Wednesday, November 6th, 2024

 The lighting is so beautiful this time of year…  see picture. It  was 61° air temperature when I arrived at Avila at 845 AM.  Wispy clouds streaking across blue skies.  The November light was gorgeous.  The swell had dropped off quite a bit and there was a slight breeze blowing off shore. The water temperature was colder than on Monday, checking in at about 48°.  When it gets under 50 the duration of my swims start dropping accordingly…  48°, about 48 minutes.  Nevertheless, it was a beautiful morning swim. 

Tuesday, November 5th, 2024

It is Getting Physical Out There -

In the last two weeks the water at Avila Beach has transitioned to full winter conditions. 10 days ago the water temperature dropped to the bottom of the 50's and shows no signs of warming up. In the last week the swell has increased and we now have 4+ foot waves.      

The waves don't have the power of storm surf but these were breaking in 5' of water so they looked plenty large when I was standing there working my way out.

There will be king tides the 15th, 16th and 17th.         

Paying attention to timing the surf kept me from paying thinking much about the water temperature so it wasn't until I was swimming down the buoy line that the idea of 49° to 50° water became part of today' swim.  The air temp was 43°, there was no wind and the water is very clean. I could feel the swell everywhere along my route and it was adding quite a bit of vertical to the water near the reef buoy.  

I have a new pair pf 3mm Patagonia surf booties that are the warmest ones that I've had. They also have the most durable sole of any of my previous booties and look like they will stand up to getting in and out of the surf. 

 

I'll swim Thursday, Saturday and Sunday.

niel

November 4th, 2024

Tom Lorish Goes Big - 

Big high tide and a good size swell. Winter conditions have arrived at Avila.  The high tide and big swell had the water running past the lifeguard tower number one on the east side.  Air temperature was a pleasant 60° when I arrived at 845 AM.  The water temperature temperature was 49, 50°.  The air clarity and lighting were gorgeous.  Beautiful day and excellent swimming. 

Sunday, November 3rd, 2024

It was a very nice day at Avila. It was 64° with an offshore breeze. There was almost nobody on the sand. The water temp felt like it was up a degree or two to maybe 52° and the water was nice and clean. The surf was 2 to 3 foot and there was a short period SW swell.  

I saw Tom after he got out. He had swum with 5 of the CP women's water polo team. He say's it is fun getting the willing out into the big pool.  

I swam a tour of the water between the Avila and Poly piers. The bumpiness increased with how far offshore I was. On the leg to the end of the Poly Pier the swell was really trying to push me towards shore but it was nice to have the help on the next two legs.     

The Monolith  ?

The point where I turned from the Poly Pier back towards the end of the Avila Pier. 

When I passed the creek mouth on my way back to the west buoy line the water warmed up and added a bad taste/smell. The tide was falling so some yucky water from the estuary was probably being pulled out into the ocean.  Phooey.

I'll be swimming Tue., Thurs., and Sat at 7 and next Sunday at 11. 

niel

  

Saturday, November 2nd, 2024

 The water temperature was 50°, why are these people smiling?

Jodi and Niel do have a 'special' sense of what is fun.  We got in at 7:15, a bit later than usual to catch more of the sunrise, but there was heavy overcast and light rain so the sunrise didn't happen until after we got out. It was 52° with a light offshore wind, the surf was 2 to 3 feet and there was a SE swell that would put some vertical movement into our swimming.

Jodi had an idea for a route that we had not done before: from the first buoy swim along the buoys to #4, to the end of the pier, to #4 on the west side, towards the pier along the buoy line to #3, to the end of the pier, to #3 on the east side, along the line to buoy #2, etc. until we had hit all of the buoys. The swimming was nice and smooth, the water was clean and the distance and time was about as much as we wanted in 50° water. I'm glad we got this route in now. The lifeguards are done for the season so the swim zone buoys will be pulled out and stored until spring, so we will have to rely on our own sense of direction until then.  

The sun was breaking through when we were at the showers which is always welcome.

I plan on being back for more at 11 tomorrow.

niel 

Friday, November 1st.., 2024

 Cold Toes!

Beautiful first day of November at Avila.  Blue skies with wispy scattered clouds. A Chilly breeze blowing south, southwest was hollowing out the 3 to 4 foot waves rolling in. The air temperature was 59° when I arrived at 915 AM and the water was temperature was 50, maybe even 49.  Between the waves and the high tide the water was getting up close to the wall. It was an excellent morning vitamin. 

Tom

Thursday, October 31st. 2024

 Tom's Swim Report from Wednesday - 

Beautiful conditions at Avila this morning. 51° air temperature when I arrived at 915am. There appeared to be swells coming in from two different directions creating a rocking and rolling ocean swim. my toes tell me the water temperature was 52°. Water quality was excellent as was the swimming. 

The object on the right is not Nesse but a person on a paddle board. 

Niel's Swim Report for Thursday - 

Sunrise at the 4th buoy looking towards Fossil Point 

I got in the water at 7:15 this morning. The air temperature in Avila was 40°. It was calm with high thin clouds. The surf was still 2 to 3 foot with an 4' sneakers. There were 2 or 3 small swells which gave the water some character but the swells were not large enough to mess with my swimming. My thermometer broke a few swims ago so I am relying on the Tom's Toes method of determining the water temperature until the replacement thermometer arrives. I think the water temp this morning was 52°. I wore my newest booties today so how my feet felt weren't part of my estimate. I had a touch of a brain freeze at the start and how cold my arms felt late in the swim put my guess at 52°. The new booties are great, my feet were comfortable for the whole hour and a half. They are Patagonia R3 Split Toe surf booties. The soles have been the weak spot in all of my previous booties, none have stood up to the abrasion from the rocks and debris on the bottom while I am standing in the break zone waiting for a chance to get out. These are warm and look like they will last. 

