I swam at the beach about 2:30 PM today for a total of 18-19 minutes; and it kicked my butt! The ocean is angry, a little less angry than yesterday, with a chop up to 4 feet. Today the chop was up to 3 feet but I think instead of steady, constant nonsensical swimming, the swim today was an unpredictable tossing about in the chop. I did get out farther through the surf, stopping half-way between the bathrooms and the Pier end. This was for safety today; yesterday it was because I didn't have the fitness to swim around in the rough water.
Did I say the water was rough? Yesterday it was difficult to get a breathing system going but today I decided to swim south because I could breathe on the left and make some progress. I got tired after a little bit and did an arc into the sand. I hit the sand at the pink vacation hotel and the Tyson Street park.
I have a swimming fault that I don't look up much before I enter the surf and while I go through the surf. This afternoon a big, crazy wave just smashed me good and ground me up. I actually got a scare in me. Oh well, I am what I am, as Popeye said. Warm water, about 68 degrees.
"The first time you quit is the last time you try."
Thursday, September 26, 2013
Wednesday, September 25, 2013
Wednesday, September 25, 2013 Pier Swim Attempt but Crazy Water!
So what a difference a day can make! I felt like another trip at the Pier so I drove there at noonish. The water was very rough, with a chop up to four-feet all over and whitecaps whipped up by a strong, steady wind to the north.
One surfer tried to surf the mess for ten minutes and moved on to something more fruitful. I have no idea what they might have been, but just watching the water would have been fun enough.
The water was warm, probably another 70 degree day; but from the first step into it the waves were throwing me around like nothing.
Nonetheless, I swam out through the surf zone, through the surf zone, and through the surf some more. After five minutes I realized that the surf zone was endless today. What a crazy washing-machine, heavy-duty big chop to the water. I pulled up three times to see what the heck...eventually I let reason control my actions and I stopped just a little past the bathrooms on the Pier. There was no way "I" was gonna' get around so I swam back in. The entire deal was 15 minutes. It really made me wonder how the long-distance swimmers do it in the rough water--they must have a helluva' powerful kick.
Anyway, I did have fun. I'm glad I went, and I'm a fortunate man.
"The first time you quit is the last time you try."
One surfer tried to surf the mess for ten minutes and moved on to something more fruitful. I have no idea what they might have been, but just watching the water would have been fun enough.
The water was warm, probably another 70 degree day; but from the first step into it the waves were throwing me around like nothing.
Nonetheless, I swam out through the surf zone, through the surf zone, and through the surf some more. After five minutes I realized that the surf zone was endless today. What a crazy washing-machine, heavy-duty big chop to the water. I pulled up three times to see what the heck...eventually I let reason control my actions and I stopped just a little past the bathrooms on the Pier. There was no way "I" was gonna' get around so I swam back in. The entire deal was 15 minutes. It really made me wonder how the long-distance swimmers do it in the rough water--they must have a helluva' powerful kick.
Anyway, I did have fun. I'm glad I went, and I'm a fortunate man.
"The first time you quit is the last time you try."
Tuesday, September 24, 2013
Sept 24 Swam the Pier Today
I went to the Pier early afternoon to look and maybe swim. Thankfully, I was given a break from severe pain today and got into an incredibly beautiful ocean on an amazing day. Water temp was warm, approx 70, I'd say. Air temp was 76. Blue sky, no crowds, same old boring perfection. What a day!
The water was flat, no current, visibility maybe 5 feet. Great swimming conditions but just very small waves for the surfers. Actually, the one-foot waves were good for beginning surfers, bad surfers (like me), the aged surfers, and single-digit surfers (aged 0-9).
It took me 33 minutes to get around the pier. Since it has been 3 weeks since my skin has felt salt, my stroke was rough. I didn't want to take pictures, so I didn't. And that's all I have to say about that.
On my walk to and from the beach parking lot to the water, I saw: one young woman apparently soliciting money from a family. I saw two apparently homeless men walking around the pier area with their belongings trailing behind, one very suspicious van where I would bet money that one could purchase some variety of controlled substances, at least one dozen punky, snot-nosed teenagers with skateboards annoying humanity merely by their tattooed, smoky existence.
Oh, I forgot. A special appearance was made by the police helicopter that went round and round in circles at about 250 feet, with a voice repeatedly saying things like "Come out of the covered area," come out in the open from the area below." I watched for ten minutes but it kept going. As I drove away close to that area a homeless guy came running in a low crouch up one block and across a street. My hunch is that this green, bearded, frayed runner was the person sought by the helo above. "Why?" you ask. Because when is the last time you saw a homeless guy RUN? Case solved; suspect eluded capture. Life went on in Oceanside.
"The first time you quit is the last time you try."
The water was flat, no current, visibility maybe 5 feet. Great swimming conditions but just very small waves for the surfers. Actually, the one-foot waves were good for beginning surfers, bad surfers (like me), the aged surfers, and single-digit surfers (aged 0-9).
It took me 33 minutes to get around the pier. Since it has been 3 weeks since my skin has felt salt, my stroke was rough. I didn't want to take pictures, so I didn't. And that's all I have to say about that.
On my walk to and from the beach parking lot to the water, I saw: one young woman apparently soliciting money from a family. I saw two apparently homeless men walking around the pier area with their belongings trailing behind, one very suspicious van where I would bet money that one could purchase some variety of controlled substances, at least one dozen punky, snot-nosed teenagers with skateboards annoying humanity merely by their tattooed, smoky existence.
Oh, I forgot. A special appearance was made by the police helicopter that went round and round in circles at about 250 feet, with a voice repeatedly saying things like "Come out of the covered area," come out in the open from the area below." I watched for ten minutes but it kept going. As I drove away close to that area a homeless guy came running in a low crouch up one block and across a street. My hunch is that this green, bearded, frayed runner was the person sought by the helo above. "Why?" you ask. Because when is the last time you saw a homeless guy RUN? Case solved; suspect eluded capture. Life went on in Oceanside.
"The first time you quit is the last time you try."
Wednesday, September 11, 2013
Choppy Water Tuesday. No Go.
"The first time you quit is the last time you try."
Yesterday (Tuesday) I dragged my sorry, tired butt down to the beach with the intention of swimming the Pier. I failed. I didn't get in. No energy, back hurting. The day was very nice but the water had a 1-2 foot chop to it, I'd estimate. Just about 8 surfers on the north side. About 6 people playing on the south side. The 2 footer waves were just dumping in right at the beginning of the sand. Kinda' strange.
There would also be a set breaking every several minutes out 25 yards or so (very close also)--but not surfable. Where can I buy some inner life force?
Monday, September 2, 2013
Sept 2, 2013 Oceanside Swim Club Labor Day Pier Swim Done!
We did the swim this morning and it was fun. The swim was supposed to go off at 8:30 AM but it was delayed by heavy fog. We went out at about 10:15 AM. It was still foggy farther out; we couldn't see the big, orange buoys where you turn. That was a problem for time and direction. I felt like I would knock off a few minutes from my last time but I was actually about a half-minute faster at 37:12. The water had a one-foot chop all over. The water was a bit rough getting out but I don't think it was an issue for most participants. The back and forth swimming trying to find the buoys was a pain for both buoys. Also, on the swim in, the young lifeguards sitting on the surfboards as guides were too far north; this added distance to the swim and the run to the finish on the sand was longer.
The water was chilly but nothing excessive. I didn't want to bring my camera down to the sand so unfortunately no pictures. A lovely, nice crowd, a demanding swim, and a new experience.
http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2013/sep/03/tp-once-around-the-pier/
http://oceansideswimclub.com/
"The first time you quit is the last time you try."
The water was chilly but nothing excessive. I didn't want to bring my camera down to the sand so unfortunately no pictures. A lovely, nice crowd, a demanding swim, and a new experience.
http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2013/sep/03/tp-once-around-the-pier/
http://oceansideswimclub.com/
"The first time you quit is the last time you try."
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