Friday After Work O'Side Pier Swim

Before the rain that is predicted, I got in a swim around the pier today. It was rather challenging, with a strong current with a big chop coming in hard from the ocean. I had a few gulps of sea water that I could have done without. Even swimming in was difficult with the current and chop hitting me at an angle that made breathing on both sides difficult. The water temp was a cold 57, but felt colder. Only 4-5 surfers in the water with no waves that could be surfed-very sloppy.
I forgot my camera. Need to get a waterproof camera to get some good pictures looking in at the land from the water.

Thurs Feb 24 More Pics

Oh, how sloppy is the water. Dirty, too. My wet suit is only 1 millimeter thick and with a fabric liner and after 20 minutes or so I am thinking cold, cold, cold as I swim.

Feb 24 Thursday late afternoon Oceanside Pier

Sloppy, cold, washing machine, brown water at the beach today. I counted the number of people in the water on one hand. I don't know why I am compelled to get into this nasty water and swim around the pier, but it does something good for me. There was even one older man in the water with just his swim suit on and a pair of fins. The water is freezing. Gotta give him his respect for skipping the wet suit. Wow.

Wed More Pics

The water was nicer than yesterday but still dirty and choppy. I swam a wide loop around the pier. I held up OK, although my hands were a bit stiff from the cold when I got out. I took a few pictures of the high timeshares they built at the pier to ruin the quiet atmosphere of old Oceanside. I don't care for the "development" to "improve" Oceanside. I liked it when the beach was quiet.

Maybe that's why I look so mad in my self-portrait. I need longer arms to get my head smaller.

Wed Feb 23 O'Side Pier Swim

I took these after I got out of the water.

Tuesday Feb 22 O'Side Pier

I went in the water and swam the pier after work today. Very choppy and hard to get the head up to breathe the air. Cold. Against the current. Only a few surfers in the water. What else could you want, right? It was great. It's two hours later and I'm still chilly.

Monday No Camera

The water wasn't as rough Monday on the Holiday and I was able to swim freestyle. Still brown water but I didn't get sick Sunday so I went for it.

Sunday Even More

Brown water surfing. This picture above shows the clear delineation from the bluish water to the brownish water - the picture on the left, I mean. I swam the bluish part, skirting along the brown part trying to stay just beyond it. It was kinda' neat. Through my goggles I could clearly see the brown water cloud pushing out toward me while I was swimming along.

Sunday More

Good brown water shot above.

Sunday Feb 21 O'Side Pier Brown Water Swimmimg

Check out the rough water looking south from the Oceanside Pier to the Carlsbad power plant. In the top picture at the right you can see the brown water. And I swam through it. Hopefully I won't get a sinus infection or something. They say wait 3 days after a rain to swim but I couldn't hold out.

Rough Water Around the Pier Sunday but Neat

Today I wore my fins, webbed gloves, and even my US Divers Swimmer's Safety Vest (yellow) with the CO2 cartridge or oral inflation methods. I alternated between backstroke and sidestroke, switching off sides, and got around the pier and back in. The water was chilly and very rough, with swells in the range of 8 feet. I swam against the current, and got dizzy a few times. It was a good, invigorating, and challenging swim. Took me a solid hour.

So what's up with that sign on the big concrete thing in the picture at the top left that says "No Sand?" And the "No Sand picture bottom left looks like there is a hand reaching up out of the concrete circular thing. Cheesh. Then I see the word "Hot." Maybe that's why the person with the hand is trying to get out, eh?

The Harbor water was brown and dirty Sunday

Funny thing-while I was taking a few pictures of the dirty runoff, I decided not to get in the water there and walked back to my car. A friendly meter cop was in the process of giving me a ticket because I had not yet paid my dollar for the meter. I was taking a quick look at the water before committing to two dollars for parking. The meter guy asked me, "Is this your car?"

I answered, "Yes. Am I beyond the point of no return?"

He replied that if I put a dollar in the meter he would forget the parking ticket. It made me feel good about my karma and about someone doing another person a good turn.

Feb 20 O'Side Pier after Heavy Rain Saturday

I started at the Oceanside Harbor to take a look at the water quality. Here are a few pictures of the dirty runoff into the Ocean from the San Luis Rey Creek: