Excitement Today. Dolphin Encounter.

Today I had big plans for my swim.  I wanted to do a long swim, but I didn't get it done.  The ocean was like a washing machine on "medium agitate."  Conversely, the day was beautiful.  We cooled off to the upper 70's outside temperature.  Light clouds--the puffy, pillowy kind-- were scattered around the sky, along with wispy, light, paint-brush-stroke clouds across parts of the sky.   
But the water was kind of a mess.  The one-foot chop was difficult to swim in.  Visibility was five feet and that five feet view was cloudy.  Water temperature was 69 degrees.  Lots of bits of broken-up kelp were dispersed in the water and tumbling on the sandy bottom in close. 
So, I'm building up to bit of excitement.  Picture me swimming slowly off the end of the pier, having difficulty breathing in the chop, and I look down and what looks like a big fish (think shark) slowly appears about 2-3 feet below me from behind and swims from below my feet to below my head.    I have an instant "Holy crap, there's a big shark right under me" moment before I see the tail and realize that I am looking at TWO small dolphins, side by side, about 3-4 feet long, now swimming ahead of me and disappearing from my view.
That was neat!  It really was.  Then I start looking around on the surface for a few minutes because I expect them to surface--but nothing. 
So I round the pier about fifty yards past the end of it and I get brushed and tugged at.  Holy crap again!  I think bad stuff until I realize that I am tangled up in a guy's fishing line.  Now, I don't know what giant kind of fish this guy thought he was going to catch, but this fishing line was THICK.  It was like twine.  And he must have had a heavy weight on it which accounted for the tugging I felt.  Oh, boy.  This was great stuff today.  I get the crap scared out of me twice on one swim.  But the thrill of the close dolphins really was amazing (after I knew a big shark wasn't below me). 


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

Late Afternoon Swim Wednesday

It's been a long time since I got in the water and it was a bit colder today.  I went around the pier north to south.  There were warm spots and cold spots, and 67 degrees for most of the time.  The water was flat and beautiful--great for swimming.  Lots of surfers out on the south side because the waves were 2-3 feet, and occasionally a larger set.  On the way in, past the surf looking in at the back of the waves, I was surprised to see a few good-sized waves.
My swim was a relaxed swim at 31 minutes around.  My photo card won't read so I am waiting for a reader to upload my photos again.


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

Sadly, No Labor Day Pier Swim for Me

Labor Day Pier Swim North County Times Coverage



Above is a link to The North County Times covering the swim on Monday.
I was on the DL,the  Disabled List, in football parlance.
I got a new treatment for low back nerves the prior Thursday.  The Dr. did injections of something, I'll guess Marcaine, because I heard him say to another Dr., "I'll need a little more of that 0.25%."  He did an injection into the joint between my right L3 and L4, which has helped somewhat.  On the other hand, the left side is now giving me even more grief.  I think the left side has always been an issue but that it has been overshadowed by the worse right side. 
I know this is a bunch of uninteresting info but I felt that I should write something about the Pier Swim.
They had the strong inside rip current to the north, as usual.  The surf had picked up from 2 feet to a more powerful 3-4 feet. 
There has been a change in the management of the Oceanside Swim Club, which sponsors the annual swim, but thankfully the swim continues.
Since I am not swimming, I think that I may start another blog.  About nothing.  Kinda' like the Seinfeld Show.  We'll see. Congratulations to you Labor Day Pier Swimmers.  Life is better 'Out Past the Breakers.'


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