I did a new/different route; down the east buoy line and over to kelp bed at Fossil Point, the the end of the Avila Pier, to the second crossbars on the Poly Pier, in to the first crossbars and along the shore and the buoys to where I began for 3,461M in 1:27. The new booties cause me feet to float on the surface but I don't have much of a kick so it's not a problem for me.

Last Sunday was the last day for the lifeguards which means that the buoys will be pulled out sometime soon. 

I'll swim at 7:15 on Saturday and hope to be there on Sunday at 11. We are going to Solvang Saturday to hear a favorite singer/songwriter so I'll get to bed late, and then deal the time change, so I might not make it. 

niel   

   

          

Tuesday, October 29th, 2024

 🌟 🌬 44°  🏊😱❆  51°-52°

Got it?

Yesterdays offshore wind continued into this morning and had pushed the water temperature into the basement. The water was nice and clean but I had not been expecting a long face freeze getting in. 

There was one other swimmer out there, a guy with a wetsuit and yellow cap. We passed each other along the buoy line going in opposite directions. He didn't breath on my side so he did not see me and stop. He was still swimming when I was at the showers. 

I'll be back Thursday, Saturday and probably Sunday and I'm bringing my booties. 

niel       

Monday, October 28, 2024

Tom's Swim Report -

Another gorgeous October day at Avila. It was 57° when I arrived at 915 AM. The water was really moving today – between a decent size swell, the tide coming in, and the current pushing and pulling, It was a day of motion!  The water temperature fell about 54° to me.  Beautiful swimming.

Sunday, October 27th, 2024

 I'm Back In the Water -

After six days in Tennessee I was back in the water at Avila Beach.

David and I swam today at 11. The conditions looked great. It was 69°, the water would turn out to be about 55°, it was overcast with high clouds and calm with no wind and a glassy ocean. The surf was 2 foot except for a very occasional 3+ footer. 

We swam over to the second crossbars on the Poly Pier, to the end of the pier, to the end of the Avila Pier to avoid a powerboat, then to the reef and back along the buoy line.   

Niel and David at the end of the Poly Pier

I'll be back to my usual schedule this week: Tue, Thurs, Sat at 7 and Sunday at 11. 

This was my first time in eastern Tennessee. It is all trees and water, The Main and Little Tennessee Rivers and their lakes are everywhere. I saw just a few fishing skiffs and nobody in the water at any of the great looking places to swim. I'll need to ask my friend in Greenback if anyone does open water swimming.

niel     

Tom's Swim Report from 241024

Gorgeous October conditions at Avila this morning. Sunny and clear blue skies. Air temperature was 53° and the water was glassy with a small 3 foot swell.  The water felt about 55° water clarity was good and the swimming was excellent.  

Saturday, October 19th, 2024

Frost On The Pumpkin - 

Jodi, Paula and Niel at the second crossbars on the Poly Pier. That's a bit of something on the camera's lens, but it is not ice.  

At 7 this morning the air temperature in Avila Beach was 43°.  It was sunny and clear with a offshore breeze. I'd measure a water temperature of 52.8°. All of my exposed parts and some that weren't agreed with my thermometer. This was going to be our first swim at this temperature since June 6th, when I last recorded a 53° water temperature. On that day 53° was a nice increase from the 50° and 52° for the previous two swims.       

There was an offshore swell so the water had some character. The water was very clear and clean, so today was some kind of trade from the fog with warmer and plankton loaded water of a week ago.

Today's route was Jodi's choice and it was a nice swim, starting off with the 1000M leg from the beach to the end of the Poly Pier then to the Second Crossbars and the end of the Avila Pier before coming in. 

I'll be traveling Sunday through Friday. I may swim Saturday and will swim Sunday.

niel 

Friday, October 18th, 2024

 Tom's Happy Toes - 

Clear blue skies, a cool breeze, and beautiful swimming.  Gorgeous morning at Avila. Air temperature was about 63, the water had a wind bump with a bit of a swell and the water clarity was perfect. The water was about 55°. Excellent morning vitamin. 

Thursday, October 17th, 2024

 

It was cool, 54°, at Avila this morning with low clouds and fog but decent visibility for summing. The surf was up a bit with 2 to 3 foot waves with a rare 3+ footer. There was a swell out of the west that was most noticeable the further east I was. The water was 56° and CLEAN everywhere.  

The end of the Avila Pier was easily visible so a couple of triangles would work and let me see what the water quality was like everywhere. There was a 1+ degree increase in the water temperature from the east to the west side of the pier.   

I enjoyed a nice swim, the clean water was a treat, and I'll be back Saturday at 7.

niel

Wednesday, October 16th, 2024

Tom's Wednesday Swim Report

Big high tide, clean water, and the ocean was rocking and rolling.  It was 59° when I arrived at Avila at 9 AM. Heavy marine layer and some fog up hovering over the bluffs.  There was a pretty big wave, and it seemed like a secondary swell coming in from a different direction to give the Ocean a good rock 'n' roll.  The water felt about 58° and it was a lovely morning swim.

Tuesday, October, 15th, 2024

Tom's Monday Fog Report

A little bit of fog, lot of pelicans, and a Swim sans funk.  There was a swell kicking up, and the water temperature felt about 59°.   I stayed on the east side where the water was clear and nice.  It was so nice swimming with funk free.  Hopefully it will stay gone. 

I did not swim today.

I will be swimming on Thursday.

niel