2011 Inaugural Tiki Swim

This will be a first for the Oceanside Harbor.

Navy Ships, Coast Guard boats, even replica Spanish Galleons have come in to the Oceanside harbor, but on the morning of September 25th, the Oceanside Harbor will welcome Tiki swimmers in the 1st inaugural Tiki Swim.

 

Two  courses are set up with a point to point route finishing in the parking lot just above the boat launch ramp in the Oceanside Harbor. They'll supply a double decker shuttle buses to shuttle athletes, family and guests.

2.4 miles of FUN!!

The 2.4 mile swim will be a beach start  at 7:30 from the south side of the Oceanside Pier (same as the Oceanside Pier Swim on Labor Day). Athletes will swim out and around the pier before heading north, parallel to shore, for the Harbor mouth. Once in the shelter of the harbor, swimmers will make a few right hand turns with the final turn and sprint finish up the boat ramp. The cutoff time for the swim is 2 hours and 20 minutes.

There is also a 1.2 mile event.

My fellow swim chums and I chose the 2.4mi event (my 1st time racing this distance). The Oakstreakers were present minus Patsee,Tanya and Annie. David came down from LA, but Gary opted out. Doug joined us en lieu of the Relay event in La Jolla, a former patient of mine, Tom was straining his eyes early this morning at check in, as was Gracie (husband Neil was kayaking) and Fred.  Even Jaycee (12yo) from Arizona came out and declared her intention to swim it under and hour!

The water was amazingly flat, with a nice current North and approx 63F, with zero viz.  The red tide has taken over all of San Diego County!

This was an extremely fast group of swimmer and Tri-geeks (err athletes).  Few braved the elements sans wetsuit; the wetsuit division made up primarily of the Tri-guys.  There were contingents of the German National Team and the US Team, and sponsored swimmers including our very own Gracie.  The winning time was 48min!!!

They had Tiki surf hats for everyone and t-shirts, pancake breakfast and professional photos by Heidi Lee Portraits of La Jolla.  The over all winners received Tiki paintings on canvas and the age group winners received Tiki totems (very cute).

I came in 4th in my AG (no totem) but I'm well pleased with my time of 01:31:01.  This was a great event with great people...definitely on my list for the future.