Friday, April 25th, 2025

Tom Lorish - 

Glassy water, a little bit of rain, and a good morning Swim.  There was a heavy marine layer and some rain filled clouds at Avila when I arrived at 9 am. About 20 minutes into my swim the rain clouds opened up and it rained for about 20 minutes before giving way to a few spots of blue sky.  The water temperature was about 52°. 

Thursday, April 24th, 2025

 Niel's Thursday Morning Swim -

This morning I did a clockwise lap around the reef buoy and the end of the Poly Pier. I came in along the P Pier to the first crossbars before turning to the Avila Pier because I could not remember if I had ever gone that way in that direction.  I got in the water at 7:15. The conditions were grey and overcast which made navigation difficult.  The kink in by leg to the end of the Poly Pier is because it was difficult to see the pier against the hills beyond.  The air and water were 54°, it was calm, the surf small and the water glassy and clean except for some wind chop near the mouth of San Luis Obispo Creek.  

I'll swim with Jodi and Tom Israel on Saturday at 7:30AM., rain or shine. 

niel

Wednesday, April 23rd, 2025

Tom Lorish's Wednesday Morning Swim - 

Glassy calm water, heavy marine layer and excellent swimming. Toes in the water at 9 AM.  The water temperature was 53°. There were 2 to 3 foot waves rolling in slowly and the water clarity was crystal. 

Tuesday, April 22nd, 2025

 

I enjoyed a really nice swim this morning. The water was in the mid 50's, there was solid overcast and a light wind out of the south. The surf was 2 feet +/- and the water was glassy with a small ripple.

I got in at about 7:10 AM and planned to do a couple of triangles. I'd picked up a mild cold and wanted a route that would give me opportunities to bail out if I hit my limit before I was done.

The swimming went really well. I said quick hi to a couple of other swimmers near the #4 buoy on the west side.  The water did feel colder than 55° but that may have been my virus.

Other than two egrets who were stalking the kelp at the reef buoy I saw no other birds, seals, otters or other sea life.

I'll swim Thursday morning at 7 and Saturday at 7:30.

niel    

Monday, April 21st, 2025

Sunday Tom Lorish took 6 members of the CP woman's water polo team out to the Avila Rock.

That sounds like great fun!

For Monday 

Overcast, gray, and incredibly glassy flat water. I arrived at Avila at 845 AM to gray skies and mirror like glassy water. The water temperature was 54°. It was a lovely morning Swim.  

Saturday, April 19th, 2025

Jodi, Tom Israel and Niel didn't plan on doing a Martini Swim today but the swimming conditions were so nice we changed our route after we were at the Avila Rock.  

At 7:30 the air and water temperatures were 54°. It was overcast and very calm with a glassy ocean, a small swell and small waves. Outside the buoy line the water was 54°, it was colder near the beach and 52° +/- between the Avila and Poly Piers. Clean water everywhere. I didn't see any seals and few birds.  

The swim out to the Avila Rock was so nice that when we grouped up at the rock we were all thinking of doing a Martini Swim instead of heading back to the Avila Pier.   

The water has been unusually clear 

Tom and Jodi at the Avila Rock

Jodi Tom and Niel at the Avila Rock

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

After 1:49 in the water we're back on the beach.

Some sunshine would have been nice to help us warm up at the showers but the swimming was wonderful. 

It is Kris's birthday tomorrow so I'll not be swimming until Tuesday. 

niel  

Friday, April 18th, 2025

Tom Lorish's Friday Morning Swim -

Overcast, a slight breeze, and dimpled water. I arrived at Avila at 920 AM. There was a super low tide and the water was mostly flat with dimpled water from the slight breeze. The water temperature was 52 and the swimming was excellent. 

Wednesday, April 16th, 2025

Tom Lorish's Wednesday Swim -

Solid cloud cover and glassy water.  I arrived at Avila at 855 AM. There was a solid cloud cover, and a lazy 1–3 foot wave rolling in.  The water was glassy, clear, and 52°.  Beautiful morning Swim. 

Tuesday, April 15th, 2025

I was in the water at 6:50 this morning. The air temperature was 46°, it was calm and overcast with a glassy ocean and 2 waves with an occasional 3+ footer. The water was very clear and  green. The breaking waves were very pretty. The water temperature was 52° but felt colder to me. 

