Oceanside Pier Swim Training

I took 2 pictures and "dead battery" in my camera. The sky was overcast at the pier and the water was CHOPPY! Hard to swim in. The ocean was very warm. Probably 70 degrees. It was hard getting out through the rough surf zone today but I need the practice without the fins. I did the pier in about 45 minutes, I'd approximate. It felt like I wasn't going anywhere at all in the washing machine-like water. I wore my yellow swimmers safety vest with the oral inflation tube and the CO2 cartridge inflation option. I was actually pleased out there that I had it on today.

The color of the water today and yesterday was very pretty-a neat blue after getting out a ways past the breakers-visibility about 7 feet. Lousy surf so hardly any surfers.

My training without the fins seems to be going better than I anticipated. I have kicking issues, though. I did a six-beat kick the first 2/3rds of the swim and a 4-beat kick the last third. I don't know. I get little or no propulsion from my kick, it seems. I need some input. Other than that, I got wet and tired so it was a good day.