Pier Swim After Long Layoff

It's been so long since I have felt well enough to hit the Pier that I have to look up my last swim.  July 12th.  So, eleven missed days due to this back of mine.  Surprisingly, the water is too hot!  It's 69 degrees out there.  That is too warm for swimming distance.  It did get a tiny bit colder off the end of the pier as I rounded it, but it didn't last long enough.  There were tons of yellow bubbles in the ocean today--probably some king of algae growth due to the warm water.  It was kinda' gross swimming through that junk.  There was a one foot chop out there and I was swimming against a slight current.  I did a 37 minute swim in a wide arc but my kicking and my back were still messed up.  Afterward, I was doing my slow walk with the slight limp on the right leg side--something that has become too common with me nowadays.  This blog name may have to be changed from Swimmer to Back Pain at some point--I hope not.


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

New Ocean Swimmers in Oceanside, CA at the Pier

Yesterday (Wednesday) I finally got back in the water to see if I could swim around the pier in a mellow fashion--my back has been constant pain--but I MISS getting in the water.  I went at about 4 PM and the area was on the quiet side.  The water was chillier today, which was really nice.  Still, it was only 63 degrees--not very cold--but a refreshing relief from the 65 degree bath water.
It was exciting to see two ocean swimmers out there as I arrived and parked on the street above the beach.  Good looking strokes--they were swimming parallel to the sand, heading north, at a good pace--faster than my pace, for sure.  I took a few pictures but they don't show up in my photos.
They may be a part of The Oceanside Swim Club's new spinoff club, the Calipiranha Ocean Swim Club. 
My swim was 34 1/2 minutes, relaxed, and my back had no pain in the water.  Last night it was hurting, and it woke me up at 5 AM this morning driving me crazy.  Don't get old!


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

Saturday Samoan Festival. No Swim, Just Pictures

I went to the beach about 6 PM and it was still very crowded.  The Samoan Festival was going strong and lots of people were all around the pier area.  I didn't swim, although the ocean looked great at low tide.  I think I'll be on dry land for a bit until my back is feeling better. 

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

No Swim Thursday, Just Pictures

I was kept out of the water today by low back pain and muscle spasms.  I stood at the sand and wavered between going in or not.  The 'not' won out.  The water was sloppy--no waves, a choppy surface, and the sky was totally overcast. 
I thought about wearing fins to exercise the back, but I didn't have any with me; I had cleaned out my trunk a week ago.  Oh, well.  Maybe it's better to rest up?  I'm guilty of contradicting my post-script this day.

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