Saturday, November 14th, 2026

Big Waves and Dirty Water -

There was enough rain last night for me to sit out today but I was at the beach at 7:30. 

This is four hours before high tide, the waves are already running over bern and up to the sea wall in some places. 

It is going to rain on Monday and Wednesday, so my next swim will probably be next Saturday.

niel   

Thursday, November 12th, 2026

Amusing the Water Gods - 

On Tuesday I had some complaints about he pesky small chop, so today the water gods served me up some of the real stuff to reinforce how easy Hillary and I had it on Tuesday.  It was full stormy conditions today. The surf was 4 to 5 foot with smaller waves packed in between the largest swells, with chop on top. It doesn't look too bad in the photo but it was tough to figure out how to swim in this mix.     

The water temperature was 67°, the air temp. was 62° and the tide was coming in.

Inside the buoy line the waves were all stacked up on each other. They weren't large but it seemed like they were just seconds apart. I turned right at the #1 buoy and did a triangle. That felt like enough.     

Saturday's swim is rain dependent. If we get close to an inch on Friday the water will be buggy and I'll sit out.

For Saturday Surfline is predicting 16' - 18' waves on the west facing beaches and 6' - 8' for Avila.  

niel

 

Tuesday, November 10th, 2026

Avila Gets Physical - 

The water temperature was 68°, the air was 63°, it was sunny and calm. The water was nice and clean and the largest waves were 6' +/-. High tide was at 9:21. The wash from the waves was already carrying over the top of the berm.

We planned to swim between the Avila and Poly Piers.  

Our first time at the end of the Avila Pier

The Santa Lucia wind came up when we were halfway to the end of the Poly Pier. The wind was strong and out of the NNE. It gave us a nice push to the Poly Pier but the rest of the swim was banging into a fast moving one foot chop. I'd say that the leg from the Poly Pier to the Avila Pier was the most work, but it was work conducted in warm and clean water. With the offshore wind the chop gets smaller the closer to shore so we could look forward to smoother water as we approached the finish. We hit a nice gap in the surf and did not need to time the swells on the way in. 

I'll swim at 8 on Thursday and with the group swim at 7 on Saturday, unless it rains more than a half inch on Friday. 

niel 

Saturday, November 7th, 2026

Winter Conditions With Warm Water - 

It felt wintery this morning in Avila Beach. At 7 AM it was sunny and 43° with an offshore wind that had me putting up the hood on my parka. The water was 66° and the surf was up with 6'+ sets an hour before high tide. The wash was over the berm and carrying to the sea wall in places. Niel, Paula, Jodi, Hillary and Avery decided to swim a loop to the Poly Pier. 

After walking across the cold sand the water felt wonderful. We timed out sprint through the waves and grouped up at the first buoy, swam east to #4, around the reef and to the end of he Poly Pier. 

Niel Jodi, Paula, Avery and Hillary looking at a school of fish. 

I forgot to post this photo of Duke on Thursday. We managed to meet while I was at the showers. H would get in the water later that morning.  

The water was bumpy but not as big as it was on Thursday, still, with the wind offshore and the big swell coming in the swimming was 'confused'.

Afterwards it was great to have a warm and sunny morning. A lot of people had come to the beach to see the high tides and there were a number of other swimmers in the water along the buoy line.

I'm planning on swimming on Tuesday with Hillary and on Thursday at 7, and possibly on Saturday depending on how much rain we get at the end of the week. 

niel        

Thursday, November 5th, 2026

Lumpy Water and Uphill in All Directions - 

Before sunrise the wind was gusting to 20+ MPH in San Luis Obispo and was booming when I arrived in Avila Beach. The wind was offshore and the water was well trashed. The air temperature was 63°, the water was 67°, the water was very clean (see the photo) and the surf was 4 foot plus.   

Two triangles would give me a exposure to all of the available options for swimming in chop. It was messy but not very difficult. 

I'll swim Saturday morning at 7.

niel

Tuesday, November 3rd, 2026

Jim and Niel Visit Avila Rock - 

It was a nice day for a swim out into the ocean, as opposed to staying near the beach.  For me, being at Avila Rock feels like really being out in the ocean, even more so than being at the end of the Cal Poly Pier. The water conditions looked favorable for getting out there this morning. It was 53° with nice cottony white and gray clouds. The surf was up to 5' and the water was 68°. with a combination of wind chop and a mixed swell. It wasn't big or pushy but it was challenging to find a tempo that allowed for smooth swimming. 

Jim and I got out through the surf and swam to the end of the Avila Pier, took a last look at the conditions and began the 1,000 M +/- swim to the rock. 

Niel and Jim at the Avila Rock with 

the rock in the right-hand background.

While I was at the showers Duke rode by. 

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

niel