Night Swim Oceanside Pier

So what's going on with the sunset?  I thought that after the time change the days would get longer, but now I think it's the opposite.  I'm swimming in the dark now and it's getting creepy.  The current was strong to the south inside and far out.  A little bit choppy and the swim was kinda' difficult tonight.  I probably should have used the fins tonight.  However, if this darkness thing keeps going on I'm not going to be able to swim the pier after work.  We'll see.

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

Swim After Work

I barely got in the water before dark today.  The sun was setting as I swam out and it was dark coming in.  The current was hard to figure out so I wore fins as a precaution.  The current was strong heading south before the end of the pier.  I didn't feel like taking the extra time to swim against the current in the dark so off the end of the pier I turned around and swam in with the current.  Total swim time 29 minutes.  17 minutes out and 12 minutes in.  The water wasn't too cold.  Just a quick, uneventful swim. 

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

Pier Swim with Fins Today

Lots of people visiting the beach today.  The sky was blue and the water was good on the south side of the pier.  About 25 surfers were stretched out in the late afternoon surfing big waves.  Waves up to 7-8 foot at the biggest, I'd guess.  Most 4-5 feet.  The waves looked like there was an offshore breeze blowing the curl up, making them look pretty, but the breeze was onshore, as is typical. 
I wore fins and walked south a ways to find a small spot in the waves to get out through.  Even so, the rip close to shore was flowing northward very strongly.  Funny thing was that I swam out smoothly northwest toward the end of the pier, I was gliding effortlessly and peacefully.  When I got to the pier I swam into a new current that was moving southward-this is past the pier now.  The water also got dirty-it was the street runoff from the drains that was in the water-the oily, gravel taste of the street.  This is how the water was off the end of the pier and the rest of the way in.  The beautiful water was a couple of hundred yards south of the pier late this afternoon.  It was glorious there. 
Coming in a rough wave knocked my swim goggles off so I need to get a few more pairs.  I walked back in the water knee-deep and collected seashells on my walk back to the pier.  I got lots of good shells.  It was a very good swim for me today.  Good for my body and my mind.  Glad I went.

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

Rainy Oceanside Pier Non-Swim Swim

I didn't make it to the water Friday, when I was off for Veterans Day.  Too much low back pain.  I wish that I could figure out whether the swimming helps the pain or exacerbates it.  However, regardless of that answer, I'd still have to get into the water for other reasons.  One of those reasons is the old saying that I remember from years ago, that I have begun to write at the close of my web entries. 
Today we have rainy weather and I went to the beach to swim.  I took some pictures before entering and some of the shots have raindrops on them.  The water looked beautiful; all one needed to do was eliminate the rain from one's view.  There were surfers stretched out along the beach both north and south of the pier because the waves were big and beautiful.  The waves were coming in at shorter-than-usual intervals but with a beautiful, curved shape to them-excellent for the surfers. 
There was a big problem though, making it a day for the higher level swimmers and surfers, i.e., there was a very strong rip current to the north combined with crashing, strong waves one on top of the other, making it very difficult to get out past the breakers.
Well, there were no high-level swimmers, as usual.  I got in on the north side of the pier and worked for a bit to get through the waves.  Beyond the waves the ocean appeared flat and good for swimming.  However, after fighting the incoming wave power and flowing with the rip current, I decided that it wasn't going to happen for me today.  I only stayed in for ten minutes.  In that time I was moved about a half-mile northward.  Sometimes it's better to pack it in and be safe.  The surfers seemed to be going through a similar decision-making process.  They were going in, being moved up the beach, and getting out-some of them.  The best guys were able to get through the stuff and ride 4-6 footers, at least. 
At least I tried, and that can be enough at times.

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