Oceanside Pier Swim June 9, 2011

So, no pictures today because I had not planned to swim today after work. However, I drove by the beach and there were plenty of parking spots so I just went for it. My neck isn't better yet but I thought that the water might help. It didn't help the neck but I got my adrenaline rush in. No wet suit today, no rash guard shirt or shorts. Just plain trunks, fins, and goggles. The water was high tide, cold, and rough and surgy. The rip currents were just close to the pier on both sides, not all over the place like it was the last couple of weeks.
Swimming out into the chop was vigorous; the chop was about two feet. Swimming in was with the chop so it was a bit better. I didn't have my swim cap and it sure makes a difference in the cold water-the inside of your ears get cold without it. I was getting pretty cold by the end-it took about forty minutes to get around and I was tring to put some good effort into the swim.
So, a good swim, and I'll probably go on Friday again.

Sunday Pier 94.9 Band Show Oceanside

I went to the pier earlier than usual today, Sunday, about 4 PM. The few blocks around the pier on both sides and on Mission Ave. were blocked and fenced off by security. A bandfest was going on at the amphitheater with many food booths behind the fences. I looked it up and a ticket was $35 for bands that I never heard of-but lots of people must like them! The water was beautiful. It said 58 degrees but felt warmer than that to me. I tore my swim cap as I put it on so my head was chilly. No wet suit. Visibility only about 5 feet. Waves not great for surfing-only a dozen or so surfers onn the south side. It was rougher than it looked like getting out through the breakers. I needed to catch my second wind after getting through. Then I had a slow swim in a big arc around the pier and the outer limits of the surfers. I didn't feel the energy today- lots of pain and stiffness still in my neck.

Elite Taekwondo Championships Oceanside Pier

Saturday at the pier there was an outdoor Taekwondo Championship and the day was beautiful. Clear skies and 69 degrees. Even better was the water. Temperature 60 degrees with very flat swimming conditions. No wet suit needed. The waves inside were small but there were a dozen or so surfers on the south side of the pier when I went at about 5:30 PM. I had a nice, slow, relaxing swim around the pier in a big arc. After about two hundred yards I swallowed a gulp of sea water while breathing to the side which gave me the dry heaves for about three minutes. After that my stomach quieted down. Aside from that, my swim was uneventful. My pinched neck was hurting and is hurting more now at home afterward. Hopefully it will loosen up some with some time. I'm glad that I went; I would have missed a beautiful swim day had I not.

Missing Swimmer Oceanside CA

Just saw this newspaper article of another missing swimmer from last night. That was the extremely rough day at the beach here.


http://www.nctimes.com/news/local/oceanside/article_f97ba881-21e6-5096-abe0-152652c05a73.html

Memorial Day at Oceanside Pier

The beach was just a mess today. The water was very stirred up and not too clean; kelp broken loose and drifting in chunks and small pieces. Lots of people on the sand. By the way, my last picture, taken from the pier, shocked me afterward. Where did our sand go? Years back, there was lots of sand on the Oceanside beach and the sand area was much, much bigger for beachgoers. Seeing this picture really struck me. The water temp was listed as 65! Wow! Must be a record high temp for the year. The water was rough, still a south current, but not as strong or as rough as yesterday. I started to swim out but the waves and water was such a choppy, rough mess that I got turned off and was wavering between swimming and not. I tried to body surf a few waves. I was swimming out, diving under rough waves as usual, when I almost knocked myself out. The water was a good three feet deep and I dove without much force under an incoming wave and got knocked silly. Did I hit my head on the bottom? Did I hit my head on a big rock? Not sure. The force knocked my teeth together, jarred the titanium bar in my cervical spine, gave me a headache, made me dizzy, and knocked me for a loop. I got out, feeling about an inch shorter. Maybe it's time to take a few days off from the beach and wait for smooth water.