Feb 4 Camp Pendleton Beach

After work, Mr. G and I went in for a relaxing wet-down at the 21 Area Beach. We just practiced the sidestroke a bit and chatted about the difference between the conventional sidestroke and the combat sidestroke used by military combat swimmers: the latter involving dipping the head underwater and looking forward as one's arms are moving in opposite directions--the lower arm is reaching forward and the upper arm is pushing water toward the feet. Just a slight difference between the two strokes.
There was a small area with 4 foot waves breaking but the shape was not very surfable-only one surfer in the water. Temp was 57 degrees and we didn't stay in very long.

Offshore Breeze Feb 10 O'Side Pier

Hey there was another ocean swimmer in the water just south of the pier today. You can barely make him out in my bottom, right picture. Maybe I should have introduced myself but he didn't look like he would make it too far. I went in with wetsuit, webbed gloves, and fins. The water was chilly and the chop was about two feet high out far. I swam around the pier against the chop, from south to north. I was slowing down the last quarter of the swim from the cold, I think. An invigorating swim after work.

Wed Feb 9, O'Side Harbor to Pier Swim

So I decided not to wear fins today as the water was smooth out there and there appeared to be no currents. The surf was small. I started at the right side of the rock jetty in the pictures about 100 yards and swam south (or left). I was wearing my webbed gloves for security and concentrating on a proper arm pull. I felt comfortable, albeit slow, but I made it to the pier and could easily have kept going.

I jogged back up the beach to where I began at the O'Side Harbor. A really nice day and I feel like I made some substantial improvement.

Tuesday, Feb 8th Oceanside Pier

I drove to the Oceanside Harbor first but there was not a soul in the water. The beach was nasty, thoroughly without shape, just rough chop.

I drove over to the south side parking lot for the Oceanside Pier, which I never do, and parked there. There was one intrepid surfer in the water trying to catch any kind of crummy, shapeless wave to get his fix. I decided to swim around the pier the opposite way from my usual north to south because the mild current, waves, and chop were moving southward. I wanted a more difficult swim against the wind and choppy water with my fins and webbed gloves.

I felt good in the water, strong heading out. Once I rounded the pier, it was easier to swim toward the sand with the wave action helping me in. A nice, thirty-minute, vigorous swim. I took some pictures before and after. Oh, and I found a nice sand dollar in the water as I exited! It was in great shape, unbroken. While not as large in diameter as the one I lost yesterday, it helped.

Monday, Feb 7th, Oceanside Pier

First I drove to the Oceanside Harbor to swim but it was packed with surfers. I drove to the pier area and got in there. The water was 57 but felt chillier. I felt cold the entire swim, which is unusual. I wasn't trying to put much effort into the overall swim; I was concentrating on my arm entry, catching the water, and pulling, pushing, and recovering.
I swam around the pier and it was very smooth out there. The waves were small inside but a good shape for surfers-probably 2-3 feet mostly.
One interesting thing did happen on this outing. The tide was low and I found a large sand dollar in about two feet of water that was in perfect, intact condition. Since I couldn't take it on my swim with me, I left it near a pile of kelp up the beach. When I finished and returned to get it, it was gone. Doggonit! I think I know who got it. There was an elderly lady with a bucket picking up shells near me. I bet she eyeballed me when I went into the water and then went back out and dropped something back up on the sand. Oh boy. It was a nice one too. Watch your shells out there folks.