Brief Swim Saturday Late Afternoon--Not all that much fun.

    

The sun was moving toward its area of descent at about 3:30 PM today.  The sun shone so brightly that it was difficult to see outward from the sand.  There's lots of shimmering water on a day like today. 

We had a little rain two days ago and the water was still stirred up and a bit choppy.  Waves were about one to three feet occasionally.  I got in thinking I would swim out to the end of the pier and back but it didn't turn out that way. 

The area above in the picture had about ten surfers when I was in.  They were happy with a two-foot wave that would give them several seconds of rush.  I went in on the right side (north side) of this pier picture to the tune of about one hundred yards--that is to be courteous and stay out of the territory of the surfers.  My goggles stayed dirty and fogged up as I was swimming out--I guess it's time to throw them away--and I couldn't see well as I swam.  There were two breaks today.  I was out of the surfers' way on my right and left on the first break, but before I hit the bigger break outside I caught sight of two surfers on my right.  I swam left to evade, and one of them caught a wave and headed right toward my head.  I made myself under the surface instantly, and in time, because this fellow wanted to run over my head.  He missed, I got under, and I continued swimming out past the bigger waves. 

I don't really feel anger about it--more of a sadness that a person is feeling and acting out in such a manner.  Anyway, I continue swimming a couple of minutes and I have to stop because I have no air.  I'm feeling tight around my neck and head, constricted, and short of breath.  I decided the heck with it--swim a few minutes and get out.  I didn't even go out far and I only spent twelve minutes in the water.  Let me look up the temperature now: 58-60 per surfline.com.  Sounds accurate.  I guess that's my report for today. 



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

Relaxing Swim Oceanside Pier

Today I was ready to swim again.  The conditions were perfect.  Water 57-59 degrees, but felt warmer.  Totally flat out past small, beautiful waves.  Great visibility, very ususual.  I'd say up to twenty feet.  There were scattered surfers enjoying the small waves on the north side and a few dozen enjoying three-foot waves on the south side.  I wore shorts and my warm cap.  I am spoiled with my warm head swimming.  I'm going to have to discontinue that before I can't go in without it. 

The swim out to the end of the pier was 12 1/2 minutes, and the swim in was longer at 16 more minutes.  The tide was very low again but there was a strong undercurrent near the beach.  It slowed me down and actually took an extra effort for me to get through it.  A little kid in that would find himself mixed up in the foamy water above real quick.

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

Gorgeous Beach, Oceanside Pier, CA (and it's mine)

     I felt very good this morning. When I came downstairs, my wife looked at me a bit surprised and said "That was the fastest you've come down the stairs in a long time."  Apparently I'm in a good phase.  Praise the Lord (and pass the ammunition).

I think this post will look weird.  I'm not a tech savvy kind of guy.  So I go to the beach at noon and get a parking spot right at the sand, as usual.  Same water conditions as yesterday: low tide, flat water, visibility up to fifteen feet in good spots.  Temp 57-59.  No wet suit today but I did wear the neoprene cap.  The water was colder in close for a hundred yards or so but then it warmed up farther out. 

I swam straight out to just past the pier end--it took fourteen minutes--and then turned around and swam in.  Total time 26 minutes.  And I felt good.  Nothing exciting occurred with the exception of two guys who were swimming out to go around the pier.  That's a very rare sighting of human life ocean swimming around here.  I hope nobody else shows up to crowd me out. 

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

Saturday Swim North Side of the Pier

Wow. Two days in a row.  Feels good.  I had a different plan today for a swim.  I wore the back support and wet suit, with my dashing yellow neoprene hood.  I even broke out my fins.  The idea was to work on the low back muscles.  I lay on my back and did a relaxed kick out to just past the end of the pier. Fourteen minutes out.  I did a relaxed freestyle in to the sand.  Twenty-two minute swim.  Short but helpful, I think.

Same conditions as yesterday in the water.  Very low tide.  A bit of a southeasterly wind gave a tiny chop to the water.  58 degree water.  Refreshing.

I am thankful when I can get into this beautiful water.  And I am thankful for buoyancy.  I'm always surprised at how few persons there are enjoying the water off-season, but it's better for me.  I savor the solitary swim.  I am hoping for a good body tomorrow.  Tell your mother you love her.

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

December Swim after 2 1/2 months off

    

It has been so long since I swam that I have to remember how to do a blog entry.  September 26th was my last swim, I think.  I know that writing about chronic pain is repetitive and pathetic, but maybe some readers are also in a chronic pain situation and can relate.

I got 3 more steroid/anesthetic epidural injections in October--one per week.  I cancelled a fourth because I was too miserable. It doesn't make sense, I know; neither do I.  For some reason I felt OK this morning and had energy and minimal back pain.  Crazy. 

I drove down there and felt some anxiety about getting in cold water, since it has been a while.  The beach was beautiful, with a very low tide, at least six feet of visibility, and one to two foot waves.  No wind, no current, a flat surface, and an overall beautiful day.  The water temp was quoted at 59.  I wore a short-sleeved rash guard tee shirt and jammers shorts with compression underwear under them. I spoiled myself with my neoprene cap which was great.  I actually only swam ten minutes.  Not ready for the cold.  I think it might have been colder than 59.  Maybe not.  Oh, I also wore my elastic low back support.  My back held up fine, I only swallowed one mouthful of water because I forgot how to breathe, and I feel good now.  Maybe I have turned a corner.  And that's my report from fabulous Oceanside, California for today.

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