La Jolla Rough Water - 9/11

RE: La Jolla Rough Water - 9/11

chowsh — Sat, 17 Sep 2011 04:20:51 GMT

hey everyone! pwb is being modest and hasn't mentioned--he won the whole shebang in the 1 mi! way to go patrick!:applaud:

RE: La Jolla Rough Water - 9/11

Former Member — Mon, 12 Sep 2011 15:49:46 GMT

So how was it? You lucky bastards. :bump:

RE: La Jolla Rough Water - 9/11

Former Member — Mon, 12 Sep 2011 13:31:40 GMT

I find it curious that particiation has dropped significantly for the last few years, esp from 2009 to 2011. Some are daily double entrants so hard to say what the total number of individuals might be, but here's how it breaks down: Year: 1-mile Men/1-mile Women/Gatormen 2007: 614/437/493 2008: 551/375/487 2009: 566/416/491 2010: 458/311/225 2011: 404/263/285 I find it even more strange since open water swimming and triathlons have become much more popular in recent years. What's going on?! :dunno:

RE: La Jolla Rough Water - 9/11

Patrick W. Brundage — Mon, 12 Sep 2011 12:57:15 GMT

So how was it?Awesome, awesome day. The land weather was picture perfect -- sun, blue skies, 70ish degree air temp. The water wasn't quite as clear as in years past, but much clearer than Saturday during pre-race warmup swims. Temperature was still on the nippy 65 degree side, though it felt warmer away from the cove. The waves were neither a positive (e.g., no surf into the shore) nor a negative factor this year ... ... but the "rough" part was made up in spades by some major kelp/seaweed forests. I assume the Gator-people swam through it, as well, but about 150 yds on either side of the 2nd buoy of the 1 mile course there were huge patches of it. There was really no way to go around it, you just had to claw your way through it. This was my 6th year and by far the kelpiest-seaweediest of the years. It was more like an obstacle course going through that portion, but fun nonetheless. As always, the crew running the event, the safety folks, the cheerleaders with energy bars and electrolyte drinks afterwards, the party atmosphere was awesome. To top off a great event, they had an awesome vendor there with fish tacos instead of the typical burgers and hot dogs for post-race nutrition. ... now, if only the city of La Jolla, so rich with likely property tax and sales tax revenue could renovate their bathrooms, this already awesome event could be one notch better!

RE: La Jolla Rough Water - 9/11

Former Member — Mon, 12 Sep 2011 12:05:35 GMT

Year 1 (2009): The Year of Huge Surf Year 2 (2010): The Year of Freezing Water Year 3 (2011): The Year of Kelp Forest Maybe the year I finally get to do it will include all three :) Although I would gladly do without the freezing water. Kelp forests are spooky to swim through. The last time I was in La Jolla there was monster kelp. I hallucinated all kinds of shadowy creatures lurking down below.. and that was during a short 1-mile leisure swim, with wetsuit. All of my non-wetsuit swims in the cove have been fairly kelp-free, so I can only imagine what it would feel like to have to claw your way through without the sensory barrier of a rubber suit.

RE: La Jolla Rough Water - 9/11

knelson — Mon, 12 Sep 2011 11:22:07 GMT

Strange finish for sure. Not only with the two guys wearing leggings, but also the swimmer the lifeguards are assisting who damn near gets right in the way of the lead swimmers.

RE: La Jolla Rough Water - 9/11

Patrick W. Brundage — Mon, 12 Sep 2011 10:34:09 GMT

Gatorman start -- Gatorman start - YouTube Gatorman finish Top 3 - Gatorman Finish Top 3 - YouTube They ended up awarding Kostich, who comes in 3rd in the video, the win, but I couldn't quite understand the rationale that the announcer stated. He said it had something to do with registration, but I didn't catch his rationale. I'd have DQ'd the two guys at the lead for wearing leggings.

RE: La Jolla Rough Water - 9/11

Patrick W. Brundage — Mon, 12 Sep 2011 10:29:13 GMT

RE: La Jolla Rough Water - 9/11

Former Member — Mon, 12 Sep 2011 07:55:35 GMT

I had a great time. Kelp Forest was a challenge - I heard a few "ughs" while going through it and it definitely sapped my energy and took a lot of effort crawling over and looking forward more for any openings. Kelp was definitely the topic du jour everywhere. The winning time for Masters Women was 23:13, which is pretty slow espcially considering how flat the water was, no doubt due to the kelp. And pwb, you failed to mention that you won the mile race! So in my 3 years of LJRWS: Year 1 (2009): The Year of Huge Surf Year 2 (2010): The Year of Freezing Water Year 3 (2011): The Year of Kelp Forest I love how it's never the same race twice! Open water is FUN! :agree:

RE: La Jolla Rough Water - 9/11

knelson — Mon, 12 Sep 2011 07:09:37 GMT

I love how it's never the same race twice! Forrest Gump would say it's like a box of chocolates.

RE: La Jolla Rough Water - 9/11

yedswim — Mon, 12 Sep 2011 02:52:37 GMT

What a great day...everything was perfect except the kelp, I was able to drag myself over it on the way to the pier but returning from it..wow!..it drained all my energy. Also it was a bit choppy returning from the pier.

