Sat Pier Visit After Neck Issue

So, it has been thirteen days without salt water for me and that is too long.  My neck is still pretty messed up and out of whack--these are the technical medical terms.
I wanted to get in and just kick around lying on my back with fins so as not to upset the neck.  I got in at about 2:30 PM, and it was freezing.  I added a tight rash guard shirt to my swim attire-the wimp factor is gaining ground on me rapidly.  Surfline.com has the water temp at 58 but it feels colder.  After 4 minutes slowly kicking out, I was ready to quit and go in.  Then I thought about my little saying at the bottom of my posts, and stayed in.  Eventually, the feeling passed.  Life is that way about quitting, it seems.
On my way in close to the beach, there was a small surf contest ongoing in small 1-2 foot waves.  A Christian kids surf contest-the kids looked about 11 years old.  That's nice for them-the people who go to the effort of setting up the booths, stage, etc, for the kids.
My neck is not ready to swim-not even close.

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

Sunday Afternoon Swim Accident

I got into the water at about 2:30 PM and waded out to swim.  The water was almost identical to Saturday's conditions.  I have been wearing this pair of lousy goggles for several days that have weird lenses-they make the view one sees distorted.  With the goggles on I dove under a wave and hit the bottom straight on with all the force of my dive striking the top of my head against the sandy bottom. 
Now, this is not a good thing to do.  I almost knocked myself out and I heard cracks and felt intense pain and burning down my cervical spine and into my right, rear shoulder area.  I hurt myself badly and I was lucky not to break my neck. 
This led to an emergency room visit to rule out fractures or movement of the plate that I have in my fused neck.  I haven't had pain like that since after my neck surgery two years ago.
I tried to work today but had to leave with severe pain and muscle spasms.  I'm wearing my rigid neck brace now.  It's hard to believe I could do something so stupid.  I'll be out of service for several days or more, I'm sure.  No swimming for me for a while.

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

Oceanside Triathlon in the Winter Months--How About It?

I swam today (Saturday) at about 2:30 or 3 PM around the Oceanside Pier in a wide arc, a solid mile swim.  37 minutes with just trunks.  For the first time this winter my forehead and face hurt when I got into the water.  They got used to the cold in 5 minutes or so.  To me, the face-hurt/forehead hurt temperature is upper fifties Fahrenheit.  I'll check http://www.surfline.com/  now.

Well, they have it at 58 to 60 degrees.  I think it was the low end or lower with my face hurting today.  It was a different level of cold water than 2 days ago.  I swam north to south.  The waves were small to medium; I'd say 2 to 4 feet at the biggest sets.  The water past the surf zone was pretty flat-just a small chop to it out by the end of the pier area. 
It was hard to get a rhythm going with the cold.  I had to keep thinking to keep my fingers together and pull through, then push the water backward before I recovered my arms.  My fingers were frozen.  I had a few short spans coming in when I got a rhythm with the incoming water which were nice. 
I was dizzy afterward and rested on one knee for a few minutes in two-foot water; unfortunately I swallowed a big gulp of water as a wave smashed me at this time.  The water came back up immediately with a quick vomiting reaction-interesting how sea water makes one vomit instantly when swallowed.

So, how about a winter triathlon in Oceanside?  I'm sure there would be a turnout of cold water crazies.  Less crowded, different, and the bike & run afterward would warm up the participants.  Enough for now.

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