Saturday Oceanside Pier Swim Training Choppy Day

The waves were small and lacking power Saturday afternoon, but these pictures seem to belie that fact.  There was a body surfing contest earlier in the day but conditions weren't good.  I swam from south to the north and had a nice swim.  The water had a 1-2 foot chop to it, but it was warm and no strong currents.  I bought a watch and wore it to time myself.  I came up with 35 minutes for the swim.  I get in just south of Seagaze Drive (between the Pier and Tyson St) and get out near Surfrider Way.  I don't know how far that is but maybe about a mile.
Before I got in I was studying the water and I saw a big dolphin heading in toward the beach, but it stayed visible for about 1.5 to 2 seconds and what I saw was a fin on a big fish heading toward me.  Remember, I was standing on the sand.  The dolphin looked like a big shark because it was not doing the usual curved up and down movement of the typical dolphin parallel to the sand.  It really gave me the creeps.  I kept watching and then saw a few more glimpses of what were smaller dolphins clearly. 
So, I swam out there with a creepy feeling and then I hit a big chunk of kelp-like a big tree branch-which almost gave me a heart attack.  Then I swallowed a gulp of water and a side cramp started-and it stayed with me the entire swim. 
I didn't relax until I was headed in, tired, and had put the imaginary shark sighting out of my mind.  The cramp stayed with me for another half hour or so. 

Friday Evening Pier Training Swim

The water was a beautiful blue on Friday at 5 PM.  Just a hint of green, and visibility was very good at about ten feet.  Warm again, with 3-4 foot waves.  The waves were breaking nicely and significantly more surfers than usual were taking advantage of the good surfing conditions.  The surfers were not limited to the small pier area but were spread out along the beach both north and south of the pier.  Swimmimg in I saw one Dad sitting on his surfboard outside the breakers waiting for a set with his little boy on his board with him.  How cool is that for a boy?  What a great Dad!
I did a relaxed swim Friday, leisurely and smooth.  My brain was thinking about life issues and sorting things out, but in a relaxed manner.  I usually don't think about life stuff while I swim-the swim is my escape from the life stuff-but I was sorting out good things and was relaxed and at great ease.  A cool swim.

Oceanside CA Swimmer Rescues Friends in Rough Surf Connor Stotts

Article About Connor Stotts' Beach Rescue

Check out this link to a news story of a recent beach rescue at Oceanside, CA.  I was swimming there that day and the day before and will confirm that the surf was extremely rough with strong rip currents.

Connor Stotts Oceanside, CA Beach Rescue

San Diego Ocean Swimming

I took my camera out to take some pictures before my swim but my battery was dead.  No big deal; the pictures would have looked like yesterday's.  Actually, the pier swim was pretty much a repeat of yesterday-very good.  Today I thought a lot about my arm stroke and problems that I have with it.  When the water is active, or choppy, or a bit rough, I am adjusting my arm pull to maintain my balance in the water and my ability to breathe.  I find myself as I arm-pull pulling inward toward the midline of my body, pulling outward, pushing up or down, etc. 
I really don't know whether I am giving in to the water and pulling incorrectly, or doing what is just a normal adaptation in my arm-pull with necessary adjustments.  The water had about a one-foot chop to it today and I was  constantly making minor adjustments in my arm-pulls.  Any thoughts or opinions out there?
No other swimmers today, but more beachgoers enjoying the warm water and great weather at the beach.  Signing off for now.

Two Other Ocean Swimmers Today at Oceanside Pier!

Surprise. I saw two young men swimming through the surf and out past a ways, and then returning after a while.  I think they may have been doing some pre-lifeguard type training or something because they ran on the beach and one of them took a long paddleboard out.  They didn't venture out around the pier-that point of no return that makes it exciting!
Warm water, 3-4 foot waves, visibility almost as good as you ever get around here-about ten feet. Blue-green color.  Beautiful.
No current at all out far. I stopped at the pier end to check the drift-none at all.  Flat water-good for breathing on both sides.

I even found three sea shells after the swim.  I tried to get a few pictures of the two swimmers in the surf but they are just specks in these pictures.