morning Swim - 

Blue skies, a gusty breeze blowing offshore, and a clean 3 foot wave rolling in. The air temperature was low 60s and the water temperature was low 50s. The water clarity was excellent. It was a beautiful morning Swim. 

Thursday, March 5th, 2026

Spring Conditions - 

It was a very spring like morning in Avila Beach today. It was sunny and calm, 49°, the water was flat and the surf knee high and the tide low. The overnight offshore wind had pushed the water temperature down to 53° in Avila and 52° along the Poly Pier.  

I swam parallel to the beach to the first crossbars on the Poly Pier, out to the end of the pier and back the way I had come.  It was a lovely morning out there.

Afterwards, the sun felt great when I was at the showers.   

I'll swim with the Saturday group at 7.  

niel

Wednesday, March 4th, 2026

 Tom L's Wednesday Morning Swim Report - 

Offshore cool gusty breeze, high thin clouds, and some blue skies. The air temperature was high 50s and the water temperature was about 53°. The water clarity was amazing. It was a good morning Swim and it was good to see Duke in the water as I was getting out. 

Tuesday, March 3rd, 2026

Niel's Tuesday Morning Swim -

Near the reef buoy.

This morning the water temperature was down and the wind was up. The water was 54° - 55° and a strong offshore wind came up during my swim. The waves were small enough that I waded out until I was past the surf and started swimming. The water felt a lot colder than the high 50's of last week. While I was swimming out along the pier I had a bit of an ice cream headache. 

I was planning on swimming out and back along the P. Pier but instead I turned left at the end of the Poly Pier and did the loop around the reef buoy.   Things got different quickly as a strong offshore breeze had come up and I was swimming across a nice one foot chop. The chop and wind pushed me further out so I didn't wind up at the reef buoy but well offshore from it. 

The water is nice and clear, I could easily see the bottom in 6 to 8 feet of water.  

It was about 60° at the showers so even with the wind it was not uncomfortable getting changed.

I'm planning on swimming on Thursday and Saturday mornings at 7.

niel  

Saturday, February 28th, 2026

 Double Vision - 

                        

                                          Jodi                                 Tom

Tom and Jodi swam Saturday morning at 8. They did a new 2.18 mile route that took them from the end of the Avila Pier, around the reef buoy and then over to the 3rd and 2nd crossbars on the Poly Pier. After more than two miles Tom and Jodi somehow managed to clock the same yardage!

I'll swim Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday mornings this week at 7.

niel

Monday, March 2nd, 2026

Tom L's Monday Morning Swim -

Tom said that the paramedics were there 

for their swim certifications and not for him

After a foggy Sunday, Avila was blue skies sunny and warm again. Low 60s air temperature, mid 50s water temperature a slight breeze and beautiful swimming.  9am toes in the water. Excellent Monday morning vitamin. 

Friday, Februsry 27th, 2026

Tom L's Friday Morning Swim - 

A beautiful Friday morning Swim.  A breeze is blowing from the east to west, blue skies and wispy clouds. The air temperature was mid 70s and the water temperature was high 50s. I swam  around the rock. Beautiful day beautiful Swim. 

Thursday, February 26th, 2026

Around the Rock Thursday -

Avila served up a warm and beautiful morning for today.  At 7:30 it was 57° and it would be in the low 70's when I got out. The was a weak offshore breeze, 2 to 3 foot surf and clean 58° water making today a great day to swim out to Avila Rock. There was not anything adventureish about the swimming today, just a great start to the day.

I'll be of town this weeking so my next swim will be on Tuesday. 

niel   

Monday, February 23rd, 2026

Finding My Rythim - 

I have been sitting out because of the high bacteria levels in the water due to the rain and had not been in the water for 8 days. The weather has cleared so today was first my chance to get back in. 

