So, after the crowds of athletes had departed, I went down for my late afternoon ocean swim at the pier. The wind had whipped up beginning in the early afternoon in Oceanside and the sky had clouded over. Well, to my surprise, once I got into the water, I realized that someone (perhaps God) had changed the whole flow of the ocean backwards, and in one day. Well, I suppose since He created the Heavens and the Earth in seven days, for Him to reverse the current of the water at the beach in Oceanside was small potatoes. I could see before I went in that the water was rough and choppy, so I wore my webbed gloves and swim fins. I didn't think that it was so rough that I might want the safety of my US Divers swimmer's safety vest, so I didn't wear it. Once in, I had a hard time swimming out past the breakers, and then a more difficult time swimming southward, because I was swimming INTO the current. It was really strange. I had to swim and kick HARD to get toward the pier, and also the water was pulling me out seaward. I couldn't keep myself on a straight line, as the ocean had its way with me. The water was washing machine choppy, so there was no rhythm to my swimming. Once I got around the pier, it was still difficult swimming in; usually it is an easier swim IN as the flow of the waves building helps push oneself toward the sand. Not Saturday. Oh well, all in all it was an interesting swim; however, as I am a safety guy, there was a short time out there when I realized that I should have been wearing my safety vest. Here's a few pictures, but, as usual, pictures don't show the true nature of the water; One really has to be IN it to appreciate the power (and also the beauty) of the ocean.
As it turned out, having the Ironman Triathlon swim inside the safety of the Oceanside Harbor, even with its oily, dirty water, proved to be the safer and wiser venue for the athletes. I was wrong again; what else is new?
