Warm GSL swim

I was back in the GSL yesterday for a short 1-1/2 mile swim. I wanted to go further but Josh was delayed helping Rachael change a flat tire on the freeway. The water was 68.5 degrees in the marina and as always is cold getting in. I swam out tohru the marina to the red bouy and chatted with Josh and waited for Etsuko to catch up to us. I have not been in the water as much as I have wanted to because of work so this week is the get your butt in gear week for me so that I can taper for the GSLOW race a week from Saturday. Josh and I swam the 1 mile bouy route while Etsuko swam from the red bouy to the white and back. I used to be able to keep up with Josh but like I said my training has suffered from lack of being in the water. as I was swimming I noticed somthing that I dont normally see the BOTTOM. I was neet to see the sands and the rock formations on the bottom of the GSL. In the channel where the sailboats go out you could see where the boats had scraped the bottom and made their mark. we got done and back to the red bouy and decided to swim to the white bouy and back into the marina. Josh beet me to the bouy and had his camera out and snapped a few pictures. we chatted for a bit and I stated that I would be intrested in doing another open water race at Echo if someone were to help. Josh said he would help so I guess I will start getting information on putting on a race next year. here are the pictures that Josh took. Total swim 1.5 miles roughly

Still Swimming

I havent posted in a while because my Hydro tracker quit working on me. I have been swimming in the sucky pool and in the GSL. But with my open water swims I have been basically guessing at how far I have gone. To put it short I dont like dealing with FINIS they have had mt Hydro Tracker for a week now and I have nothing. Ok rant over I swam with Josh, Jim and the side stroke guy (cant remember his name) at the marina yesterday. the wind picked up when we got into the water and when we left the marina it was choppy. Josh and I swam to Black Rock and back in a Little over an hour including our stops for hydration and chatting. on the way to black rock I could see the waves coming in to me so I could Time my breathing accordingly. On the way back I am one of those swimmers that if I try to breathe on my opposite side I take on more water than normal so I dont do it. the wave were beating me up pretty bad. when I finally got the the bouy I talked to Josh and we agreed to call it. when we got back to the marina there was a guy and his wife loading their sail boat and taking down the mast. It looked like a major pain in the butt. we watched them for a bit and went on our way. funny thing is as soon as we left the wind died down and the chop went away. go figure!