Thursday, May 16th, 2024

 

Avila was 54° and all gray clouds with no sun, fog or wind. It was spitting a bit. The water was clean and flat and the waves were small. The water was a nice surprise at 52°. 

There were Moon Jelly's over by the Poly Pier.  I tried to get some pictures but was not successful. They are almost colorless . These were about the size of a dissert plate and felt very soft when I'd hit one with my hand.

The extra two degrees compared to Tuesday were enough for me to do some extra distance.

I'll swim with Jodi, Tom and anyone else who shows up on Saturday at 7, then Sunday at 11.

niel

   

Tuesday, May 14th, 2024

I took a swim around the neighborhood this morning. It is two miles and doesn't involve doubling back along the route. The was no fog or overcast but nice blue skies with puffy white clouds. It was calm and the water was glassy. At 6:50 the air was 53° and the water 50°. Fifty degrees is beginning to feel pretty familiar. Looking back through my notes I have not recorded a water temperature above 52° since a 56° on 1/6.   

I had a really nice relaxing swim. The water from San Luis Creek warmed things up nicely near that end of the beach but I swam back into the chill near the Avila Pier.   

Afterwards Rob Dumouchel and I had breakfast at the Custom House. He has been in town for a few weeks and will travel back to Homer, Alaska next week. He is not doing any open water swimming there. The current water temp in Homer is 42.6° and they have 24' tides, which is not very swimmer friendly.

I'll be back for more on Thursday at 7

niel    

 

Monday, May 13th, 2024

 Tom's Swim Report - 

Well, it was very similar to Sunday this morning at Avila. Heavy marine layer, air temperature about 57 and the water clarity was amazing with a temperature of around 51. There is a slight bump, and the swimming was excellent. It's amazing with these low tides. How much of White rock and Avila rock you can see. 

Sunday, May 12th, 2024

 

Tom Israel and I swam to the Avila Rock today. It looked like the water was pretty mellow out there but we had to give up that idea before we were past the end of the Avila Pier. The wind was changing from mile to strong and gusty and the water was getting choppy. We had a good swim out there and back, swallowing some water along the way.  The wind was out of the SW so we had a push over the right shoulder on the way out and slaps in the face on the way back.  It was over cast and felt cooler than 55° on the beach.  As the wind picked up it made a hole in the clouds around Avila so it was sunny when we got out. 

Tom tried to get in without his goggles and did manage to leave my camera and thermometer in my bag so I do not have any photos or a 'real' water temperature for today. I spoke briefly with Tom Lorish. He had swum out to and around the Poly Pier, had a great time and his toes thought the water was 50°.

On our swim Tom Israel and I agreed that the water was in the low 50's, not 54°, probably not 53°, but definitly more comfortable than 50°.

It is supposed to be nice this coming week with fog or low clouds in the mornings and sunny afternoons, so I'm planning on swimming Tue., Thurs., and Sat. at 7AM and Sunday at 11.

niel 

Saturday, May 11th, 2024

Except for the gray overcast and the 50° water Pri, Jodi and Niel enjoyed ideal swimming conditions this morning.  The low clouds stayed up high enough to not become fog, there was no wind, the water was glassy and flat and had cleaned up with no indication of plankton or a funny taste.  The surf was 2 foot with some occasional 3+ footers.  

The tide was very low so I felt like we almost walked out to the first buoy. We swam to the 4th buoy, to the end of the Avila Pier, over to the second crossbars on the Poly Pier and back to the first buoy on the west side. That was about 2,000M and the longest ocean swim Pri had done. She went in to get warmed up while Jodi and I swam the 1,000M to the end of the Poly Pier, came back to the end of the Avila Pier and came in for 4,145M in 1:43, which was a long swim in at today's water temperature.    

Pri, Jodi and Niel at the second crossbars on the Poly Pier.

