I'm back in the water!
The bacteria levels in the water from the storms are down to reasonable levels so I got myself back in the water this morning. I last swam at Avila on 12/30/23 so it was a long break and I wasn't sure what to expect.
There was lots of things to make this morning special and not a cushy reentry, so I should be good for whatever from here. The air temperature was 33°F with a gusty offshore wind that had chopped up the water. I measured a water temperature of 11.5°C/52.7°F. On the right side of the pier towards San Luis Creek Avila Beach is buried in driftwood. There is none on the east side but the sand has been replaced with medium sized river washed cobbles that extend into the water. These are not good for someone walking barefoot. It was a very high tide so there wasn't much beach. I hobbled over the cobbles and into the water, judged how the water felt on my feet (cold but not super cold) and began thinking about how it I would work out starting swimming. This was solved by a steep drop off where the water was knee deep to chest deep plus, so, suddenly in up to my neck and facing a breaking wave I figured I was going to start swimming now.
I was going to stay on the east (left) side of the pier where the bacteria count was probably lower than on the west side. I swam out to the end of the pier, turned left and headed for Fossil Point planning to do a out and back course. This would also keep me fairly close to the beach in case I started to like the idea of getting out before I completed the route.
I had a good swim. Being away made it all new. I got somewhat reacquainted with how to swim, sorted out a hitch in my breathing and my reach on the left and played some mind games while swimming through the chop.
David may join me tomorrow for a swim at 11.
No rain is forecast for at least a week so I hope to get my groove back.
niel
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