Monday, September 1st, 2025

Tom's Labor Day Swim - 

Clear skies, 70° plus air temperature, dimple water, and a 3 foot wave rolling in every now and then. Beautiful first day of September at Avila. Toes in the water at 9 AM. The water temperature was a degree or 2/60 and the swimming was excellent as it has been all week and long weekend. In the "remember when" category, remember when Labor Day weekend was the end of tourist season? 

Sunday, August 31st. 2025

At the second crossbars on the Poly Pier 

   

I didn't crop this photo because I hope you will be able to see how glass like the water was this morning. 

I was on my own and got in a bit before 10 this morning. Edward and two other swimmers were looking for me but we didn't find each other until we were at the showers.  Tom Lorish was getting in just as I got to the beach. I saw him swim out to the end of the pier and turn right towards the Poly Pier.  

I measured a water temperature off 63° off of the pier. The water under the pier was a degree or more colder so Tom's toes estimate of 64° - 65° wasn't far off. The surf was one foot with an occasional 2+ footer. In spite of the current warning to not eat Central Coast shellfish there is little sign of plankton and the water is very clean for this water temperature and time of the year, but still don't eat those clams or mussels. 

I was looking for something easy this morning, probably because after yesterday's swim I spent the afternoon in our yard bending the handle on a shovel and using a manual hedge trimmer. 

I wonder if I could develop the concept of the cross training benefits of home ownership?

The swimming was really nice, the sun was warm and I the first 1000M got the kinks out of my shoulders.

I'll swim at 7 on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday and at 11 next Sunday.

I have a list of people who get an email when the blog is updated. If you would like to be added to the list email me at avilaswimming@gmail.com and I'll include you on the list. 

AND a bunch of positive thoughts to Paula and Eileen who will be swimming the Horsetooth Reservoir 10K next Sunday in Fort Collins, CO.

   

niel  

          

        

Saturday, August 30th, 2035

63° Water and Chased By The Fog - 

OK, on last Thursday I said we wouldn't have much better swimming conditions than we had that day, but, today the conditions were the same except the water was three degrees warmer.  

At 7 it was sunny, clear and 53° with no wind and a slight ripple on the water. I measured a water temperature of 63° from the pier.  There were a few otters in the waves and a few birds but no pelicans, dolphins, whales or ships with black sales. Swimming this morning were Jodi, Eileen, Paula, Tom Israel and Niel. We wanted to do about 3,000M and Jodi needed to drop off early to go to work.  We decided to do the same route I did Thursday so Jodi could drop off at the end of the Avila Pier.  

Me in front of Jodi Tom, Paula and Eline, getting 

started at the #1 buoy.

 

Tom, Jodi, Paula and Eileen and a Blue Heron at the first crossbars on the Poly Pier

You can see the fog in the background of the photo. The weather was closing in. When we arrived at the end of the Avila Pier it was getting thick and at the third crossbars we couldn't see the Avila Pier.  We swam i along the pier to the second crossbars, took a bearing on where the fourth buoy would be and kept on that line by keeping the sun on our right shoulder. We all arrived at the 4th buoy and swam along the buoys to our starting point and in to the beach for 3,582M.

Paula and I will swim early tomorrow at 10. Company is welcome.

niel     

Thursday, August 28th, 2025

It Doesn't Get Much Better Than This -

I was toes in the water at 8:20 today.  In Avila Beach it was sunny, 60+ degrees, and calm, with clean 60° water and 1 to 2 foot waves. The lack of plankton in the water this summer will have been hard many of the aquatic critters but the clean water and good visibility has provided great swimming conditions. I grown accustomed to seeing my shadow down in the water, following me as I swim. 

I swam back and forth between the Avila and Poly Piers

We may have the whole group on Saturday morning at 7.

