I got in the water at 7 this morning, planning on doing my swim and then getting to the SLO Farmers Market in time. It is stone fruit season and I lost control in the face of all that great stuff and came home with white and yellow peaches, apricots, Santa Rosa plums and strawberries.

Before that, conditions at Avila were calm and flat with heavy low overcast and no horizon. The air temperature was 57° and the water was down to 56°. My swim was nice and easy with no chop or wind but the drop in the water temperature was very noticeable. My hands and feet stayed cold for the entire swim.  

Tom swam closer to 9AM so I was there too early to see him.   

Last weekend Don Margolis, a guest swimmer from the South End Rowing Club in San Francisco, needed a cap so I gave him an Avila Dolphins cap to wear. He returned the favor and sent me a very cool cap from his club.  Note the 'Since 1873' between the oars. I wonder if the Avila Dolphins will make it to 150 years.

Gear Report - When I recently purchased a Orca wetsuit I also got their '1.3mm long sleeved neoprene t-shirt'. It is intended to be worn either by itself or under a wetsuit for additional warmth.  I had planned to wear it with the wetsuit this morning to see how much warmth it added and if it chaffed. The colder water made it today a good day to try it out. My experience was entirely positive. I could feel the additional thickness but with only a small reduction in flexibility. It added a lot of warmth to my arms and chest and made this suit feel close in warmth to my 3.5/4.5 Patagonia wetsuit, but much more flexible. It didn't get chaffed and it didn't pull up when I put on the wetsuit over it.

I'll swim at 11 tomorrow.

niel