RE: La Jolla Rough Water - 9/11

knelson — Mon, 12 Sep 2011 01:03:50 GMT

... now, if only the city of La Jolla, so rich with likely property tax and sales tax revenue could renovate their bathrooms, this already awesome event could be one notch better! Definitely lots of taxes coming in, but keep in mind La Jolla is NOT an independent city--it's part of San Diego.

RE: La Jolla Rough Water - 9/11

Former Member — Sat, 10 Sep 2011 09:39:30 GMT

Hi Everyone, I am new to the forums and fairly new to Open Water swimming. I have a question about the start line for the La Jolla Rough Water Swim. I know its a chipped event, but i've always been a little confused about where the official Start Line is....does anyone know? It must be buried? Also, what does everyone think about strategy for the start? Get up front and be with the fast folks, and risk being pummeled and out paced? Or, hang back to have a more mellow start, but risk being stuck behind folks that pace slower than you? Thanks guys :)

RE: La Jolla Rough Water - 9/11

Former Member — Fri, 09 Sep 2011 16:56:31 GMT

I am doing the Gatorman this weekend. Does anybody know whats the best grease to use? Thanks. For something of that distance I would use simple vaseline on the places where skin rubs together: under the arms, around the neck & between the thighs. However, no mater what you use, this is definitely what you should use to get it off: Gator Grease

RE: La Jolla Rough Water - 9/11

Former Member — Fri, 09 Sep 2011 16:12:20 GMT

Ok, according to swellwatch, looking promising that it will flow up in this case before dispersing. :D And looks like we'll have calm conditions for Sunday

RE: La Jolla Rough Water - 9/11

Former Member — Fri, 09 Sep 2011 16:01:39 GMT

uh oh... www.nbcsandiego.com/.../Local-Beaches-Closed-Due-to-Sewage-Spills-129528448.html Only a couple of miles north of the cove. I hope the current moves the crap north.

RE: La Jolla Rough Water - 9/11

Former Member — Fri, 09 Sep 2011 13:13:13 GMT

Thanks for the info.

RE: La Jolla Rough Water - 9/11

yedswim — Fri, 09 Sep 2011 12:35:51 GMT

uh oh... www.nbcsandiego.com/.../Local-Beaches-Closed-Due-to-Sewage-Spills-129528448.html Only a couple of miles north of the cove. I hope the current moves the crap north. not good....the main current is southbound. I hope see life and currents are able to dissolve 3.2 million gallons in 2 days.

RE: La Jolla Rough Water - 9/11

Former Member — Thu, 08 Sep 2011 14:30:04 GMT

I am doing the Gatorman this weekend. Does anybody know whats the best grease to use? Thanks.

RE: La Jolla Rough Water - 9/11

Former Member — Sun, 04 Sep 2011 12:43:26 GMT

Try the Oceanside Pier Swim which happens every Labor Day. It is a true rough water. No kelp to swim through only large waves.

RE: La Jolla Rough Water - 9/11

yedswim — Wed, 31 Aug 2011 01:43:58 GMT

I'm always amazed at the daily temperature range - I guess it has to do with the tides... but 12 degrees within a 24-hr period?! I hope the temperature during the swim is closer to the high end of the range. For some reason that station has a huge temperature range, much higher than others in the area. My best guess is that is due to the underwater canyon present there. If you look at the bathymetric map (attached here) you can see that there are 2 arms in the canyon (the upper being closer to the pier and the lower roughly in the middle) also you can see that there is a huge "underwater funnel" as you go into deeper ocean. My theory is that with the rising tide the cold water (at the bottom) is pushed through the funnel into the arms and eventually closer to the surface lowering the temperature.

RE: La Jolla Rough Water - 9/11

Former Member — Tue, 30 Aug 2011 12:30:04 GMT

The temperature peaked around 72 degrees today in the cove -- www.ndbc.noaa.gov/show_plot.php -- so we'll hopefully have ideal water conditions. I'm always amazed at the daily temperature range - I guess it has to do with the tides... but 12 degrees within a 24-hr period?! I hope the temperature during the swim is closer to the high end of the range.

RE: La Jolla Rough Water - 9/11

knelson — Tue, 30 Aug 2011 12:28:47 GMT

Maui is nice...not a big fan of the swim unless you like to go for a 12 foot dive after swimming 2 miles all out (you get a minute off your time if you go through the arch which I did not even see until I was well past and probably could not have done anyway):) Cool, it sort of like swimming's equivalent of the steeplechase!

RE: La Jolla Rough Water - 9/11

Former Member — Tue, 30 Aug 2011 11:21:48 GMT

The temperature peaked around 72 degrees today in the cove -- Where is the temperature buoy? There's no way it could be 72 degrees out over the canyon. I really wish they would schedule this swim a week earlier. If it were the last weekend of summer vacation instead of the first weekend after the kids go back to school, then I could do it.

RE: La Jolla Rough Water - 9/11

yedswim — Tue, 30 Aug 2011 11:21:39 GMT

Where is the temperature buoy? There's no way it could be 72 degrees out over the canyon. I really wish they would schedule this swim a week earlier. If it were the last weekend of summer vacation instead of the first weekend after the kids go back to school, then I could do it. I tried to figure that out a few weeks ago and I concluded that this station is not on a buoy but on the Scripps pier. That station does not list the water depth and the coordinates point to the Scripps Institute.