I had planned to do this swim today if the conditions were friendly. I swam the route counterclockwise.  I was over the initial chill by the time I reached the 4th buoy near the creek mouth and headed for the first crossbars.  

Swimming the length of the P Pier seemed longer than usual but the view from the end of the pier was spectacular. 

The leg to the reef buoy is much longer but then there is the 'sprint' down the buoy line to #1 and heading to the beach. I kept looking for the waves but ended up swimming in until I touched the sand.       

I have an early and busy morning on Thursday so fitting in my swim is iffy. 

I will swim Saturday and Sunday.

niel   

Monday. April 14th, 2025

Tom Lorish's Morning Swim -

It was a 51-50 day at Avila… Heavy marine layer, glassy calm water, 50° air temperature and 51° water.  There were hundreds of the little sailor jellies washed up on the beach and hundreds more out in the water - catching the currents and wind to places beyond.  Excellent morning vitamin. 

Sunday, April 13th, 2025

An April Joke form the Ocean Gods - 

The ocean gods enjoyed a good joke today: This morning the water temperature was down 5 degrees from Saturday's 55° to 50.5° this morning.  I met Wayne as I was heading out the pier to take the water temp. He had swum earlier and had measured a water temp of 50° at the end of the Avila Pier. My thermometer reading from the pier was 50.5° so I rethought what today's swim was going to be like. 

I'd arrived early and got in by myself. Getting in the water didn't feel as gold as 50° but once I was beyond the surf line the full chill set in and I decided that a mile would be enough. At the end I turned in to the beach because to the fishermen on the pier (nice to have the rebuilt part finally open) and because there had been a large otter at the buoy line next to the pier.

When I arrived back at my chair David Cheney and Stephanie Popp were getting ready to get in. They were going to swim the buoy line.

niel 
  

Saturday, April 12th, 2025

 A Super Saturday - 

It felt like a summer morning today. There were low clouds, the air temperature was 47° and the water was 55°(!).  Yes, I confirmed Toms toes number from yesterday from the Avila Pier. We have not seen that water temperature since early November so there is reason to hope that spring weather and water temperatures are here.  The surf was 2 to 3 foot and the water was flat. The Lifeguard Lap Paddleboard race was this morning and we would be sharing the water with 50 entrants competing in 4 and 8 mile races. 

We got in at 7:30, a half hour before the the race started and set out to do a Point to Pier T.    

Jodi and Tom I. 

The five degree bump up in the water temp from last Saturday was very noticeable, still nippy but not difficult.  Beyond the surf line the water was as clear as it get here. It seemed that I could see 15' down the swim buoy's anchor chain. That and the warmer temperature made the swimming great. From the end of the Avila Pier it is 830 M to Fossil Point and 670 M to the Poly Pier so this route had four long legs where you could stretch out and just swim.   

Paula sent us a video of her on a whale watching trip in Monterey Bay. There was oohing and ahhing at the fluke waves so Jodi and Tom I did one for her. 

I'll be back tomorrow at 11. 

niel   

Friday, April 11th, 2025

 Tom Beats The Crowds - 

A beautiful spring summer day at Avila. I arrived at 900 a.m. and it was already 62°. Clear blue skies, scattered clouds, and glassy calm water.  There was a slow moving 2 foot wave rolling in that crumbled onto the shore. The water temperature was 55, 56°. Which was surprising because it was about 51 on Wednesday. But, we've been seeing swings like that for the last couple years. It was a wonderful morning swim. 

The Lifeguard Lap paddle board race is tomorrow in Avila Beach. 4 and 8 mile courses. 

https://paddleguru.com/races/TheLifeguardLap

niel

   

Wednesday, April 9th, 2025

Tom Lorish's Wednesday Swim - 

The conditions were pretty much the same as Monday. Except for the water temperature which was down a couple degrees to 51.  Beautiful morning Swim. 

Monday, April 7th, 2025

Tom Lorish's Swim Report -

Beautiful morning at Avila. I arrived at 91 5 AM to blue skies and a hazy horizon. The swell had picked back up after a few days of flat and calm. There were 3 to 4 foot waves rolling through and the bulldozer was knocking down the berm and building up the Sand around the lifeguard towers. The water temperature was about 53° and the swimming was good.