Winter's Over-The Water is Warm

I had a good swim after work today, Friday.  Warm, clean water. I swam south to north with a decent current and a mild chop to the water. The water was clean and refreshing.  I really let it hang out and stretched out my stroke.  I didn't need to breathe much on the swim; my air was very good.  39 minute swim.  I took the long way around the pier.  I felt very free and relaxed.  I have some pictures.  I take my pictures before my swim when I walk around and on the beach and pier.  Today as I was taking photos from the sidewalk some wise guy yells out the window of his buddy's pickup truck to me, "Yep, you're in California now."  So, I suppose he felt that I was a tourist and he had the superiority of being a "local."  I would like to have gotten my hands on him.  I just yelled back, "Yeah, it's great."
He's lucky that I'm such a mellow guy nowadays. 

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

Kicking with Churchill Fins Around the Pier

No camera today because I didn't intend to swim after work.  However, I drove by and the water was enticing.  It looked rough, with a current going northward.  I wore a rash guard t-shirt because I have my 2 swims with bathing suit only done for the week.  A little luxury for me.  My body wasn't up for swimming so I kicked around against the current with the fins.  The water was clean with waves 2-5 feet.  Good visibility for here.  The sky was partly to mostly cloudy with some blue sky.  The sun was occluded by clouds but it had that look where some little bit of the sun's rays shoot through the cloud openings in straight lines that look like a scene out of a religious painting.
The inside water was greenish blue but the water took on a deeper blue mid-pier and farther out.  Rippled water surface and gentle 1-2 foot swells with long intervals between swells.  It was nice to be able to relax and see it all.
There were 4 helicopters flying around the area; I don't know why.  The water was warm-probably 62 or so.  A big group of surfers lined the waves on the south side; they were stretched out in a line about 200 yards, taking advantage of big, beautiful waves-about 3 dozen surfers-and some with no wet suits.
A nice swim to work the legs and stomach with kicking it out with the fins. 


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

Monday Evening Oceanside Pier Swim

The water is warm now; probably 62 Monday night.  A tiny bit colder outside but coming back in I felt that the water was too warm.  So, I guess winter cold water is over (maybe).  I had a lazy swim on the way out with no energy.  On the way back in I was tired and lazy-no rhythm-so I kept reviewing Psalm 23 in my mind.  I got it memorized and it took my mind off my laziness;  I think it got me in quicker.  I took some pictures but did something wrong with them-can't get them posted.


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

Sunday 6 PM Pier Swim Oceanside, San Diego Ocean Swimming

There are a few good pictures above of a dozen or so surfers sitting on their boards awaiting the next set of waves.  I got in about 6 PM, and the water was warm enough to walk right in-no time needed to get used to the water.  Surfline.com has the temp again at 59-62 degrees, and I'd go with the 62 or even higher.  The water was a bit cleaner than yesterday and nice for swimming.  Flat outside again, and 2-3 foot waves.  Great waves for novice surfers. 
Again, a few dozen beachgoers in the water along with 2 dozen surfers.  Now, we are talking 6 to 7 PM, so most of the people had since departed.  This is my favorite time for the beach-after the crowds leave.  I didn't see any fish while I swam the pier but as I finished my swim, I saw a few people pointing to sea, and there were a few dolphins swimming about just outside of the surfers where I had been.  They had probably been near me but I missed seeing it.
I felt the current pulling me back toward the pier on the way in.  I was closer than usual to the pier on the south side, so I swam on an angle toward the beach and away from the pier.  This is when I felt the current against me.  I really was pulling to move south but didn't get very far at all.  It was an unseen current, but it made me work the last third of my swim.
I had a hard time with breathing on my right tonight; the neck was really hurting turning it to the right.  I did most of my breathing on the left side tonight. 
I'm starting to think that the purpose of my goal may be moot now.  My challenge and goal was to persevere during the cold, winter water over the fall 2011 to summer 2012.  I need to start looking back through my swim logs to see specifically when I can call an end to my streak and an achievement of my goal.  I may be there already.

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