 I'll swim tomorrow.  Tom Lorish will swim early and Tom Israel will join me at 11.

niel  

Friday, May 10th, 20242

 Tom's Swim Report -

Interesting day at Avila this morning. The first picture is when I was getting in… The second picture is when I was leaving.  About 10 minutes into my swim the fog rolled in and it was a different day.  There was a decent chop on the water and my toes Tell me it was 50°. Based on the scientific water taste test, the water quality was pretty much back to normal. It was a good morning Swim. 

Thursday, May 9th, 2024

Today's water report: Smooth swimming with a swell to ride over, no visual of plankton but there was still an unpleasant taste to the water. The wind was getting gusty.  Tom' toes reported 50° water yesterday, this morning I measured 49° with some colder spots near the piers. Close to shore the waves were 2 to 3+ foot and weak.   

I was on a swimming mission this morning and did the distance with no stops until I was back at my starting point at the first buoy. 

The Other View from Tuesday's Photo

Booties, Buoy and the Avila Pier

There were beautiful rills in the sand this morning. 

Rills are created when water that is beneath the 

sand comes to the surface and flows down the sand

I'll swim Saturday at 7 with Jodi and Tom I. and Sunday at 11 with whoever else shows up.

niel 

Tuesday, May 7th, 2024

It Is Spring and the Water Is Cold -

This morning a steady and strong offshore breeze had chopped up the water and pushed its temperature down to 47°F.  I did two triangles which gave me a chance to work the chop in many different directions so I had a good swim, but 47° is just cold. By mid June the water should be 55° but at this point neither Tom Lorish or I can remember what 55° water feels like.  

The good part about spring is that is was about 60° and sunny when I got out. The sun felt warm on my skin and the concrete at the showers felt fine on bare feet which makes getting changed much less of a crazy dance to get into your warm stuff.

The water around the Avila Pier is still full of plankton and it has a unpleasant metallic taste.   

Avila Beach With Booties and Buoy

Dare I say it? In my experience the water at Avila has never been colder than 47°, so this is the coldest the water will be until the temperature turns and move into summer conditions.

I'll swim Thursday and Saturday at 7 and Sunday at 11. 

niel

Monday, May 6th, 2024

Tom's Monday Morning Swim Report - 

Beautiful day at Avila: the air was warmer than Sunday, but the water temperature dropped off again.  my toes tell me 48°. And the water still had that weird funk.  Fortunately, it clears up outside the buoy line.  We'll see what the rest of the week brings. 

Sunday, May 5th, 2024

 

It is surprising and mysterious how much more comfortable the water will fee if there is a warm(er) air temperature and strong sunshine. The water was 50° today and at 12 O'clock in sunny and 75° conditions it felt much more comfortable than yesterday's 49° at a completely gray 7AM.

Yesterday Jodi, Tom and I thought the water had a bit of the look of red tide to it but the lack of sunlight made it hard to tell.  There was no question today. Tom Lorish mentioned the poor water quality to me when we spoke and I found the water to be 'snowy' until I was half of my way to the Poly Pier.  Google tells me that spring plankton blooms are not unusual but I expect them after the water has warmed up to the mid 50's.

The lifeguards were training on the east side of the pier so I got in on the opposite side. The offshore breeze made the swim in along the Poly Pier the toughest leg of today's swim.  Approaching the end of the Avila Pier I found myself with a lot of birds for company. I took a good look and there was a bait ball feeding frenzy forming up east of the end of the Avila Pier so I turned left and let the birds have their lunch without me. 

Rick and Rhonda pulled up next to me as I was getting out of my car so we got to catch up on what's been happing since before COVID and Rob Dumouchel walked up to me on the beach! He is taking a break from Homer Alaska for several weeks and was awed by the fleecy clouds and sunshine.  I'll try and see him a few times before he returns to Alaska.

The weather looks good so I'm expecting to swim at 7 on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday and at 11 next Sunday.

niel  

       

Saturday, May 4th, 2024

 It May All Be Relative - 

That strip of sunlight on the hills behind Port San Luis 

was all of the sun we saw this morning. 

Jodi and Tom at the 4th buoy on the west side of the Avila Pier

Our route was a bit of a wander but we got in 1:13 of nice swimming.    