At 7AM it was 40° in Avila with scattered high clouds, no wind, a calm orean and 3 foot waves with an occasional 4 footer. The water temperature was 57°. Eight days is long enough to loose some of my ocean mojo and the water felt more like 55° to me when I was getting in. I got more comfortable as I swam and it felt like 57° for the last half of my swim.

I decided to stay offshore, just in case the water near the shore was still high in bacteria from the creek.       

The sunrise at Fossil Point 

I swam down to Fossil Point, over to the Poly Pier and back to the Avila Pier and in. The water was pretty smooth with some small chop when the wind guested. It was just what I needed to get back into doing this. 

There were some pieces of pier pilings on the beacch but I did not see any debris in the water. There is a large track hoe parked on the beach near where the location for the #2 lifeguard station. I do not know what the Harbor District is planning to use the track hoe for but it would be handy to clear any additional parts of the pier that wind up on the beach. 

I'll swim Thursday and be out of town this weekend. 

This QR code will open a page with the latest local water quality results from the Surfrider Blue Water Task Force. 

niel 

Sunday, February 15th, 2026

Swimming Without Lane Lines - 

Tom, Eileen, Paula and Niel swam this morning to slip a swim in before a week of rain. We got in at 8:10. It was 51°, cloudy with a swell and wind out of the SE. The surf was peaking at 3+ foot, the tide was high and the water outside was stormy and 57°.   

There wasn't much of a plan other than to get out to the buoy line, get a feel for the conditions and to figure out what we'd do from there. We swam east along the beach, around the reef buoy and to the end of the Avila Pier. 

Niel, Eileen, Paula and Tom 

near the reef buoy.

Danding pilings at the end of the Avila Pier

Look at the second row in from the end.

Paula and Eileen swam part of the second triangle and then headed in. Niel and Tom swam the triangle and then out along the pier to the end, and then retraced our beginning route back to our starting place.  The ocean was laying down a bit during the second half of our swim and the sun came out while we were at the showers. 

1 to 2 inches of rain is predicted for Monday with more to follow during the week, so I do not know when I'll be swimming. Saturday looks like to be the most likely chance.

niel 

Friday, Februray 13th, 2026

Tom Roll's The Dice and Swims on Friday the 13th. 

Gorgeous winter morning at Avila – blue skies, a chilly breeze blowing offshore, and dimple water. When I was at the end of the Avila pier, the harbor patrol pulled up lassoed one of those broken pylons and dragged it off…  the water was clear and 54°. The swimming was excellent. 

Thursday, February 12th, 2026

Tom Lorish's Thursday Morning Swim Report - 

Lovely morning Swim at Avila. Toes in the water at 945 AM. 50° air temperature and 55° water temperature.  There was an asynchronous roll on the water creating a mixed up wave pattern. I had a beautiful swim out to Avila Rock.  On my return, I saw the three pylons torn off the end of the Avila pier - still attached somewhere under the water.  It'll be curious to see how long they stay attached. 

Tuesday, February 10th, 2026

Swimming Before The Storm - 

The surf was down to 3 feet, the air and water were 58°, there was a strong wind out of the SE and it looked bumpy outside of the surf line. I would do two triangles knowing that some of the legs would be harder than others.

I pushed out through the surf and into stormy water conditions. There was a strong push towards the shore. The first lap was tough with chop breaking over my head and twisting me around.  You can see in the plot how the chop and wind pushed me all over the ocean. During the second lap the wilnd dropped, the water smoothed out and I had a nice finish. It was calm at the showers which was nice but before I left Avila the wind came back stronger than before.     

At the end of the Avila Pier

I do not think that we will get enough rain to keep me out of the water Thursday. Im busy Saturday morning so I'll swim at 8 on Sunday.

niel 

Monday, February 9th, 2026

Tom Lorish's Monday Morning Swim Report -

Heavy cloud cover, smooth water and the last of the swell. Most of the energy was gone from the swell of last week, but it was still rolling in producing 3 foot waves. The water was beautiful and about 54°. It was a good start of the week Monday morning Swim. 

