Rough Oceanside Pier Swim Today

So after work I swam the pier and the water out there was rough. The chop was a good 2 feet and very much like a washing machine. However, the ocean was warm, too warm, about 67 degrees. I actually caught sight of two swimmers out there heading toward the rounding of the pier-a most rare sighting of humans.

I took some pictures but they really don't show much of anything when I tried to get the swimmers on camera. The chop also pretty much obscured them from view. I talked briefly to the lifeguard before the swim to inquire about the water conditions because they had a rip current warning sign posted. It didn't affect my route.

Oceanside, CA Lifeguards

Just took a few pictures from my car as I drove past the pier getting ready to park. Seems gloomy. The sun was clouded over. Water was warm. Still the green color to the blue ocean. I hit a cold band and a couple of warm bands of water out there. The chop was big and bad, making the swim not relaxing, but more rigorous. I brought two other pairs of goggles with me and both were lousy. I guess I'll have to spend more than $6 for goggles. North of the pier the rip current was strong. Nothing much out far. I'm going to have to get a safety kayaker with me and skip the swim fins for a test soon. It's time for a hard, challenging swim for a change.

I wanted to mention the lifeguards at the beach in Oceanside because they seem so excellent and professional. They are vigilant and well-prepared, watching that water with all the kids getting thrown around in the rough inside break, the people playing in the surf zone, and a guy like me way out there. Way to go Oceanside lifeguards.

Surf Oceanside Pier

The waves were breaking big today at Oceanside Pier. I asked one young man about it being big out there today and he said, "Yeah, but a little bumpy." Well, it looked neat to me. The good surfers were cutting back and forth and getting some long rides. Waves up to 5 feet. Rough water. Very warm. About 66. green-aqua color to the water. Very rough water on the inside. High tide at 5 PM. Strong current running north. I had a great swim around the pier. I need to find some good goggles. All the pairs that I buy stink for one reason or another.

Oceanside Pier Swim Sunday June 26, 2011

A good crowd, 78 degree air temp, and 66 degree water temperature awaited me when I hit the beach at about 4:30 PM Sunday. It was a beautiful day, albeit quite rough and somewhat dangerous in the water, as rip currents were strong north of the pier about two hundred yards, and also just on the south side of the pier, flowing south to north. The waves out there were up to I'd say 6 feet swells. I swam from the south side around the pier to the north side, and exited at Surfrider Way. The chop was big, a good 2 feet past the breakers, so breathing and swimming wwere rough. However, the water was so beautiful, a green-blue hue, and warm-almost too warm to swim-really. I walked about five blocks from where I parked to the water and burned the bottom of my feet. I travel light-no shoes sometimes. The boogie boarders had the good conditions yesterday. One needed fins to kick out there into the big waves, and big, exciting wave rides were there for the taking. I had not been in the water for a week because of my sinuses and it was neat to get back in. The good surfers had big wave rides close to the pier on the north side. Not many surfers, just the very good ones in those conditions. Fun to watch them carve it up. I had my Churchill fins on and my webbed gloves.