Wednesday, July 15, 2009

Bi-Polar Swim

Beach: Klode
Water temp:  59 (south end of beach), 63 (north end of beach)
Waves: none
Crew: Cap'n, Patriarch
Water clarity: stirred up from the storms
Next swim: Thursday 6AMKlode

A furious battle raged today, between the hot July sun warming up the surface water, and the offshore wind, pushing the warmed water out, and bringing up the cold water from below.  

Nevertheless,  "No wetsuits or bust" was our motto this afternoon, and we were sorely put to the test when we felt very cold water at the south end of the beach, my thermometer measuring 59.  Yet kids were swimming on the north end, so we took a measurement there and got 63.  

Ever the optimists, we jumped in without wetsuits and headed north, the water was cool but tolerable.  We turned around at "garage" and headed back towards the south end of the beach and hit a wall of very very cold water.  Now, it's not unusual for there to be pockets of warmer and cooler water, but this was extreme, and it kept going, we could not swim through it.  It was so cold we felt we had no choice but to bail and get out.

The lake never ceases to surprise and fascinate.    

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