Saturday, February 7th, 2026

Surf's Up! -

I could hear the surf when I was stil a block and a half up the hill.  From Front St. the waves looked like 6 foot plus. 

It was just Tom Israel and I this morning. There were scattered high clouds, 46° air and 57° water.      

We agreeded that we'd wait until we were beyond the surf line to decide on a route. Tom timed it better than I did and got out ahead of me. I waited out the next big set, found myself looking up at a 7+ foot face at one point, got under it and caught up with Tom. 

We swam to the end of the Avila Pier, keeping clear of a part of a pier piling that was bobing in the water, and decided to swim to the second crossbars on the Poly Pier and then go to the end of the pier, back to #2 and back to the Yacht Club.   

Tom and Niel at the end of the P Pier. 

When we arrived back at the surf line the tide had turned and while there were still large swells the waves had gone down and getting back in through the surf was much easier than getting out had been.   

Next week I'm planing on swimming on Tuesday and Thursday at 7 and Sunday at maybe 8 or 9.

niel

Friday, February 6th, 2026

Tom's Friday Swim Report - 

Blue skies, scattered wild clouds, and a big bumpy swell. 6 foot straight up and down set waves were pounding the sand and the water was moving fast.  The air temperature was high 50s and the water temperature was mid 50s. It was a fun swim. 

Thutrsday, February 5th, 2026

Niel's Thursday Morning Swim Report - 

Niel and Hillary swam at 7 this morning. It was clear with a light offshore breeze and 41°. The waves were a weak 4 foot plus and the water was still 55°. 

I felt like swimming back and forth between the Avila and Poly piers so I plotted a 3,200M +/- route that would take us from the buoy line to the second crossbars on the Poly Pier, to the third crossbars, over to the end of the Avila Pier, then to the end of the Poly Pier, back in along the P Pier to the second crossbars and back to our starting point. 

As we were swimming to the Avila Pier the wind picked up. On the leg to the end of the Poly Pier the wind was on our back quarter and the water was choppy. Coming in along the P Pier was into the chop which was more physical but 'easier' for me because I wasn't being twisted like I was when swimming across the chop at an angle. The finish was nice because as we approached the beach the chop went down and the water was almost smooth along the bouy line. 

My guestmate about the length of this route was off by 800M.

I had not seen Hillary in a while, it was nice to have a bit of an adventure swim with her.  

The Saturday group will swim at 7. 

Jodi will not be with us because she is doing a 50K CC run Saturday morning in the Laguna Seca hills.  Send thoughts of strong legs to her!  🏃

niel

Wednesday, February 4th, 2026

Tom Lorish's Wednesday Morning Swim Report - 

Around the rock Wednesday. Beautiful morning at Avila. Blue skies, a little hazy, and glassy water with a mellow roll to it.  The air temperature was high 50s and the water temperature was about 55°.  An excellent morning Swim.

Tuesday, February 3rd, 2026

Niel's Tuesday Morning Swim Report - 

At 7AM in Avila Beach the conditions were familiar: it was clear and 42° with a light offshore breeze. The surf was 5'+, the water temperature was 56° with nice (for Avila) clarity. 

A swimmer with good wave sense and timing could get out and back in without having to duck dive under a wave. I was either lucky or good and got out with just the slight drama of the lip of the largest wave taking a grab at my feet as I swam over the crest.      

I did my two clockwise triangles today instead of my usual around and back route. It is interesting how this slight change messed with my head, making me think that two laps in the same direction would be longer than swimming around and back.  I was in the second lap before things fell into place and the distance felt right. 

On my first lap the big swell pushed me in towards the beach and I found myself almost in the surf line. 

I'll swim Thursday and Saturday at 7. On Thursday it will be 82°in town and the surf should be down. On Saturday we will see our morning fog return. 

niel

Monday, February 2nd, 2026

Tom L's Monday Morning Swim Report - 

Big swell, big high tide, blue skies, and rock 'n' roll swimming. The waves were straight up and down, big and powerful. They were pushing the water up and over the berm and all the way up to the stairs on the east side. The air temperature is 67, and the water temperature was about 55. Excellent morning vitamin. 

