Grey Sky, Grey Water, Cold Pier Trip

It was choppy today with a strong surface water movement to the northeast.  I stopped to check the current off the end of the pier and it was negligible.  Lots of surfers on the north side for good waves.  Chiily water but a good, vigorous swim.  33 minutes and 12 seconds.  The colder the water gets, the faster I swim to try to warm up.

"The first time you quit is the last time you try."

Beautiful Swim With Dolphins Riding the Waves

Today was a great day at the beach!  The water was flat and glassy with nice waves for the surfers to ride.  Before I got in I saw some big fish jumping around about 75 yards offshore so I watched for a few minutes.  It turned out it was 2 big dolphins playing.  Then they swam in and they both rode a nice wave side by side together very close to a surfer-about 6-8 feet away from the surfer.  The surfer didn't move at all.  Then the dolphins disappeared and I watched but they didn't show again.
I went in and did my swim.  No current, visibility about 7 feet, beautiful water.  It was cold and I swam fast for me to keep the blood flowing.  My time was 33 minutes 47 seconds.  Good for me.  There were 3 guys in a small boat out there past the pier that I waved "Hi" to.  They were probably wondering what I was doing in that water in my bathing suit.  I wonder that too sometimes.  But it feels good after.

"The first time you quit is the last time you try."

Rough Water Swim Pier Tuesday - Chilly

Very few surfers in the water this afternoon.  The water was very sloppy and nothing much in the way of well-formed waves.  The chop was 1 to 2 feet swimming around the pier and interesting.  I jumped in on the north side because yesterday the current was mildly moving south.  Well, my decision was correct; the slight current was heading south.  No sooner did I jump in and take a few strokes when I swallowed a gulp of water and threw up a bit-my Suzy Q snack from earlier in the afternoon. 
The water was cold. Cold. My focus was on being cold and not inhaling/swallowing seawater during this swim.  I just wore trunks and my two swim caps.  My head was warm anyway.  That's a big deal, you know.
The smell of the bait was all over the water off the end of the pier, which always kind of grosses me out.  My swim was 35 minutes and I didn't even want to jog to my car afterward. 
I did see one man in the water with trunks doing a bit of body surfing.  He seemed very comfortable in the water. 
Overall, a good, rough, cold mile swim.

"The first time you quit is the last time you try."

Monday Pier Swim

The outside water was calm and flat Monday.  There were a bunch of surfers on both sides of the pier with beautiful, smaller waves-but great conditions.  Waves were 2-5 feet, I'd say.  The water was about 60 degrees and the cold is here.  Visibility about 5 feet.I got around the pier in just under 36 minutes and felt ok.  I stopped briefly off the end of the pier for a current check and there was a mild current moving south.  Two guys went by me closer in near the pier in a small, Hawaiian-type paddle canoe.  I can't think of what you call them.  Those 2 guys were flying though.  I don't know how far they were going but I wouldn't want to be racing them.
There were very few people wandering the beach late yesterday afternoon, which was nice. Plenty of parking and quiet.
The water is getting clean and the red tide is gone.  Fall is coming fast. 
I still have water draining from my sinuses this morning. 


"The first time you quit is the last time you try."