Start tracking the water temperatures here -- www.surf-forecast.com/.../seatemp -- and get excited for America's premier rough water swim, http://www.ljrws.com/. This is an all ages blast of an event.
Who's going?
Who's doing the Gatorman?
Who's doing the Daily Double?
I'll be there and wimping out with the mile only; this will be my 6th year doing the mile. I attempted the daily double in both 2008 and 2010 and will try that again in 2012.
Tips for maximum enjoyment:
Spend $100 to become a century sponsor for the event (supports the kids event) and get front row seats and a super-sweet parking pass.
Arrive on Saturday so you can check in and get a practice swim in.
Hoping for warmer conditions this year than last.
I'm signed up for the mile. It'll be my 3rd year and very, very excited that it's poised to be much warmer than last year (brrrr....). I actually dreamt about it last night! The week before La Jolla, I'll be doing the Maui 'Aumakua swim. Very excited about both. Very cool. The Maui swim is on my bucket list.
Gatorman is a lifetime goal for me - I think I can do the distance but not sure I can withstand the cold... Even at low 70's (2 yrs ago), I was shivering at the end. I have very little insulation. Last year was hellacious for me.Last year was horrible. It took me well over an hour after the Gatorman sitting in the sunshine with three top layers (t-shirt, long-sleeve shirt, hoodie) to warm up again. If it does end up being cold again this year for some reason, I highly recommend wearing a neoprene cap with ear plugs. That made it somewhat more bearable (at least for the mile) last year.
I'm signed up for the mile. It'll be my 3rd year and very, very excited that it's poised to be much warmer than last year (brrrr....). I actually dreamt about it last night! The week before La Jolla, I'll be doing the Maui 'Aumakua swim. Very excited about both.
:bliss:
Gatorman is a lifetime goal for me - I think I can do the distance but not sure I can withstand the cold... Even at low 70's (2 yrs ago), I was shivering at the end. I have very little insulation. Last year was hellacious for me.
I am very green in OWS, I plan on swimming the Gatorman this year. I did the Newport Beach Pier to Pier early this summer (my first race) and I felt like I had "gas in the tank" left for a longer race.
I am also monitoring the see temperatures...but I am afraid that the temperature in surf websites is not very accurate, sea temperatures can vary a lot during the day. La Jolla had a range between 62-69 during the past few days:
www.ndbc.noaa.gov/show_plot.php
Luckily the Gatorman is at 1:30 when the water could be the highest of the day.
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.
All you east-coasters sick of the mean Atlantic, get you a ticket for an aeroplane (you might still have time for a fast train) and come swim in the wondrous Pacific. As an added incentive to fly, we even have power coming out of our wall sockets in the wild west.
Day of registration is available -- www.ljrws.com
Last year was horrible. It took me well over an hour after the Gatorman sitting in the sunshine with three top layers (t-shirt, long-sleeve shirt, hoodie) to warm up again. If it does end up being cold again this year for some reason, I highly recommend wearing a neoprene cap with ear plugs.
I clearly need to bulk you up...maybe take you to smashburger or something. If you are a fatarse like myself, the cold has never been noticeble.
I'm doing daily double and likely getting thrashed by people with magical open water skills..definitely consistently my crappiest open water swim...cannot beat the Ghiradelli hot fudge sundaes (downtown San Diego) of which I had five in one weekend last year.
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):)
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.
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.
