Oceanside Harbor First, Then the Pier-Monday

So, I went to the Harbor and took some pictures. It was very rough but several surfers were trying to make it work. I drove over to the Pier and swam around from north to south, with the current. Rough chop, a good two feet. Cold water. I had to soak in a hot tub to warm up when I got home. I used up most of my energy in the water and was on all fours trying to stand up when I swallowed a gulp of ocean water that crashed in on me while I was inhaling. Darn! I could have done without the nausea from that.

Oceanside Pier 4-10-2011

I got into the water late afternoon today, and swam freestyle from north of the pier south. Very, very rough out there. A two-foot chop, I would say, is fair without exaggeration. However, I did swim in the correct direction today, that is, with the current. In fact, when I was finished and relaxing in the water before I got out, the current was carrying me south quite noticeably.

More jellyfish today, little ones, about 1 to 3 inches. The water was colder than yesterday. Let me check the temperature on another site...

Surfline says 59-61 degrees.

Here's a few pictures.

Jellyfish Oceanside Pier April 9, 2011

Saturday was windy and very rough in the water. I took these pictures but they DO NOT give the viewer a good appreciation of how nasty it was out there. I saw two surfers on the south side and two boogie boarders on the north side while I was in the water. After I got out, I went back to the south side and took a few pictures of the jellyfish. Yes, jellyfish. Very rare sighting in Oceanside, CA. On Saturday I saw five little jellyfish.

I thought that I had the wind and current figured out before I went in so that I would be swimming with the current, but somehow I had it wrong-or else the water was just so crazy that the chop was going both ways. I was swallowing tiny bits of seawater throughout, and really had to lift my head high to breathe. Water temp was warmer, maybe 61 or so. A few people were in up to the waist. All day Saturday I was not planning to go the the beach but by about 4 PM I felt so crummy that I needed my water therapy. I was much better afterward at home. There's nothing like cold, nausea, misery, fear, exertion, and adrenaline to put a bit of life back in one's soul.

Oceanside Harbor & Oceanside Pier Today

Super rough water today at the Oceanside Harbor and Oceanside Pier. I saw about five surfers total and they didn't have much to surf. The sea was a big heavy-duty washing machine. I was safe and decided not to get into the water. I just took a few pictures. In one you can see the wind blowing the sand around at the harbor. One guy had a rig to windsurf, I think. There's a picture of him trying to get control of his large kite in the strong wind. He didn't get into the water while I was there. It was probably too windy to get in the water safely today.

Pier Swim Oceanside Wednesday

I swam the pier from the south side to the north side today after work. It had rained a little bit early in the day and the water was stirred up a bit. I wore the fins and it was harder than usual getting around the end of the pier. The chop was about a foot. The last few days I walked up onto the pier to watch the water and feel the direction of the wind to decide which way to swim. The waves were good shape for the surfers, about four feet. The water felt a bit colder than the day before. Forgot the camera again.