Difficult Swim Wednesday Afternoon

I went too early today to the beach because it was way too crowded for me.  I got in just south of Surfrider Way and swam out and angled to the end of the pier.  It was hard swimming out against the chop and tide coming in, but a southerly current drifted me toward the pier.  I rounded the pier and swam in on the south side.  However, I didn't land; I turned around at 34 minutes before I hit the surf zone and went back the way I came. 
The southerly current was a bear to swim out and toward the pier against.  I mean a bear.  I swam my butt off in the chop and tried to reach that doggone pier.  It's an interesting experience at times like this--you're stuck out there drifting backwards, and you not only have to swim toward the pier, you have to add in the effect of the ocean.  You think about giving up and going back to the sand, but what do you do?  Me. I got an abdominal cramp from kicking and pulling and kept kicking and pulling even harder.  I really don't like the ocean to get the best of me when the current thing occurs.
The water was warm with good visibility--about 15 feet visibility far out.  A greenish color to the water was a bit tropical.  Breathing was a pain with the chop; that sea water sure causes instant retching.  After I got around I took a quick look at the watch and it was 1 hour and 1 minute.  The last segment of my swim in toward where I started was pathetic.  I was done. And still swimming diagonally against the current.  I finished at 1 hour and 24 minutes.  A tough swim.  I gotta' build up my endurance times. 


"The first time you quit is the last time you try."