Wednesday, April 15th, 2026

My 2026 Birthday Swim - 

Five years ago I decided to swim 100M X my age for my birthday. That was a drought year so I was able to do the swim on my birthday; 1/27/21. Since then there has been both too much rain (equals high bacteria in the water at Avila Beach) and water that was too cold (50° +/- ) in January, so I have been doing this swim once the water temperature and quality will allow it. 

Conditions have been favorable so I set out this morning to do 7,600M+.        

I had a good swim. The water was 57° when I got in and came up to 59° once the sun warmed things up.

The wind came up during the middle of the swim but fortunately it died down for the last 2,000M.

My plan was to do four big triangles. After the 4th triangle I was short some distance so I swam over to the 3rd buoy and back to #1. That just barley go me to my goal so I decided to buy some insurance by swimming to the end of the Avila Pier and back, which put me well over my number.       

Done, at the #1 buoy

This was a tough swim. I didn't have any equipment issues but I had felt really good last week and swam 6,000M last Thursday, leaving me not completely recovered by today.

I spoke to Tom Lorish at the end of the Avila Pier and met up with Duke at the showers. 

 

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

niel 

Monday, April 13th, 2026

A Short Swim - 

What a change from Saturday. We had an inch or rain over the weekend and with the storm moving out this morning the air temperature was down to 43° and the water was 58°. There was an offshore wind and the water felt a lot colder than it had on Saturday, until I figure out that I had not made up the collar of my wetsuit correctly.  Eliminating the extra water moving around my arms and shoulders made things more comfortable.   

Another beautiful morning, a nice swim and to home for breakfast and getting into my To Do List for the construction documents on two projects.   

Hummmm, why do I live here? 

I'll swim at 7 on Wednesday.

niel

Sunday, April 12th, 2026

Tom's  Sunday Morning Swim Report -

Beautiful morning after the rain.  Super clear, a mix of clouds and blue sky, and a slight breeze. It was 59 air temperature and 58 water temperature. It was a beautiful Sunday morning Swim. 

Saturday, April 11th, 2026

We had an odd mix of conditions today. It was 57° with rain showers and low storm clouds, the ocean's surface was like a washing machine and the wind was out of the SE and was pushing the chop and swells onto the beach. Along with the waves and chop the wind had pushed a large number of velella velella, the small purple wind sailors, onto the beach.  I measured a surprisingly warm water temperature of 60° off of the pier.

Velella velella and kelp at the high tide line. 

Niel, Jodi and Tom Israel got in at 7, swam out to the #1 buoy and turned left.  It was plenty bouncy swimming across the chop and to the end of the Avila Pier.   

                          
From the end of the Avila Pier, to the third crossbars on the Poly Pier, in along the pier to the second crossbars where we split up with Jodi and Tom going to the end of the Avila Pier before going in and me going to the #1 buoy where we began. 

Niel, Jodi and Tom at the end of the Avila Pier

I'm swimming on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday next week at 7.

niel



  

Friday, April 10th, 2026

Tom's Friday Morning Swim - 

Rainy day Swim. The water was bumpy but still clear. The temperature was about 55°. It's been a while since I've had a swim in the rain. 

Thursday, April 9th, 2026

 Wandering Around In The Fog - 

It was foggy in Avila this morning. I could see most of the Avila Pier but the buoys were blending into the gray and the glare. My planned route would have been about 4,500M but would not be a good route in limited visibility so I had to come up with a new one as I was walking to the water.

Two triangles is about 3,200M so adding a third would make the route about 4,800M.

I was finding the buoys but I was wandering around a lot. I don't check my watch during a swim. On the third triangle I felt more tired than I thought I should have. When I finished and took a look my watch said I'd done 5,870M.

It looks like I have the distance in me so I'll do my birthday swim on Wednesday of next week.

I'll swim on Saturday at 7 with the group and a do 3,200M swim on Monday.

No photos today. There were some but they were of a tired looking guy with prune like skin.

niel               

Wednesday, April 8th, 2026

Tom's Swim Report - 

Clear blue skies, a mellow breeze blowing on shore, and a slight drop in water temperature. My toes tell me the water was about 56, 57. The air temperature was high 60s. Another beautiful spring day.  The swimming was excellent.   

Tuesday, April 7th, 2026

Niel's Tuesday Morning Swim Report - 

Another beautiful morning in Avila Beach. It was 49°, clear and sunny with a light breeze that was weakening and a water temperature of 58° +/-. The waves were small with pairs of sneaky 3+ footers. The tide was very low. 

