Best Visibility in Oceanside in My Memory

I went to check out the water-not sure if I would swim-as usual.  The tide was low, very small waves, hardly any surfers, and a totally flat & glassy ocean.  Outstanding.  I saw a dolphin heading south before I got in the water.  Grey skies, sun setting soon-I got into my oversized, baggy, stupid-looking bathing suit, and got in.  An older gentleman, walking his dog, asked me, "Are you going in?"  "Someone has to," I replied.  He nodded in satisfaction and went on his way.  The water was cold but so clean and calm and beautiful.  I estimate the visibility was up to fifteen to twenty feet.
I had a nice swim in the flat water, and did the pier in 31 minutes.  Because of the low tide, my time was shorter.  I saw a bunch of sand dollars on the bottom but didn't stop to collect them today.  Too cold.
What a fantastic ocean at the Pier today.  Glad I had it all to myself.

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

Harbor Beach to Pier Swim-Low Tide

I tried to catch a photo of a couple of dolphins but I just got blurry photos.  The water was a bit warmer today. Tide was low and visibility excellent for us at 15 feet.  I swam from the Harbor Beach to around the Pier and in.  Took me about an hour and ten minutes.  It got rough near the pier-it usually does that near the pier.  Otherwise it was flat and nice for swimming.  Kelp floating around a lot-that's a pain because it can scare the heck out of you sometimes.
It was a nice swim. Fairly demanding, and then a run back to the Harbor parking lot.  Nice Sunday in Oceanside.

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

Sand Dollars, Stolen Shirt, and Cold Pier Swim

OK. Saturday 2:30 PM. I drive to the beach to swim. I take some photos.  I park and walk a block to the sand and leave my t shirt on the sand as I often do.  My t-shirt from the Oceanside Pier Swim.  And somebody takes it while I'm swimming.  Dammit.  I saw a bum nearby and I figure him for the culprit.  I guess he needs it more than I.

That was at the end of the swim so let's return to the beginning.  I went in and the visibility was excellent-about fifteen feet-major visibility in Oceanside.  I started to swim out and saw sand dollars on the bottom.  I can't pass up sand dollars.  So, I dive for sand dollars for 20 minutes and collect a bunch in my back pocket. Several are good ones-no cracks.  I'm getting chiily so I do the swim.  The water was choppy and I was swimming against a mild current.  On the way in after the pier I got the slows from the cold water. 
Several of the sand dollars crumbled; several got more cracks, and a few survived intact.
I jogged down the beach and there was a surf contest ongoing; the waves were lousy.  But I think surfing is analogous to fishing in that just getting out and doing it-even if conditions stink-is better than not going out.

Only when I looked for my shirt did I get ticked off. 

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

Ocean Swim Oceanside Pier Friday

I wasn't intending to swim Friday after work because I was tired.  But I've heard it said that "You can sleep after you're dead" many times, and I guess that there's some truth to that notion. After work I drove to the beach to check it out and went in.  The sky was mostly sunny; the water was very clean-about ten feet visibility.  Getting in the water was clear, blue, and bubbly with the fresh white water of the waves. 
I guessed wrong on the current; I got in on the north side and swam north to south, but I should have reversed it.  The water is cold now; Fall is here.  I'll hold out in my swim trunks for now, and see how it goes.  My back was hurting all day and I wore my TENS unit at work for the pain, along with some helpful "better living through chemistry" medication-all strictly prescription & legal, of course.  The last few times that I have been in the ocean I have had the feeling that I was in a giant ice pack for cold therapy for an injury.  I think that the immersion in the cold water helps the pain. 
The water was choppy-about a solid one foot of chop-with the chop doubling off the end of the pier.
A couple of dozen surfers were getting good waves on the north side-3-4 feet waves.
I was in slow motion swimming in and my time showed it. 37 minutes 15 seconds.
The clean water and being able to see the bottom was special for this swim Friday. 

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

Grey Sky, Grey Water, Cold Pier Trip

It was choppy today with a strong surface water movement to the northeast.  I stopped to check the current off the end of the pier and it was negligible.  Lots of surfers on the north side for good waves.  Chiily water but a good, vigorous swim.  33 minutes and 12 seconds.  The colder the water gets, the faster I swim to try to warm up.

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