The relative part is: Is the water actually 'warmer' when it is unusually cold but not as cold as it was two days before?  

It was weird swimming in 49° water, a low water temperature that Avila Beach does see in a typical year, and thinking that it felt 'warmer' than Thursday's 47°. 

Jodi, Tom and Niel started their Saturday morning under low clouds with a flat, windless and glassy ocean, one to two foot surf and a bit of a swell. There were some spots that looked like there was a light plankton bloom but in the flat light it was hard to tell and I don't recall seeing a plankton bloom when the water was this cold.

The buoy at the reef on the east side has been replaced so we swam by it on our way out and when coming back in. 

The cold water had its effect. When we got out Jodi was talking about her Jones for SLO Donut Co. cream puffs and Tom about his desire for a lemon filled donut. Somebodies needed a post swim carb infusion stat!        

We are supposed to get a small amount of rain tonight but it may not be enough to keep me away from the beach, which is predicted to be sunny, 62° and windy tomorrow.

niel   

Friday, May 3rd, 2024

Tom's Swim Report - 

Super Foggy, cold, water, and good swimming!  The weather pendulum has swung again. From Sunny and clear to socked in fog.  The water was at least 2° under 50.  Nevertheless, it was a good morning of swimming.

Tom

Awesome Tom!

Very cold water and no sun while swimming or afterwards makes for a memorable swim.

niel   

Thursday, May 2nd, 2024

Mind Games

The air and water temperatures were 47° this morning. I didn't know what the water temperature was until the end of my swim so I spent my swim working around how I was feeling vs. thinking. I also had a large ship that seemed to want to get in to the area between the Avila and Poly Piers with me so I had them to keep track of. 

I did the reverse of Tuesday's course. Getting in and swimming down the buoy line I was thinking that the water temp was 49°, the same as Tuesday. I started feeling the cold in my arms and feet earlier than I had on Tuesday but I wrote that off to having had just an artichoke and some rice last night, which probably didn't give me enough fat to keep warm this at this temperature. The boat kept moving around, edging into where I was.  At one point it was inside of me and over near the Poly Pier, then gone, then back. Having something else to focus on was good but the boat was annoying. 

I didn't check my thermometer until I was back at the #1 buoy. I had had to check it twice to be sure that I was seeing 8.5°C.  I'm glad that I did not know the number before I got in which let me maintain some deniability.  

We'll see what it is like Saturday morning at 7 and Sunday at 11.

Maybe the water temperature will be up to a sub-tropical 50°.........😉 

niel

 

Tuesday, April 30th, 2024

 

I had a great swim this morning. The air temp was a nice 51° but it was really cold getting in. I measured the water temp as 49° at the end of the Poly Pier. Getting started and heading west along the buoy line I was not sure that I would wind up swimming the entire route that I had planned.  I got evened out enough with the water temperature and my stroke was feeling strong so when I had looped around to the end of the Avila Pier I decided to stick with my original goal of 3,700M. I turned left, made a second touch at the second crossbars on the Poly Pier, came back along my route out and finished.

The water had been calm and flat from the start but on the leg to the end of the Avila Pier an offshore breeze came up and put some decent chop on the water for me to push into. Once I turned at the end of the Avila Pier the chop started to lay down as I got closer to the beach. The last leg along the buoy line was almost flat. 

I was into swimming this morning and didn't stop to take yet another selfie. 

The wind will last until Thursday night and there is a chance of showers Saturday/Sunday so the water may warm up a bit. 

 

I'll swim Thursday morning at 7.

niel        

Sunday, April 28th, 2024

Sunday Swimming at Avila Beach -

It was very summery at Avila Beach today. It was 70° at 10:30 and 87° at 1:30. It was clear with a light breeze that picked up as the day went on. The surf was 2 foot, the water temp was 51°, and the water was very clear.  

Before anyone else showed up I saw and spoke with Tom Lorish. He'd been out by the Poly Pier. We talked about how the water is colder near the end of a pier and why this might be.

