Brown Water Swim

It was a low tide swim around the pier today. The waves were gentle with a decent shape at 2-3 feet.  The chop outside was up to one foot.  Pretty good swim conditions except that the water was brown.  It didn't smell-because we had a sewage spill south of Oceanside around Encinitas or somewhere.  So, maybe it was just some ocean thing going on.

I stopped at the end of the pier to check for current and there was no current today.  Not too cold-about 63, I'd guess.  I did a 36 1/2 minute time, which was typical for me. 

Nice Swim After Work Wednesday 5PM Pier

The water was a bit chilly getting in but I hit several warm spots around the pier.  The chop was about a foot and the visibility was 2-3 feet.  I found a bunch of sea shells after the swim.  There was a mild current at the end of the pier moving north to south, not enough to affect the swim.  It took me 37 1/2 minutes to get around the pier.  I was reading about this TikiSwim coming up but I think that I'll skip it-seems too expensive.  Oh, it was a low tide late this afternoon, but still surfers getting their waves on.

Trying to Surf at Oceanside Pier

I went to the Pier Monday-I had a day off-either to swim or try out a new surfboard that we bought recently.  I took the board out on the north side where there were no surfers.  I can't really surf, but I have been known to try repeatedly-and even not knowing how to surf when you are surfing is fun.
This board is just under 7 feet and so buoyant, compared to the giant, old, heavy, nine-foot surfboard that I have had for years.  That old board was so hard to paddle, but this new one is easy to paddle. 
I instantly was in severe neck pain, because my neck doesn't bend; but I tried to stand up for about 35 minutes.  The water was green/blue, clean, beautiful, and refreshing.  I think the temp was about 65 degrees.  No wet suit needed.
I am writing this on Tuesday morning-another day off-and my neck still hurts. Surfing definitely hurts more than swimming.  I even feel sore lower stomach muscles from the surfing.  I'll still take that board out once in a while when the waves are small.  I stood up briefly on a small wave and left feeling good.

Tiki Swim Article

Tiki Swim Oceanside, CA

Several Days Without Ocean...Ended Sunday. Lots of Stingrays Seen

After the Pier Swim I didn't feel the need to get into the ocean for a few days.  Then I was lazy for a few days; and finally, Sunday I got in the water.  There was an event at the amphitheater with a fire truck and a band.  The fire truck had its ladder extended far up, with an American flag waving atop.  The band played some country, which was refreshing.
I forgot my swimming trunks.  I have a couple of wetsuits in my trunk so I wore a wetsuit.  The water was choppy and sloppy.  Not a day for swimming for a semi-lazy swimmer with no trunks.  Instead I went out and dove for sea shells.  The wet suit with its buoyancy, made it difficult to stay down.  I didn't think that I was out there long, but my watch said 1 hour.  I got several shells but the neat thing about Sunday was how many small stingrays I saw at the bottom.
I was really surprised that every other time that I went to the bottom I saw a stingray.  Well, one doesn't really get a close-up, good view of a stingray in the sand.  When you get about 4 feet from them, they scurry away...fast-and you get a very brief glimpse of them escaping.  Then you see the impression left behind in the sand shaped like a stingray.  Lots of times you don't even see the ray-you just see the sand stirred up in a line where they swam away.  They are fast.
So keep doing the "stingray shuffle" when you go to the beach.  Stir up the sand as you walk around and wade in the ocean-because they are there.  They don't want to be anywhere near you; they don't want to sting you; it only happens accidentally if you step on one that didn't have time to get away first.