I'll swim at 10 instead of 11 on Sunday so I can make it to a BBQ at 1.

niel 

 

Wednesday, August 27th, 2025

Despite what the calendar might say, it was a gorgeous fall day at Avila this morning. I arrived at 830am to Clear blue skies, 59° air temperature, a slight breeze and dimpled water.  There was a 2 foot wave rolling in with a long period between. The water temperature was variable ranging from 58 on the east side, to 61° on the east side by the CPP. It was an excellent morning Swim. 

Tuesday, August 26th, 2025

 Backsliden - 

Avila Beach has slid back to 'normal' weather conditions. This morning it was 55°, overcast and calm with one foot surf, no swell and smooth water. The temperature was 59° - 60°. 

I got in just before 7 and did a Yo-Yo on the west side.

The cold(er) water gave me a push at the start. I got into it and kept up my pace with no stops until the end. 

On Thursday I have Surfrider stuff to do first so I'll swim closer to 8. I'll swim at 7 on Saturday and at 10 on Sunday so I can attend a club BBQ.

niel
 

Monday, August 25th, 2025

Tom Remembers What Warm Water in Avila Beach Feels Like -  

Marine layer, a slight breeze blowing offshore, and glassy calm tropical water.  The conditions evolved over the course of my swim to blue skies, a steady breeze, and bumpy water. What did not change was the tropical water. It was at least 62°… As warm as I have felt in at least a year or two. Excellent Monday morning Swim. 

Sunday, August 24th, 2025

 A Super Sunday - 

There was early fog but it cleared by 11. The air and water temperatures were 63° thanks to yesterdays summer monsoon weather! The surf was one foot, the water was clear, with some cormorants but no bait fish activity. The wind that had blown the fog away was going to put some chop on the water. 

Paula and Eileen got in around 8 and had finished their 5K swim when I was arriving. They were all smiles and said that there were 'millions' of Vela-Vela near the end of the Poly Pier.

It was Tom Israel and myself today.  We decided to go the other way and swim to the Avila Rock.     

The chop was waiting for us when we cleared the end of the Avila Pier and we would be heading across it on the way to the Avila Rock. It was a bunch of extra work but had a predictable tempo so we just slogged along.  It was beautiful at the Avila Rock with sunny skis and warm water.   

Niel and Tom with the Avila Rock in the background.

Tom suggested that instead of returning the way we had come we should swim in towards the 4th buoy on the east side of the Avila Pier. I was already thinking about doing that because it would be easier than the way we had come.

Next week I'll be swimming at 7 on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday and at 11 on Sunday.

niel   

Saturday, August 23rd, 2025

The Weather Changes - 

This morning the morning fog was thick all of the way from San Luis Obispo to Avila Beach. I could see the first two buoys on the east side of the pier.  Paula arrived at the same time and in the time it took for us to walk out on the pier and measure a 61° water temperature the fog had lifted enough so that we could see the Poly Pier. It was 57° and calm. The surf was one foot plus and the water was smooth and glassy.

Jodi arrived and we decided to start out with Tom's Fog Route, which is back and forth along both sides of the the buoy line with a loop around the pier in the middle.  Paula was looking for 3,000M and so we would do laps until we had our distance. 

We began by going and east. When we arrived at the end of the Avila Pier it had cleared enough that we decided to swim to the end of the Poly Pier, in to the second crossbars, back to the end of the Avila Pier and in to the beach.  

Jodi, Paula and Niel but no whale at the end of the Poly Pier 

I was the last to arrive at the end of the P Pier. Paula and Jodi asked if I had seen the whale that was off of the end of the pier.  I'd been keeping my head down and missed seeing the leviathan.  

Paula will swim at 8 tomorrow with a goal of 5K before tapering to her 10K swim on 9/7.  That is too early and long for me. I'll swim about 3K at 11. 

niel  

Friday, August 22nd, 2025

Warm air, glass water, a curious seal, and a rocket launch. . For the second time in a week, I happen to catch the rocket launch from Vandenberg while I was rolled over on my back swimming.  An interesting sight to go along with a pleasant morning Swim. In the picture if you look closely at the end of the pier, you might be able to see the hundred or so birds out there… It was an inner species flotilla deciding on whether or not to rally and form a bait ball and if so, whether to go clockwise or counterclockwise.  They were still deliberating when I got out an hour later. It was a good Friday morning swim. 

