My Streak is Alive and Well

Saturday 1 PM.  I had to get my second swim in for the week to keep my streak going.  My goal is two swims per week minimum with trunks only-swim cap ok, goggles ok, fins ok.
The thing is-the water isn't miserable cold yet.  I'm expecting more suffering-of course, there's a bit of cold discomfort ongoing-but 58 degrees or so is a lot different than 55 degrees.  I'm waiting for the 55 degree water for it to get interesting.
I watched the water for a while before getting in and I was of the opinion that I'd be safe without fins; however, I had a bit of doubt so I wore the fins because the current was running hard from south to north.  Once I got in, I found that I definitely required the fins.  The current was strong-and I had chosen to swim against the current just to be a hardhead.
I'm always surprised anew when the water is rougher than what it appears to be from the beach.  This water was more than a few foot chop-it was 2 to 4 foot chopped up swells one on top of the next.  I tried swimming out freestyle for 4 minutes but it was too rough.  I lay on my back and backstroked with the fins on until I got to the end of the pier.  Then I had to kick hard to move southward against the current for ten minutes.  Once past the pier with a safety margin for the current, I swam freestyle in to the sand-a roller coaster ride with the waves but fun because I was going in with the waves. 
A 31 minute swim.  Fun.  Decent workout.  The second swim for the week.  Tomorrow (Sunday) is my first day of next week;  I'll probably be out.  I forgot to say that the water was still dirty from the recent rains.
I saw this article from the North County Times Saturday, Feb. 18th:
Freezin' For A Reason Article North County Times
"The first time you quit is the last time you try."

Sunday Swim After a Couple Days Off

The water looked rough and choppy-hardly any surfers in the water.  I wore the fins, which turned out to be a good idea.  I got in on the north side and the inside current was a moderate rip current running north to south.  I had somewhat of a hard time kicking out through the surf zone with the current pulling me toward the pier and the waves up to 5 feet.  It was hard getting out before getting too close to the pilings.  Without fins, I would have had to go back in to the beachand, either give up or walk farther north up the beach to have more time to allow for the rip.
It was hard to swim out, so I kicked out on my back mostly.  I swam around and headed back in.  The good swell amidst the chop, helped swim me in.  Only 3 surfers out on the south side.  None on the north side when I went in.
I caught one big way and body-surfed it in-a decent ride until I ran out of air.  With this bad respiratory cold that is lingering, my air is for s***.
The water wasn't very cold.  Glad I got wet after taking off Friday & Saturday sick.

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

Easy Day For Me Today

The waves were bigger than usual but not as big as yesterday.  I'd say they were up to 7-8 feet at the biggest today.  Tons of surfers and great surf.  I just went in for 20 minutes.  I didn't have much energy today so I just wore the fins and wandered around the surfers-out past them-and watched them. 

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

Big Waves Today! Fun! Kicked Around the Pier With Fins in the Swells!

Wow!  After work I hit the beach and the surf was rocking!  Big waves.  The good surfers were out in abundance.  Lots of them are so young, too.  I put my trunks and fins on and was surprised that the water felt warm to me today.  I was in for 36 minutes and didn't get cold.  Surfline.com still has the temp at 57-59 degrees but it was more like 63 to me.  I was careful today and studied the waves for 8 minutes or so before I chose a spot and a time to kick out when it was a calmer break in the action.  I did well.  Out past the breakers was great.  I love it there on a day like this.  I love to be moving gently up and down with a big swell that's building before it grows and becomes a breaking wave.  I love the sight of the back side of the waves.  These bigger sets were 10 foot waves.  The surfers were catching the waves, getting their rides, and then flying high off the end of the wave to exit so they didn't have to get all smashed up after the wave smashed into white water. 
On the way in it was scary-except that I don't get scared-so it wasn't scary for me-trying to find a safe time to get in without getting crunched by a giant wave.  About 6 times I was caught in-between a big wave about to break on me and some rough surf.  I had to swim out fast to get under the big waves and wait for a calmer time.  I love that stuff!  The whole 36 minutes today was great.  Exercise, adrenaline, beauty, setting sun, blue sky, everything past the breakers all mine.  Today was a good day at the beach!  A special one!  Thank you, Jesus! Or Mother Nature!  Or Oceanside!  But no camera today-argghhh...

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

Nice Swim Conditions and Cold.

Very low tide this afternoon.  About 2-3 dozen surfers out today.  The waves were mostly closing out but corners were available for some good rides out there.  I was cold today.  My swim around the pier was 28 minutes in a very, very flat ocean.  I was without fins and tried to think about my form to keep my mind off the cold.  The water had a pretty green color to ir under a cloudy sky.
Some people on the sand after told me that I had dolphins around me out there, but I didn't notice while swimming. 

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