January 9, 2013 Fog swim.

A swim under a foggy, overcast sky at 3 PM.  Low tide. Not too chilly at 58 degrees.  26 minutes to swim around.  The first half of the swim was foggy out to the end of the pier but then some sun broke through for the swim in.  Calm water, small waves.  There were about 20 high school kids surfing on the south side in the 1-3 foot waves.  Lots of girls on that surf team. 
I got slapped in the head by a wave coming in and lost a swim cap.  A family (visitors, I think) had 4 children in the water up to their necks, playing in the ocean.  Tough kids.


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

January 6, 2013 Swim. Fins & persistence pay off.

Interesting day at the beach.  I really shouldn't say "day," because I'd be bored to death if I had to stay at the beach all day.  I am in and out of there in 1 hour, or maybe 2 hours on a longer day.  I can't just sit there on the beach doing nothing.
January 6th threw the roughest water at me that I have been in for a while.  The surf zone was running southward very strongly.  Still dirtyish water.  Very cold.  I tried to swim out twice on the north side but couldn't get out before the current carried me back toward the pier.  On my second try I started farther north to allow myself a bit more time.  It didn't help at all.  My first attempt ended at 13 minutes.  My second attempt ended at 26 minutes.  It was a wave smash-fest about 75 yards from the sand.  I tried hard, very cold, but I wasn't close to getting through the surf.  What to do?
I got my beloved Churchill fins out of my trunk and went for a third attempt.  31 minutes later I washed up on the south side of the pier, carried farther south than usual, for a total swim of 57 minutes.
My swim was cold, rough, and exhilarating.  Even with fins it was still very hard to get out past the surf; in fact, the entire swim was like swimming in the surf zone.  Four foot waves washing over me throughout the kick outward.  I was lying on my back with my arms hugging myself, kicking away, trying to keep my body warmth in.  There were some sloppy swells 7-8 feet or so out there.  I even had to kick hard on the way in!  It was just a very strong sea with a lot of anger to vent.  A neat swim day for me.


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

Jan 4, 2013 Pier Swim Report

Rough, nasty, silty water from very light rains the last few days.  Water very choppy, hard to swim out against a continuous pushing back of 1-3 foot surging, foamy waves.  Very cold. Thirty minutes to get around the pier.

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

The Pier Swim Game

Today there was only a handful of surfers in the water.  The south side had some 4 foot waves now and then that looked nice, but most of the beach was very choppy and closed out in close.  I had a hard time swimming out against an incoming tide that was really cold and very choppy sideways.  I had 2 small gulps of water to make me gag a bit.  I froze for 16 minutes pretty good until I hit the end of the pier.  The swim was 30 minutes; it took a bit less coming in because I had a little push from the tide.  I may have to take a few days off; I have a pinched nerve in my neck where it's fused. 
Good swim today. Getting the year off to a good start.

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

Second Annual New Year's Day Pier Swim Oceanside CA

North County Times Article New Year's Day Plunge

I added this link to today's article in the North County Times covering the cold plunge in the beach.

I do my own cold plunge in Oceanside.

It was a little rough getting in but nothing like yesterday.  The water pulled south mildly; farther out there was no current.  The water temp says 56-58.  It was cold today, like yesterday.  I froze for a good 14 minutes, which was when I hit the end of the pier and checked my watch.  The way in was warmer.  Lots of beachgoers enjoying a gorgeous day.  Only one idiot doing a pier swim in trunks: that would be me. Time 28 1/2 minutes. 
I can tell you in that cold water you really think about kicking harder and faster, and doing a quicker and more effective arm stroke.  I declare myself the winner, once again, of the Second Annual New Year's Day Pier Swim.  And once again I was the sole participant.  Perhaps next year a few of the Del Mar Plungers will do the Oceanside Pier Swim.

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