Thursday, August 21st, 2025

It was 57° in Avila Beach at 6:50 when I got in and 71° at 8:30. The whether report says that it will be 100° in Avila today.  

The surf was 1 foot +/-, there was a slight wind and while I was swimming the water went from flat to small ripples. The water temperature at the 4th buoy was 61° and was colder by a degree or so in spots. Four or five swimmers in wetsuits had just gotten in before me. They went east along the buoy so I went west and over to the Poly Pier.    

Between the ends of the Poly and the Avila Piers I was had a large flock of cormorants for company. I wondered if they were thinking that I would scare up some fish for them. It was spooky and they stayed with me until I was near the Avila Pier. When I was at the showers there was a large ball of bait fish off of the end of the Avila Pier where I had been swimming, so the bait fish are back in town along with all of their flying and swimming fans. I'll start checking the water for more feeding time action before getting in the water.    

Swim on Saturday at 7 and Sunday at 11.

niel

Wednesday, August 20th, 2025

Tom Lorish Does Summer - 

Warm day, warm water, a dolphin, lots of bird activity and me.  It was a breezy morning when I arrived at Avila at 845 AM. The air was 70° with gusts blowing from east to west. The water temperature was 60 and had that curious roll to it.  There was a lot of bird activity, with the occasional dive bomb frenzy for sushi, but they couldn't quite get organized well enough for a full-fledged bait ball.  Excellent mid week morning Swim. 

Tuesday, August 19th, 2025

 Could I have Some More of This Please? -

Finally, at 6:45 this morning, it felt like summer in Avila Beach for the first time this year. The overcast was gone leaving us with clear sunny sky's, the air was 53° and rising, there was no wind, small waves and that same small swell and 60° water.   

Jim and I swam out on the east side of the pier and Yo-Yoed to buoys 4 to 1 on the west side.  The 60° water and sunshine made the swimming very comfortable.

The water looked more cloudy than it has been, possibly because it was sunny or maybe some plankton is showing up.    

Niel and Jim at the end of the Avila Pier. 

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

niel  

Monday, August 18th, 2025

Tom Sees Sunshine - 

What a difference a day makes… Yesterday was foggy and cool and today was clear blue skies and warm. There were four sailboats moored  on the west side that may or may not have been there yesterday because how would I have known with all that fog! The water was glassy but had a curious roll that wasn't quite as swell and wasn't quite chop. The water temperature was variable: 56, 57 on the east side and 57, 58 on the West.  Down from yesterday's 59 based on my toes. It was a beautiful morning vitamin. 

Sunday, August 17th, 2025

When I arrived at 10:10 Avila was partially sunny with fog offshore. At 10:25 the fog had moved in to the beach. In another 15 minutes it had thinned and the wind was coming up. I saw Paula and a friend get out. I spoke to them briefly. I do not know what they did for a swim. Jim was ready to swim. His plan was to swim to Fossil Point, to Avila Rock, on to the end of the Poly Pier and back to the Avila Pier for about 2.5 miles. That would be a nice one but I had another swim in mind so we each did our own plan. The water temperature taken from the pier was 61°, which is the first time this year I've measured a water temperature above 59°. It was very comfortable out there today. 

I swam the west buoy line and on to the first crossbars on the Poly Pier, out to the end of the pier and back the way I came. Once the wind came up and blew the fog away a chop got up on the water. Swimming out along the P Pier was bumpy and uphill. The swim back was bumpy and downhill.  
       

I'm at the first crossbars on the Poly Pier.

I'll swim at 7 on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday and at 11 on Sunday. It would be nice if the water temperature stayed above 60° for a while.

niel