Thursday, July 31st. 2025

 The Tsunami Conditions Continue - 

Yesterday Tom reported that the tsunami seemed to have flattened out the ocean to an unusual level.  The conditions were the same today. There was no swell, maybe 1 foot surf, no wind and a spooky flat and calm ocean. The overcast and the clean 58° water were familiar.   

Things were right for a visit to the small cave on the west side of Fossil Point. The cave is accessible when the conditions are right, I was able to swim up to it once and climb in, but this morning I didn't like my chances of floating over the sea urchins that are on the rocks in front of the entrance. 

After my swim Duke and I met for some coffee and to catch up. His PT wants him to get back in the water so when he is ready I hope to see him on the beach. 

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

niel

Wednesday, July 30th, 2025

 

Heavy marine layer, a tsunami no-show, and two dolphins.  The port had signs up saying the beach was closed when I arrived at 820 AM. This did not match up with the flat, calm water.   As I was changing, the lifeguards came and removed the signs… I asked them if they had seen any sign of the tsunami and they said had not. Perhaps there is a type of tsunami that actually makes the water more flat and calm because those were the conditions this morning. Flat, calm, and glassy. The water temperature felt about 60°. And it was nice to see a couple dolphins casually swimming on the east side inside the bouy line.  An excellent Wednesday morning Swim. 

Tuesday, July 29th, 2025

On Tuesday at 6:50 it was 58° in Avila with 58° water, no wind, one foot surf, and glassy to rippled surface conditions. It was foggy but I could see the Poly Pier from where I park my car at Front and San Miguel Streets. 

At the Poly Pier

I just wandered about today and swam for an hour. When I got out the fog had become overcast with a hint of sunshine.

I'll swim at 7 on Thursday and Saturday.

niel 

Monday, July 28th, 2025

Tom Lorish's Monday Swim - 

What can I say, the conditions remain largely the same… Overcast, a very slight breeze, flat and mostly calm water. Toes in the water at 920 AM. The water temperature was 58°. The swimming was excellent. 

Sunday, July 27th, 2025

Sunshine at the Beach - 

At 10:30 it was already sunny and warm at Avila Beach with just partial clouds. It was 74° with a light wind and clearing skys.  I measured a water temperature of 59° off of the pier and found plenty of warmer spots out there. It was comfy swimming. The surf was 1 - 2 foot. 

There was something on the camera's lens,

this is the least blurry photo.  

I did a ping pong route between the Avila and Poly Piers. The leg from the end of the Avila Pier to the third crossbars on the P Pier was a push into the chop but the downhill leg back to the Avila Pier was a nice way to finish.

I will swim this coming Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday at 7 and next Sunday at 11.

niel   

Saturday, July 26th, 2025

Jim and I got in the water a bit before 7. The conditions are holding at a 58° air temperature, a 56° to 57° water temperature, no wind, hardly any waves, a  -.8' tide this morning made for a short swim to the buoy line and visibility was excellent (10'+), for this time of the year.    

We liked the idea of doing a Yo-Yo route on the east side of the Avila Pier so we swam out to the end of the pier and then to and back each buoy starting with #4, so that each lap is shorter.  

I had some issues operating the GoPro this morning so the best photo is 

a bit of Jim adjusting his cap, my finger, and a lot of glassy water. 

There is a hot rod Chevy truck meet and show in Avila this weekend and from what I saw on the road there will be a lot of amazing vehicles. 

I'll swim tomorrow at 11.

niel  

Friday, July 25th, 2025

Tom's Toes for Friday - 

The conditions continue… Except for one thing: the water dropped to about 56°. No doubt yesterday's wind had something to do with it.  The water was dimpled and the clarity remains very nice.  Excellent Friday morning vitamin. 

Thursday, July 24th, 2025

 

Just one lap was the right distance for this morning.  The conditions are stuck in a nice place: 59° air, 58° water, smooth and flat with no wind or swell, 2, maybe 3 foot surf and nice unseasonably clean water.  Just the thing before a 11 AM meeting.

I'll swim Saturday at 7. Paula may be the only other member of the Saturday Club there. 

niel

Wednesday, July 23rd, 2025

Another Nice Swim for Tom - 

Overcast with blue sky showing on the horizon. The water was calm and glassy and the beach was bustling with  lifeguard activity.  The water temperature was 57° in some spots and 58 in others. It was a beautiful morning Swim.  On a sidenote: I give a full Neptune salute and hearty applause to BMN (Blog Master Niel) for his amazing birthday Swim!  7500M for his 75th!  Well done, Niel. 