At 11 Pete, Pri, David, Niel and Stephanie Popp got in. I have not seen Stephanie in about a year. She has a new daughter and is ready to get back into the ocean.  

                                                Pete, Pri, Stephanie and David

Niel and Pete, Stephanie, Pri and David in the background, at the 4th buoy on the left side of the pier.

The group swam a half a triangle. At the end of the Avila Pier Pete, Pri and Stephanie went in along the pier while David and Niel completed two triangles.   

This coming week I will swim Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday at 7 and Sunday at 11.

niel 

Saturday, April 27th, 2024

So Beautiful, So Cold -

Pri, Jodi, Tom and Niel swam this morning at 7. Avila Beach was beautiful; just a few people there, sunny, a light wind, 44°, minimal surf and very clear, glassy water.   

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

As we waded in the water felt bottom of the temp range cold. It still felt just as cold at the first buoy and did not feel any more comfortable at the 4th buoy. For me this means it is probably below 50°. I checked my thermometer and had 9.5°C/49°F. Nobody was sure how long they would stay in. 

Pri went in form the end of the Avila Pier. Jodi, Niel and Tom continued on to the Poly Pier, decided to swim to the end of the pier which meant that we would have to swim back. 

At the end of the Poly Pier it was very beautiful and blue. 

I'll bring all of my neoprene and swim tomorrow at 11.

niel 

Thursday, April 25th, 2024

 

Jim and Niel had beautiful, smooth and flat conditions this morning. There was no wind or swell. The water and air temperature was 53° with thick cloud cover.  I saw a brief peak of sunshine in the second half of my swim.      

At the end of the first triangle Jim's shoulder said that it was time for him to get out so he went in.  I doubled back along our route for two triangles. 

I'll be back at 7 on Saturday and 11 on Sunday. The cloud cover should be gone then so we'll have some sunshine.

niel

Tuesday, April 23rd, 2024

I had a nice swim this morning. I'm not sure why I look grumpy in the photo. I got in a bit early. It was very gray and 55° with no sign of the sun peaking through. There was a light breeze and a small chop from the SE. The surf was 2 to 3 foot and the water was 52°.  

The swimming conditions were nice. The small chop put just enough character on the water to make each leg a bit different. 

I pushed the ends of the triangles out past the last buoys on both ends to get some extra distance.  I had a seal check me out on my first pass through the kelp bed where the reef buoy used to be but it wasn't curious enough to follow me.

I'll be back Thursday and Saturday at 7.

niel

Sunday, April 21st, 2012

 

Pri and Niel swam at 11. This was Pri's first swim out to the end of the Avila Pier!

It was clear, sunny and 70° when I arrived at Avila at 10:30. By 1 PM it would be 90° with a light offshore wind. I needed some shade so I left a bit after 1. At that time the beach was packed and there were long lines of cars looking for parking. 

The water was beautiful and 54°. 

Tom Lorish and 4 women from the CP water polo team swam out to the Avila Rock.

It is going to turn cloudy and cooler this week but I expect to still swim at 7 on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday and at 11 on next Sunday.

niel

Saturday, April 20th, 2024

Avila was gray and windless this morning, so no sun but glassy water. We had 53° air and 52° water. The surf was flatter than on Thursday but there were big sneaky waves that would break out past the surfline.  One almost caught me. 

I had trouble with my models today -

Finally, Jodi, Tom and Niel at the end of the Poly Pier.

I'll swim tomorrow at 11. 

niel

Thursday, April 18th, 2024

 

The conditions this morning were 55° with low clouds, a light breeze, smooth 52° water and  the largest waves were 4+ feet. 

The larger waves required waiting in the suds for the end of the large sets to swim out. No duck diving was necessary if you got the timing right. 

There is still a deep trench in the bottom at the shore that parallels the beach so when you walk in to about knee deep one more step has you in up to your chin. You can climb up the ocean site in another couple of steps to waist deep water and continue on out. It isn't that easy coming in. The beach side of the hole is almost vertical and soft so there is no footing to allow you to climb out. I waited for a wave to float me up until I could crawl over the lip, onto the beach and then stand up. Not elegant but kind'a fun.        

