Friday, April 24th, 2026

Tom's Friday Swim Report -

Blue skies, scattered clouds, a cold breeze blowing from the southwest and bumpy water. It was rough water swimming today. Toes in the water at 845 AM. Air temperature was low 60s and the water was 54, 55°.  It was a good Friday morning vitamin. 

Wednesday, April 22nd, 2026

Tom's Wednesday Morning Swim Report -

Blue skies, scattered clouds, and a bump and roll on the water.  Air temperature was low 60s and the water was mid 50s. The water clarity was beautiful. Excellent morning vitamin. 

Monday, April 20th, 2026

Niel's Monday Morning Swim - 

This morning's numbers were; a 43° air temp, 55°- 56° water temp, a slight offshore wind and 2 foot surf.  

I did the loop around the reef buoy and the Poly Pier. The breeze made it a bit bumpy further out and the water was a degree or so warmer between the Avila and Poly Piers that it was on the east side of the Avila Pier. 

Just enough clouds to give the sky some character. 

With the rain predicted for tonight and tomorrow and some traveling I won't be in the water again until next Tuesday. 

niel   

Saturday, April 18th, 2026

Sombody Turned Down the Water Temperature - 

Niel, Eileen, Paula and Tom got in the water a bit after 7.  A air temperature of 42° and a water temp of 55°- 56° made things more chilly, and seasonally correct, than they have been.There was a light offshore wind and thin high clouds. It was just past low tide and the waves were 2 foot.

 We decided to negoiate a route once we met up at the end of the Avila Pier. 

The route woudl be to swim to the sharp end of Fossil Point, out to the Avila Rock, around the rock and to the end of the Avila Pier, then in to the beach.  

Before we arrived at the Avila Rock the wind had died away leaving us will smooth and glassy water for the rest of the swim.  

Niel, Eileen, Tom (the yellow cap in the center of the frame, sitting on the Avila Rock), Paula and a group of cormarants that were keeping an eye on Tom to make sure he didn't make a move on their spot at the peak of the rock. 

This was a very nice way to start a Saturday.

I'll swim again on Tuesday morning unless the rain arrives early.

niel 

Friday, April 17th, 2026

Tom's Friday Morning Swim - 

Clear blue skies, flat water, and a good Friday morning Swim.  The air temperature was low 60s and the water temperature was mid 50s. It was a beautiful Friday morning Swim. 

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.  

Saturday, March 28th, 2025

 The Saturday Swim Report - 

Elmore Leonard says to never start a story with the weather, but it is the first thing on your mind when arriving at the beach to swim, so;

It was foggy in Avila this morning for the first time in a while. The ari temperature was 54° and the water was still up at 59°. The surf was 3 foot with an occasional pair of 4 footers. We have the swim zone buoys now so Jodi, Tom and Niel had several options for routes that would have landmarks that could be seen in the fog.  There was the ghost of a private fishing boat near the buoy at the reef on the east side so we decided to start by swimming out to the end of the Avila Pier, back in along the opposite side of the pier and to the 4th buoy on the west side and to double back the way we had come. At the 4th buoy we could see the Poly Pier clearly so we changed plans and swam to the second crossbars on the P. Pier, out and around the end and back to the second crossbars.  From there we doubled back along our route to the 4th buoy, along the buoys to the Avila Pier and in.           

The fog was never thick enough to be difficult, the swimming was nice and 59° water is makes things pretty casual.  We never saw the fishing boat while we were swimming. 

Pale Kae was launching their boats while we were at the showers.   

Tom, Jodi and a Great Blue Heron checking out 

the Saturday Morning Poly Pier Buffet

Tom, Niel, Jodi and the Fog at the end of the Poly Pier

My schedule next week is Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday at 7. 

niel

Friday, March 27th, 2026

Tom L's Friday Swim Report - 

High clouds, and some fog rolling in on the horizon… The air temperature was high 60s in the water temperature was high 50s. Flat and calm and the swimming was beautiful. 

Wednesday, March 25th, 2026

Tom's Wednesday Morning Swim - 

Foggy, flat and glassy.  The air temperature was 58° and the water temperature  was 58°. The water clarity remains excellent. It was a good morning Swim. 

Thursday, March 23rd, 2026

 

At the end of the Poly Pier

Swimming The Bumps - 

The wind was blowing strong and steady from the north to northeast this morning. In near the buoy line the chop was small but would be bigger further offshore. The air temp was 64°, the water was 59° and it is still nice and clear. The waves were 2 to 3 feet. 

I had planned on swimming about 4K today. The route I had planned was the loop from the Avila Pier out to the end of the Poly Pier, to the the reef buoy and back with an additional out and back around the Avila Pier added to make the 4K. I couldn't tell how rough was at the end of the Poly Pier. The swim back from the end of the P. Pier would be into or across the chop, so I fugured that from the end of the P. Pier I could either swim my plan, swim back in along the P Pier or swim to the end of the Avila Pier. 