Tuesday, July 22nd, 2025

 My 2025 Birthday Swim - 

Done after 3:17:42 in the water. 

Is that just goggle face or am I actually a bit tired?

Swimming conditions couldn't have been better. When I got in at 6:40 the air and water were 58°, it was overcast and calm with glassy water and 2 foot surf. It was the same when I got out.

My birthday is on January 27th but the swims have not been on my birthday for several years. Winter water conditions are often too cold and too likely to have high bacteria for me to get the distance in to be able to swim my age so I get it done this time of the year.   

7761 M for my 75th year.

I'll swim at 8ish on Thursday morning, at 7 on Saturday and 11 on Sunday. 

niel    

Monday, July 21st. 2025

Tom Lorish's Swim Report

Classic summer day at Avila this morning… Overcast, a small wave rolling in, calm water and good swimming.  The water temperature continues to be about 57°. 

Sunday, July 20th, 2025

Tom Lorish Takes His Crew to the Avila Rock. - 

Grey skies, a slight breeze and a small bump on the water. Four of my Water Polo girls and one of their dads joined me for the swim. The dad is preparing to do the 20 bridges Swim around Manhattan, New York in September.  Now I know where his daughter got her speed. He is an impressive swimmer.  To to give him the proper introduction to Avila swimming, we swam around the rock. It was a good swim. The water temperature was 57°. 

Saturday, July 19th, 2025

 

Niel, Tom and Jodi with the Avila Rock and Fossil Point in the background. 

I can do this almost by memory: at 7 this morning the air temp was 58°, I measured a water temp of 57°, but it swam colder, it was overcast and calm with flat, glassy water with good visibility.  The surf was 2 to 3 foot with a small swell. 

Niel, Tom Israel and Jodi, swam to the Avila Rock. Once there we looped around the rock and swam towards Fossil Point, stopped to chat with a gentleman on a paddleboard and continued to the 4th buoy. Then we swam to the end of the Avila Pier and in from there.

There were some cold spots but the water stayed flat for us so the swimming was very nice.   

I'm taking a rest day tomorrow. I'll swim at 6:30 on Tuesday, 7 on Thursday and by myself at 7 on Saturday. Paula will be in Ireland, Jodi will be in Greece and Tom will be hiking near Mineral King, so I'll have the pool all to myself.

niel 

Friday, July 18th, 2025

 Tom Lorish's Friday Swim -

Heavy overcast, glassy calm water, and the odd 3 foot wave. Toes in the water at 915 AM. My toes tell me the water temperature was 57°. If all that sounded incredibly similar to Wednesday, it's because it was. And the swimming was lovely. 

Thursday, July 17th, 2025

The swimming conditions were very nice today. There was thick overcast but no fog or wind. The air and water temperatures were 57° and 58°. The water was smooth and glassy and there is still an occasional 3+ foot wave amongst the two footers. The water has cleared up with no signs of a plankton bloom. It was excellent swimming.   

It will be Jodi, Tom and I this Saturday morning at 7. 

niel

Tom L's Swim Report - 

Heavy overcast, glassy calm water, and the odd 3 foot wave. Toes in the water at 9 AM. The water temperature was about 58°. It was an excellent morning vitamin. 

Tuesday, July 15th, 2025

A Nice Swim With Mystery Conditions - 

The swimming conditions in Avila this morning were pretty familiar except for a very short period small swell that showed up a half hour into my swim and melted away after 45 minutes. It was very noticeable and pushy, more like a boats wake than a swell.  It faded away an left smooth and glassy conditions.

Otherwise the conditions were typical for July;  the air temp was 57°, the water was 58° and it was overcast.  At first I thought the water was in the mid 50's but the cold was all in my shoulders and arms so I stopped and redid the neck of my wetsuit and warmed up nicely. The water was clean and the surf was up to 3 foot and had some push.           

While swimming east along the west buoy line 3 lifeguards on paddleboards passed me and on my way west I collided with another swimmer who was going east.  We just stopped for a moment and then continued with our swims.     

I have a busy day Thursday so I'll swim at 6:30, then at 7 on Saturday and I'm taking Sunday as a rest day. 

Paula is leaving on Thursday to do the Trans Tahoe relay with Eileen and then to Ireland to visit family, and swim. Jodi will leave soon for her nephew's (or is he a cousin) wedding in Greece, so the Saturday group will be a bit thin until they return.  

niel

 

Monday. July 14th, 2025

Tom L's Monday Swim Report -

Heavy marine, drizzly wet, and bumpy water.  Avila was wet and cold when I arrived at 915 AM.   There were aquatic micro climates in the water ranging from 54 to 56 degrees. The swim was a nice way to start the week.

