So, they are saying that the brown ocean is from a bloom of algae called a red tide. I tried to stay out of it for a few days but couldn't help myself yesterday. I jumped in and swam a long route around the pier in 37 minutes. Visibility was just to the end of my arms, and the thick, brown areas had tiny, solid, brown particles in big clouds of water out there. Off the end of the pier it thinned out and some blue broke through. There were still about 3 dozen surfers there surfing the well-shaped 1-3 foot waves. Two feet was about the common size wave but the shape was good.
My eyes were stinging afterward and red, so I was using eye drops to rinse them out and soothe them for a couple of hours. The water was cold but I was in trunks. Probably low sixties. I hope the algae die off soon.
"The first time you quit is the last time you try."
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
Monday, September 26, 2011
Link to North County Times Tiki Swim Photo
Pretty good crowd for the long swim out there
.North County Times Tiki Swim Photo Link
"The first time you quit is the last time you try."
.North County Times Tiki Swim Photo Link
"The first time you quit is the last time you try."
Sunday, September 25, 2011
Surfers Ear
Surfer's Ear is a condition that I'd like to write about today. Since Oceanside is having Harbor Days this weekend, I am staying away from the beach and crowds. I suppose that I'll swim tomorrow.
As the water begins to get colder for the winter season, I thought that the time was right for a brief mention of ear problems and prevention for cold-water swimmers and surfers. There is a common medical condition referred to as "surfer's ear" that refers to a narrowing of the external ear canals and an increased occurrence of external ear infections. To review, the external ear is that canal from the tympanum (eardrum) to the outside ear (auricle).
The external ear canals are lined, or formed, by bone. When we are exposed regularly over a protracted period of time-such as year-round swimmers and surfers-to cold water, our ear canals don't like the cold exposure. They will try to protect our hearing by growing bone to narrow the ear canals and protect the middle ear from the cold.
This protective mechanism is called hypertrophy of the bone tissue surrounding the ear canals and is intended by nature to be a good thing. However, what commonly happens is that this canal narrowing leads to water being left in the ear canals to stagnate and cause infection.
External ear infections are quite common among swimmers and surfers. To prevent the common otitis externa, or external ear infection, simply put some "Swim Ear" drops in both ears after swimming and surfing. The Swim Ear product is isopropyl alcohol (rubbing alcohol) and a little glycerin to give a tiny bit of density to the drops. The alcohol evaporates any leftover water and cleans the canals.
Now, to the main point of this post: the Surfers' Ear. We should protect our ears from the cold to prevent boney overgrowth, or hypertrophy, of the ear canals. When we see a surfer wearing a neoprene hood in December while surfing, we should be thinking "smart guy," instead of "what a wimp, can't handle a little cold water." This person is preventing ear problems that may become permanent or require surgery to cut out excess bone over time.
Wear your swim caps in cold water and pull them down to cover your ears when the water is cold. I wear two swim caps when the water is cold. I don't care how goofy I look; I'm protecting my ears. If you're a surfer, wear the neoprene hood to keep yours ears protected from the cold water.
For swimmers, buy a few thick caps and pull them way down over the ears. Of course, you probably won't hear anything and will get run over by a jet ski-but your ear canals will be beautiful inside!
"The first time you quit is the last time you try."
As the water begins to get colder for the winter season, I thought that the time was right for a brief mention of ear problems and prevention for cold-water swimmers and surfers. There is a common medical condition referred to as "surfer's ear" that refers to a narrowing of the external ear canals and an increased occurrence of external ear infections. To review, the external ear is that canal from the tympanum (eardrum) to the outside ear (auricle).
The external ear canals are lined, or formed, by bone. When we are exposed regularly over a protracted period of time-such as year-round swimmers and surfers-to cold water, our ear canals don't like the cold exposure. They will try to protect our hearing by growing bone to narrow the ear canals and protect the middle ear from the cold.
This protective mechanism is called hypertrophy of the bone tissue surrounding the ear canals and is intended by nature to be a good thing. However, what commonly happens is that this canal narrowing leads to water being left in the ear canals to stagnate and cause infection.
External ear infections are quite common among swimmers and surfers. To prevent the common otitis externa, or external ear infection, simply put some "Swim Ear" drops in both ears after swimming and surfing. The Swim Ear product is isopropyl alcohol (rubbing alcohol) and a little glycerin to give a tiny bit of density to the drops. The alcohol evaporates any leftover water and cleans the canals.
Now, to the main point of this post: the Surfers' Ear. We should protect our ears from the cold to prevent boney overgrowth, or hypertrophy, of the ear canals. When we see a surfer wearing a neoprene hood in December while surfing, we should be thinking "smart guy," instead of "what a wimp, can't handle a little cold water." This person is preventing ear problems that may become permanent or require surgery to cut out excess bone over time.
Wear your swim caps in cold water and pull them down to cover your ears when the water is cold. I wear two swim caps when the water is cold. I don't care how goofy I look; I'm protecting my ears. If you're a surfer, wear the neoprene hood to keep yours ears protected from the cold water.
For swimmers, buy a few thick caps and pull them way down over the ears. Of course, you probably won't hear anything and will get run over by a jet ski-but your ear canals will be beautiful inside!
"The first time you quit is the last time you try."
Friday, September 23, 2011
Browner Water Today Than Yesterday For Tiki Swim
Man, the ocean is brown again. Really brown. Visibility nothing. My eyes are stinging after swimming the pier. Without the color issue, the water was flat and great for swimming. Mild current running south noted at my stop off the end of the pier. Probably low sixties-felt chilly the whole way. 36 minutes and 20 seconds for the trip. I don't feel like writing because my eyes are stinging.
Thursday, September 22, 2011
Pier Swim Brown Water Again
No pictures, sorry. The algae water was light brown today. I thought that it would be cleaner but it's hanging on. Chilly water. I stopped briefly about 60 yards off the end of the pier at 21 minutes. There was a mild current running south. Surprise-I saw a guy-a swimmer in a wet suit swimming around the pier. He was right next to the pier-way too close. He must have gotten in after me. I didn't see him after that. I guess he was fast and got in quickly and left.
The water was a bit choppy out far, and swimming in was against the sideways flow of the chop.
Not too much to say about the water/swim today. As I was walking across the sand geting ready to enter the water, a Dad with a young boy said to me, "This is golden. This is too good to be true. This is great." He and his boy had been enjoying the water. I agreed with him, of course. Nice to see a good Dad having fun with his boy and loving the beach. And the water was pretty chilly too. I guess Dad and son were tough.
My time was 38 minutes-four minutes slower than yesterday. Interesting. It was the chop. I felt good-no pains, good wind, plenty of energy left. Maybe I will do that Tiki Swim this Sunday??
The water was a bit choppy out far, and swimming in was against the sideways flow of the chop.
Not too much to say about the water/swim today. As I was walking across the sand geting ready to enter the water, a Dad with a young boy said to me, "This is golden. This is too good to be true. This is great." He and his boy had been enjoying the water. I agreed with him, of course. Nice to see a good Dad having fun with his boy and loving the beach. And the water was pretty chilly too. I guess Dad and son were tough.
My time was 38 minutes-four minutes slower than yesterday. Interesting. It was the chop. I felt good-no pains, good wind, plenty of energy left. Maybe I will do that Tiki Swim this Sunday??
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