The water felt colder to me than my reading, colder than Tuesday, so I was guessing the water was closer to 50°.

The low clouds were thick enough to not show any sun to navigate by so on my way from the end of the Poly Pier to the 4th buoy on the east side I kept drifting right (I'm stronger on that side).  This was a good opportunity to see if I could feel my way to getting my pull and finish more equalized but I wasn't into it.    

I am planning to swim Saturday morning at 7 and Sunday at 11.

niel   

Tuesday, April 16th, 2024

 

I had beautiful swimming conditions this morning. Except for some mucky water near the creek mouth the water was clean, flat and 51°, the air temperature was 52° and it was sunny and calm. The surf was 2 to 3 foot.

I'm still finding fist sized globs of tar on the beach.     :-(

Swimming from the Poly Pier to the Avila Pier I did encounter some muddy water near the creek mouth so I changed course and swam parallel to the beach. I left the muddy water behind and came under the Avila Pier further offshore than usual.

I'll be back Thursday and Saturday mornings to swim at 7 and at 11 on Sunday.

niel     

Monday April 15th, 2024

 From Tom Lorish - 

Well, the water seems to have warmed up to about 53° while I was gone over the weekend.  Nice conditions this morning. Swam around the rock.  

Saturday, April 13th, 2024

 Vertical Swimming - 

Jodi, Tom and Niel did  a swim in storm conditions this morning. The air temperature was 52°. It was very windy with light rain. The water temperature was up to 53° to 54°. The surf wasn't large but the SW wind from the storm had pushed up a highly variable, large and confused swell that made today a very physical swim. The swells were close together so getting in sync with the water required me to do short and frequent breathing. We all swallowed a lot of water.   

The beach was covered with Velella velellas or By The Wind Sailors, palm sized colonies of small animals that number in the billions and are pushed by the wind. The steady onshore winds from this storm has driven large numbers onto the Central Coast beaches. They are a beautiful blue color but it is sad to see so many dying on the beach. 

I've also been seeing baseball sized globs of tar on the beach this week. I don't see nearly as much of this as was common before the big cleanup in the late 90's. Jodi stepped in some today. Baby Oil and a strong paper towel is the best way to remove the tar.  

Swimming parallel to the beach and parallel to the swell was the most difficult, across or into the swell was easier.  We did 2362 M in an hour which tells you that the conditions were swimmable but couldn't make good progress. 

Tom and Jodi.

Experience what it was like out there today:  

https://youtu.be/0Xw7AS6DbwE

I'll swim tomorrow at 11 if we do not get enough rain to dirty up the water. 

niel 

Friday April 12th, 2024

Tom Lorish's Swim Report - 

Silly me…   I thought the rain and cold were done for the year. On Wednesday at 9:30 when I swam it was 73 ° and Clear blue skies at Avila… When I got in at 9:30 today, it was 54° With a drizzly rain. The water was about 51° and choppy. The good news is, the cold showers felt warm! 

Tom Israel's Swim Report -  

I jumped in today for a little swim. It was pretty rough out there.

Thursday, April 11th, 2024

 Avila was fogged in this morning. I could not see the buoys from the shore, so I swam both buoy lines whit a lap around the pier. The sun was starting to come and go when I was getting out. The tide was very low making it seem like I would be able to walk out to the buoy. 

The air temperature was 48°, the water was very flat with one to two plus surf and 52°. Out along the pier the water was colder, probably 50° or 51°.     

I could keep a reasonably straight course by judging my direction by the lights along front street. 

A bit of a Arthur C. Clarke moment with the #1 buoy 

It is hard to believe right now but we are predicted to get showers Friday night and .5 to 1 inch or rain and thunderstorms on Saturday. If the rain holds off the Saturday group will slip in a swim at 7AM.

Sunday could be washed out. 

niel