 

Sunday, July 13th, 2025

When I was out on the pier taking the water temperature (57°) I saw Paula and Eileen swimming in towards the buoy line. They had been swimming back and forth between the Avila and Poly Piers and would do some final distance along the buoy line. I think they did 5 to 6K M. Paula leaves Thursday for the Trans Tahoe swim, then to Ireland where she'll visit relatives and do a swim around an island at Sandycove, Cork. She, Eileen and Nick (?), will swim a point to point 10K in the Horsetooth reservoir in Fort Collins, Colorado. Paula had a great swim at this race last year and is looking forward to a second go.  

Jamie and I swam at 11. She has been swimming but not in the ocean for about a year. The wind was up, the water was 57° and choppy, it was 60° with partial sun. I wanted to do 4,000M which would be two triangles (3,200M) with a little extra at the end. The chop was out of the SW,  about a foot plus and some work to push through. Swimming along the buoys to the west on the west side of the pier was quite rough, but the next leg to the end of the pier seemed easier. Sometimes the rhythm and direction of the chop fits my stroke better and it feels easier.             

Jamie was getting cold and went in from the end of the Avila Pier. I continued over to and around the reef, came back along the buoy line and made my distance by swimming to the end of the pier and back.  

I'll swim at 7 on Tuesday and I'll start at 6:30, maybe even earlier, on Thursday to make a 9:30 meeting. Then Saturday at 7 and Sunday at 11. 

niel

Saturday, July 12th, 2025

It was glassy water and foggy sky's this morning at Avila Beach, much like the last few mornings. When Tom and I were getting ready there was a low ceiling but we could eastly see the Poly Pier so we  decided to swim the P Pier and Reef Buoy loop. Off of the Avila Pier I had measured a water temp of 60°.  Our goal for this swim was 4,000M. We swam to the #1 crossbars on the P Pier and out to the end of the pier where we found that the fog had closed in and the only thing there was to see was a boat that was anchored near the pier. We took a bearing on the boat that would lead us to either the Avila Pier or the beach and swam a reasonably straight line to the end of the Avila Pier. From there I could see the loom of Fossil Point so we headed over there and completed our loop to the #1 buoy. At that point we were at 3,300M so we swam to the end of the pier and back to make our distance.      

Niel and Tom at the Reef Buoy with a Great Blue Heron in the background, 

walking on the kelp looking to see if it was crabs or fish for breakfast. 

I'll swim tomorrow at 11.

niel

Friday, July 11th, 2026

Tom L's Swim Report -

Heavy marine layer, a breeze blowing on shore, and bumpy water. Toes in the water at 930 a.m.  The water temperature was 58° and it was a good morning Swim. 

Thursday, July 10th, 2025

This morning I swam a counterclockwise loop around the Poly Pier and the Reef Buoy and added a half triangle on the west side of the pier at the end for 4,179M. The water was 59° with colder spots and the air temp was 57°.  At the start there was no wind and the surf was 1 to 2 foot, it was overcast with a fog bank on the water to the west, south and east.  

Fossil Point from between the Poly and Avila Piers. 

The sun was coming out at this point. 

On the east side of the Avila Pier the water was brown and full of plankton but in other areas it was clear and when the sun came out I could see my shadow in the water swimming below me.  It was nice swimming in the sunshine for a while. When I arrived back at the Avila Pier the wind had come up, the water was getting choppy, the sun was gone and the fog was being blown in towards the beach.

The Saturday group will swim at 7 and I'll swim at 11 on Sunday.

niel 

Monday July 9th, 2025

Tom L's Wednesday Morning Swim - 

The conditions were basically the same as Monday… And Tuesday… Heavy marine layer, glassy water, and a small wave rolling in. The water temperature was about 56°. The lime green water had drifted over to the east side today. A lifeguard training and junior guards were in full swing. It was an excellent morning swim. 

Tuesday, July 8th, 2025

Chasing Tom Israel - 

On the 4th Tom surprised and impressed all of us by blowing past the 5,000M goal for the 4th of July swim by doing 6,500M for his birthday swim. 

So it is now up to me to catch up with him.  I'm going to try and do 4,000M on the three easy days of the week and 5,500 to 6,000M on Tuesdays. If that works out If I can do that for a cope of weeks I'll take a shot at my 7,500M birthday swim. 

The swimming conditions were wonderful this morning. Avila Beach was grey, windless, glassy and flat with an air temperature of 56 and water at 56° - 57°. I swam in water that had a greenish tinge like Tom mentioned Sunday. I'm guessing that we are seeing the onset of the summer plankton blooms and the end of our nice clean water.  

I'll swim at about 8 on Thursday and at 7 on Saturday.

niel

Monday, July 7th, 2025

Tom Lorish's Monday Swim - 

Heavy marine layer, 56° air temperature, glassy calm water. That was Avila at 915 AM.  There was a 3–4 foot wave rolling in and several squadrons of pelicans hanging out by the rock buoy.  The water was 56 degrees, clear and pristine, but there was a curious band of lime green on the west side.  I don't recall seeing that particular shade of water before, but it no doubt has to do with the marine layer, the way light refracts and what's beneath the surface of the water.  It was a good Monday morning vitamin. 

Sunday, July 6th, 2025

Tom Lorish's Sunday Swim

Overcast, bumpy water and a breeze.  That was Avila at 915 AM when I arrived. The water clarity was pristine and the temperature was 56 degrees.  Nice Sunday Swim. 

Members of the SLO Surfrider Chapter did a beach cleanup in Avila at 10.

  

Saturday, July 5th, 2025

A Perfect Morning for a Swim - 

Avila Beach put on its best for Niel and Don to do a short and relaxing swim. Don is in town from the Bay Area where he swims with the Dolphin Club and he had time for a short swim. I just wanted to get loosened up after a long swim the day before. 

At 7 it was sunny (!), 49° and calm with 59° water. The surf was up with 5 to 6 footers lurking among the 2 to 3 foot sets. The water was glassy with a small ripple on the surface. 

There was some bait ball action with pelicans breakfasting near the reef buoy. For an easy mile we swam over to the second crossbars on the P. Pier, to the end of the Avila Pier and in. 

So, Garmin began by tracking our swim then lost its mind before we reached the P. Pier but somehow logged the correct distance and time. 
 

Niel and Don at the Poly Pier with Fossil Point in the background.  

I'm not swimming tomorrow. I'm with the Surfrider chapter tomorrow doing a beach cleanup in Avila. I plan on swimming this coming week on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday at 7.

niel 
 

Friday, The 4th of July

Earning A Second Piece Of Pie  -

We had 10 swimmers in the water this morning looking to do a long swim and to be guilt free later today when solving the choice of 'apple or cherry pie?' and saying I'll have both! 

The plan was to get in at 7, beating the crowds and the parking hassles, and to do about 5000M. With the large difference in our speeds and one persons desire to sneak in a Birthday Swim we swam in several groups. 

Nick, Alan, David, Avery, Eileen, Jim, Tom Israel, Niel and Paula

Tom Lorish got in later. We spoke to him at the first buoy as we were finishing up.

The water gods smiled on us with nice swimming conditions. It was overcast with a peek of sun and a hint of warmth after we were out of the water. The temperatures were 55° air and 58° water. When we got in at 7:15 the water was smooth with a slight swell, the waves were 1 to 2 foot and the water was clean with good visibility. Midway through the swim the swell picked up and the water became lumpy with some push. When we were getting out the surf was up with some 5 foot waves. 

The route was east along the buoys and past buoy #4 until we were clear of the kelp at the reef buoy, go around the kelp and to the end of the Avila Pier. Then to the second crossbars on the Poly Pier, to the end of the P. Pier, back to the end of the Avila Pier and in to the first buoy where several people had tied off bottles of endurance drink. We checked our distance and decided that another triangle would put us at 5K. Tom Israel said that he was feeling good and was going to swim to the Avila Rock to make the 6500M distance for his birthday swim. 

Getting In

Niel's plot

Tom I's plot

Tom does Poseidon walking out of the sea after swimming 6,500M.

Don and I will swim and easy mile tomorrow at 7. 

niel

Thursday, July 3rd, 2025

Holiday Warm Up Swim - 

Tom swam to the Avila Rock yesterday. I had not been out there is a while so that became my goal for today.  Avila in now in its 'July No Sky' season, it was gray and 56° with no sign of when there would be some sun. There was a light breeze and a on foot swell out of the SE so it was a push into the swell on the way out to the rock and surfing it on the return.     

The water was 58° but with the cloud cover it is feeling colder. 

Tomorrow we will have a nice size group to swim on the 4th. We'll get in at 7 to beat the crowds. Distances will vary out to 5000M, depending on enthusiasm. 

The Saturday group will swim at 7

I'll take a rest day on Sunday and not swim.  I will be in Avila at 10 for the Surfrider beach clean up. We'll collect plastic trash to keep it out of the water. 

niel