Ironman Triathlon Oceanside Tomorrow April 2, 2011

After work I went down to the beach and took a long, extended swim around the pier. It was flat and beautiful. Warmer. About 60, maybe warmer. Waves 1-3 feet, good shape, surfable all along the beach, spread out. Lots of beachgoers and surfers. As usual, I was the only ocean swimmer. I have Oceanside beyond the breakers to myself. Wow!

Wet suit still, no gloves, fins.

Here's some pictures of the scene.

pre ROHTO IRONMAN TRIATHLON OCEANSIDE April 2, 2011

I swam the pier after work today and it was very nice. The water was glassy flat out past 2-3 foot, well-shaped waves ready to be surfed. The surfers were scattered along a long stretch of beach because there were so many corners to surf-no need to crowd in on each other today.

I took a few pictures from the street above the beach.

No webbed gloves today, but I did wear my fins (my security blanket).

Temp about 59-60 degrees and I hit several warm bands of water.

Gosh, it was so nice having the whole ocean past the breakers to myself! One really does have it all to oneself out there; it's really hard to believe when you think about it. On a day like today, there should be a hundred ocean swimmers out there taking advantage of how lucky we are to have this resource free-just the cost of a parking meter. For me, $1.25 to $2.00 per day.

The Pier area was bustling with athletes and locals taking advantage of a beautiful day-low seventies for air temperature.

The athletes must be enjoying themselves, those who are in town for this Saturday's Ironman Triathlon. They really should have their swim in the ocean; who the heck wants to swim in an enclosed boat harbor?

Oh well, more ocean for me. Best of luck to you triathletes-you are amazing.

Much-Improved Water Conditions for ROHTO Ironman Triathlon Oceanside April 2, 2011

I got into the water for a swim around the pier this afternoon and the water was MUCH nicer than yesterday and the last few weeks. It felt warmer than the 59 degrees that the report said. The ocean was quite flat and smooth for relaxed swimming and breathing. This bodes well for swimming conditions at this weekend's Oceanside Triathlon Swim if conditions hold.

ROHTO IRONMAN TRIATHLON OCEANSIDE CA April 2, 2011

So, the parking lots at the beach and harbor are closed to us locals this week as the city prepares for this weekend's Ironman Triathlon. I feel a bit sorry for the swimmers who have to swim their 1.2 mile segment in the Oceanside Harbor. That water is tainted with fuel from the boats there. I don't care for the fuel smell while I swim. The ocean at the Oceanside beach has been rough and dirty over the last several weeks so that is not looking too good either for a nice swim. I think that the Camp Pendleton Beach would be a great swim spot but several years ago a man drowned during a triathlon swim off the beach there, just north of the Oceanside Harbor past the long, rock jetty. That jetty keeps the water in the ocean cleaner on Camp Pendleton than just a half-mile south in Oceanside and the Oceanside Harbor. Water temps have been about 57-58 in recent weeks and a thin wet suit really is recommended. There's a fellow up north in Avila Beach, near San Luis Obispo, who swims the ocean regularly year-round with no wet suit. Check out his web site at www.robaquatics.com In my blog here I have lots of pictures of the water at the beach in Oceanside, CA. I swim the Harbor and the Pier a lot. Check 'em out. Good luck to the triathletes this weekend. The bike ride course on base should be beautiful.

Sunday Evening Pier March 27, 2011

The water was choppy and rough and I had a hard time with my swim today. Swimming into the chop on the way out and having a hard time breathing with the chop coming in. Waves smaller than yesterday-about 3-4 feet and sloppy. Only a handful of surfers. I found this heart design that someone had made and decided it was worth posting.

Oceanside Pier Saturday Night

The water was bigger tonight, and thankfully, cleaner than yesterday. I really noticed that the feel of the water was fresher tonight. The sun is setting late now after the time change so I didn't get in until about 5 PM. Temp was 58. Rougher than yesterday-about 3 to 6 feet. Little interval between waves. Lots of strong surge. Current running north to south.

More surfers out there than yesterday-nobody on the north side and about two dozen on the south side. Well, maybe fifteen.

I got in on the south side with my fins, webbed gloves, hole-ey wet suit, and yellow swimmer's safety vest. Also two swim caps and my swim goggles. I also wear rash guard shorts and shirt underneath it all. I still started to chill up on my way out after fifteen minutes. My wet suit is thin and old and worn out.

A hard swim against the current to get around the pier. Big chop as usual lately, making breathing and a smooth stroke difficult.

No puking. Here's a few pictures.