At the end of teh Poly Pier I decided to head towards the end of the Avila Pier. It was good and bumpy but not quite bumpy enough to make me bail and cut things short, so I wound up swimming my original plan. I didn't get my 4K but I felt like I had.

While I was at the showers Duke came by to say hi on his way to the water. It is good to see him at the beach. 

Thursday is predicted to have temperatures in the low 70's and less wind. The conditions will be whatever they are but if the water temperature stays in the upper 50's I'll not be complaining. 

I'll be in the water at about 7:30 on Thursday. 

niel

Monday, March 23rd, 2026

Tom's Monday Morning Swim Rep[ort - 

Blue skies, sunny and warm. Air temperature was 70° when I arrived at 915 AM.  The water was super clear and high 50s. Excellent Monday morning vitamin. 

Saturday, March 21st. 2026

60 Degree Water -

A week of hot weather had pushed the water temperature up to 60°. The visibility was very good, out at the buoy line I could see the ripples in the sand.  The waves were 2 foot except for two 4 footers that slipped in while we were wading out. There was a light offshore breeze and thin high clouds. 

Jodi suggested that we swim a Oy-Oy route today. That is a Yo-Yo route backwards.  It started from the end of the Avila Pier, went to the 4th buoy on the east side, to the 3rd buoy and back to the end of the pier. Then to the #2 buoy, to the #1 buoy, back to the end of the pier and finishes by swimming to the 3rd buoy on the west side, to the 2nd buoy and back to the end of the pier.     

Eileen, Avery, Niel, Paula and Jodi

This coming week I'll swim Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday at 7.

niel

Tom's Friday Swim Report - 

 Blue skies and a little hazy on the horizon, high 60s air temperature and high 50s of water temperature. The water clarity wasn't quite what it was on Wednesday, but it was still on the far end of the clarity continuum. Another sublime swimming day at Avila. 

Thursday, March 19th, 2026

Better Than Summer - 

Summer swimming conditions in Avila Beach are not often better than it has been this week in March. This morning it was another clear and still day with with an air temperature of 57°, 2 foot surf and glassy 57° (!) water. The water has also been unusually clean with visability as good as it gets in Avila Beach.  

I followed Tom's bubbles from yesterday by swimming out to the Avila Rock. I returned by swimming to the 4th buoy on the east side of the pier, along the buoys to #1 and in to the beach. 
Changing in the warm sunshine makes the swimming even better. 

I'll be joining the group swim on Saturday morning at 7.

niel 

Wednesday, March 18th, 2026

Tom's Wednesday Swim Report - 

Blue skies and super Clear water. Air temperature was mid 60s and the water temperature was mid 50s. The water clarity was sublime – I could see the bottom of the ocean out past the buoy line. It was a perfect day for swimming around the rock, so I did.  

Tuesday, March 17th, 2026

A East Side Yo-Yo -

When I got in the water at 7 Avila Beach was clear, 51°, with a light offshore breeze, 2 foot waves and flat, glassy 55° water. When I was at the showers at 8:40 it was 72° and warming up nicely. 

I swam a Yo-Yo route on the east side. 

The water was very clean. This is a look down the anchor chain for the #1 buoy on the east side. It seemed like I could almost see the bottom. 

I'm looking forward to my Thursday and Saturday swims.

niel

Sunday, March 15th, 2026

 Tom's Sunday Swim Report - 

Blue skies with thin high clouds. A breeze blowing off shore and small waves rolling in. The air temperature was mid 60s and the water temperature was no 50s. The swimming was excellent. 

Saturday, March 14th, 2026

 Niel, Jodi and Tom got in the water at 7:40 this morning. It was going to be a warm day at the beach. The air temp was 61° when we got in and 74° when we got out. It was clear and sunny with no clouds. At 7:30 the parking along Front St. was full and there were more than the usual number of people on the beach. There was a light offshore breeze that strengthened while we were in the water. The water was clean with no sign of the weird funk Tom Lorish ran into yesterday. I measured a water temperature of 53° off of the Avila Pier. 

Jodi suggested that we do a yo-yo swim in recognition of the return of the swim zone buoys. We chose to swim on the west side of the pier because we would not be swimming towards the sun as much. The wind came up and the legs toward the beach became more difficult to push into the current and chop. We all agreed that the water didn't look like it would be as difficult to swim in as it was.

An hour and a half of that and we were ready to get out. 

This was the first swim for Jodi's new Dakine front zip wetsuit and she gave it a thumbs up for being comfortable and warm.

I'll swim Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday mornings next week at 7:30. Maybe the hot weather in the coming week will push up the water temperature a bit.

niel