My plan for this morning was to do about 5K. I added a half triangle to last Thursday's route and it worked out just right. 

The water temperature varied a degree or more, generally warmer along the Poly Pier and colder near the Avila Pier. There was a little wind and chop at the start that died and left me with glassy water for the second half of the swim. 

At the base of the Poly Pier

I'll definitly be back for more of these conditions on Thursday before the rain (!) on Friday and Saturday.

niel

Monday, April 6th, 2026

Tom L's Monday Morning Swim Report - 

Beautiful conditions at Avila this morning. Blue skies with high thin clouds, flat and glassy water, and a minus low tide.  It was a perfect day for going around the rock. With the minus low tide, there was more exposed rock than I can remember seeing. It was gorgeous out there. Excellent Monday morning vitamin. 

Saturday, April 4th, 2026

 Saturday's Swim Report - 

Niel and Jodi at the end of the Avila Pier

This morning it was sunny with a slight offshore breeze. It was 43° and the water was 57°- 58°.

The surf was 2 foot except for an occassional set of 3 to 4 footers. The tide was way out and the water clarity was excellent. 

I

Jodi and I did a couple of triangles. The only thing to mention was that right at the end of the Avila Pier the water was temperature changed by a degree, wiht the water being colder on the west side of the pier. 

Next week I'm planning on swimming on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday at 7.

niel

Friday, April 3rd, 2026

Tom's L's Swim Report -

Blue skies, and thin clouds, and no shark signs.  There was a slight breeze blowing east to west and the water was calm and beautiful.  The Easter crowds were flocking in and the parking vultures were hovering over any hint of a open parking space.  Beautiful morning Swim. 

The Beware of Big Fish Sign Was Not Up

When I got out of the water Thursday morning there was a destressed seal on the beach with chewed up rear flippers. The Marine Mamel Rescure prople had been called. Somethmes the shark signs are displayed when this happens. I have no isea how that decidion in made.  niel    

Thursday, April 2nd, 2026

 

The swimming conditions this morning were just about perfect. The sun was coming up through high clouds, it was 54°, the surf was knee high, the water was glassy and 58°- 59°. I swam over to the Poly Pier, in along the pier to the shore and back the way I had come.     

When I got out there was a distressed seal on the beach. It was alive but it's tail fins were chewed up. Marine Mammal Rescue had been called. Tom will let me know if the sharky signs are up tomorrow. 

The group will swim at 7 on Saturday. 

niel

Wednesday, April 1st, 2026

 Tom's Wednesday Morning Swim - 

Cloudy with a little bit of drizzle… The sun was working hard but couldn't quite burn through. It was low 60s air temperature and mid 50s water temperature. The water was glassy clear and calm.  It was an excellent morning Swim. 

Tuesday, March 31st, 2026

Starting To Go Longer -  

The swimming conditions were very nice today so I decided to start pushing out my distance. I also had an idea for a different course. It would be longer than my usual 3,200M but I wasn't sure how long it would be, but figured I try it and quit when I was done having fun. 

The numbers were an air temperature of 58° and a water temperature of 59°. The surf was two foot, there was no wind or chop, just a swell from the SE. The clarity of the water is excellent (for Avila Beach).

My course would be to swim out and back along the east and west buoy lines and to connect the halves by swimming out and around the Avila Pier. A complete loop would start and end at the #1 buoy on the east side. I did two loops in 1:52:46 and 4,628M. Two hours is getting to the far end of my ability without any nutrition so I was starting to feel the distance for the last loop around the pier. 

My plan is to do 4 to 5K swims and to see if I get my distance up to where I'll do my 2026 Birthday Swim. It will be 7,600M this year. 

I have not heard from Dave Van Mouwerik in some time. Dave, if you are reading this Scott Zorning is moving to Cambria in June and would like to connect with you. Scott is also looking for local ocean swimmers to swim with. If anyone knows of people swimming in Cambria or Morro Bay please pass their info along.  Scott is a U.S. Masters Swimming All-American and the current holder of five long-distance open water swimming records.

And if you missed Dr. Chris Lowe's presentation about white sharks at the SLO Library a few months back he will be the April presenter for Science After Dark at the Central Coast Aquarium on April 28th. Tickets are still available from the aquarium's website. 

   

I'll swim Thursday and Saturday at 7.

niel

Monday, March 30th, 2026

Tom's Monday Swim Report - 

Heavy marine Layer, a breeze blowing from west to east, and bumpy water.  915am toes in the water. The air temperature was high 50s and the water temperature was mid 50s. It was a good start of the week Swim.