Saturday, January 31st., 2026

Niel's Saturday Swim Report - 

The Central Coast can have some of its best weather in January and today continued the tradition with a clear and cool sunrise with a predicted the high temp of 80°.  At the beach it was 41° at 7AM with an offshore breeze. The water was 56° with 5' sets of waves. Niel, Tom Israel, Jodi and Paula went for a swim.       

Tom, Jodi Paula and Niel at the end of the Poly Pier

We swam out through the surf, met up at the end of the Avila Pier then decided on a route.  We swam to the second crossbars on the Poly Pier, to the end of the pier and finished with a 1000M swim to the beach. A few birds was all there was to see out there.

Warm and sunny weather is predicted for the coming week so I'll swim at 7 on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.

Jodi is doing a 50K trail run at Fort Ord next Saturday so think happy thoughts about her feet on Saturday morning.  

niel

Friday, January 30th, 2026

Tom's Friday Morning Swim Report - 

Clear blue skies, a very slight breeze and a nice swell rolling through.  There were 4 to 5 foot sets of waves when I got in a 945am. The water was about 55° and very clear. It was an excellent Friday morning Swim. 

Thursday, January 29th, 2026

Niel's Thursday Morning Swim - 

Compared to Tuesday it was warmer and windy this morning. It was 57°, which was up 20°, and there was a strong NE wind. The surf was up to 5 feet, the tide was high and falling and the water temperature was 55° with the wind making it feel colder. 

After I got through the surf I turned left and swam parallel to the beach, thinking that I would do two triangles, take it easy and get the kinks out after Tuesday's swim. As I was rounding the reef buoy I decided swim to the end of the Poly Pier.

It was more bumpy out there than I had realized with the chop not quite breaking over my head and pushing me around.  No matter which leg I was on it was all work and I never felt like I was swimming in the same direction that the ocean was going.       

 

The conditions at the end of the Poly Pier.

I'll swim on Saturday morning at 7 and I'm ready for a more relaxing swim with a bit less drama.

niel

Tuesday, January 27th, 2026

Niel's Tuesday Morning Swim - 

Today was my birthday so I wanted to do a special swim. I didn't think I was ready to do the full birthday distance of 7,600M so I decided to do three triangles which would be about 4,800M.  It was a chilly morning with an air temperature of 34°, clear skies, a light offshore wind putting a ripple on the 54° water, and waves between 2 and 4 feet. The tide was high and going out.  

I began with a clockwise triangle. It was a bit chilly on any exposed skin but I was feeling good and the ripple on the water was a interesting texture that added some character to the swimming.  At the start of the third triangle I was still feeling strong and when I was past the end of the Avila Pier I began thinking about the possibility of doing four triangles and the full birthday swim.  I have swum 5K before without any nutrition so I had not brought any with me.  For 7,600M I would have two 24 oz. bottles of Fluid hydration drink with 6 Gu's added to each bottle to keep me going, so trying 7,600M would be a real stretch, but the idea of doing that distance today was exciting. I decided that when I got to the pier at the end of the third triangle I'd check my distance and if I was at 6,000M and I was still feeling good I'd try for the full distance.  Well, when I was swimming along the 'buoy line' to finish the third triangle I began to feel a bit tired and when I arrived at the pier I had covered 5,400M. I did a honest appraisal of how I was feeling and headed in. 

I'm happy with how this swim worked out.  I did my planned distance and I'm confident that with some nutrition along I could have done 7,600M.

As I was walking out I saw Tom Lorish getting in on the other side of the pier and when he was getting out he saw Duke getting in.  It was a beautiful morning for swimming, and there was plenty of warm sunshine at the showers.  

I'll swim Thursday 7:30 and Saturday morning at 7.

niel