Saturday, May 31, 2014

Perfect Day

Next Swim:  Sunday June 1st 2:00PM, followed by Estrabrook Park Beer Garden

Last Swim: Saturday May 31st 1:00PM
Water Temp: measured between 57 and 60, but much warmer and much colder pockets
Waves: calm
Water Clarity: Very Good
Crew: Sarah, Alba, Doc Amy, Zoom Zoom, Sketch, Nivens McTwist, Gumdrop, Andy, Phil, Diablo, Neo, Cap'n, Patriarch
Wetsuits: 11, Skins 2, plus 5 "strip and dips" (swim with wetsuit, then a short skin swim)
Pitsch:  11

Having missed last weekend's inaugural swim, I was very happy to join the crew for my first Lake Michigan swim of the year.  It couldn't have been a better day, warm sunny and calm.  Looking forward to many more!

We swam to "mudslide" and back, about a mile, Neo and Zoom Zoom without wetsuits!  We celebrated a great swim and a great day with shots of our favorite beverage.

Following tomorrow's swim please join us at the Estrabrook Park Beer Garden for a refreshment (or two).

Friday, May 30, 2014

Improving Conditions...May 31st Swim Plan

Next Swims:
   Saturday May 31st @ 1pm
   Sunday June 1st @ TBD

Current Conditions - May 30th @ 5pm
   Water Temp:  56.1+ (60ish north of north rock pile)
   Air Temp:  64 & Sunny
   Waves:  none
   Clarity: crystal clear with 100's of little fish near to shore

Avast ye Maties!  Well blow me down!  It be a sure sign that summer be upon us when dar be a sighten' of The Patriarch near to the Klode shores.  I fool ye not....low an behold as I was pullin' up anchor from the Klode parkin' lot in sails The Patriarch... gloatin' bout his adventures that included swabbing the poop deck of some fine young lasses, scorin' the motherload and even offering advice fer one of our fellow Kru mates (...who will remain nameless for now...) "thinks he be ready to sail a beauty, ye better be willin' to sink with her!"  Ah indeed...classic Patriarch...who by the way is on the record for being officially in fer tomorrow's swim.

Here are the Klode Kru results from last night's Aquathon Race #1 at Menomonee Park:

Water Temp:  73.4+
Air Temp:  72 & sunny
Waves:  none

FNLNTIMEOVERALLSWIMTRANSRUN
Matt "Kung Fu's Hubby"Ammman34:13:00215:020:4118:31
Larry "The Legend"Lanza35:15:00315:520:3818:46
Bryan "Riptide"Hermus37:14:00816:361:0019:38
Ted  "Capt'n"Shue37:57:001118:370:4518:35
KevinBaseheart38:01:001214:201:0222:40
"Sir" JamesBiles38:38:001313:450:3324:21:00
KarenKimple38:49:001416:131:0021:38
MichelleLanouette40:33:001918:440:5820:51
Matthew  "Sketch"Twieg42:12:002320:170:5121:05

Monday, May 26, 2014

Jinxed!

Next Swim:  TBD  (next weekend?  Post a date/time if you're interested)

Last Swim:  Monday May 26th @ 11am

Conditions:
      Water Temp:  49.4 Captn-o-Meter / 48 Kahun-o-meter
      Air Temp:  74 & Sunny
      Waves:  rippled surface
      Clarity:  Crystal Clear with occasional little fish sightings
      Crew:  Diablo, Gumdrop, Kahuna, David, Ele, Nick, Capt'n with special guest appearances by Nivens McTwisp & Blackstone and Gigi
      Suit Count: 6
      Skin Count: 1
      Pitsch Count: 7

With a humid air temp firmly in 70's, an overnight low that was on the plus side of sixty and a very gentle southwesterly breeze the conditions looked favorable for even better swim conditions than yesterday....or so we thought.  If it's one thing we've learned over the years, "never try and predict the lake temp"....especially when you're close enough for the Lady of the Lake to hear you!

While most of us were expecting to enjoy water temps in the neighborhood of 60 we were all shocked by our initial reading of 53 by the south rock piles.  Of course we were even more shocked when we encountered the 48 degree water while venturing out on today's swim adventure.  Still, Diablo persisted and logged a skin swim to garage and back while a few others logged a Cedar Grove swim.

No plans have been set yet for our next swim.  Rest assured there will definitely be mid-day swims next Saturday and Sunday.  If you have a preferred time, or if you're interested in swimming this week please post a comment.

Sunday, May 25, 2014

Strip-n-Dip Season Opening Swim

Next Swim:  Monday (Memorial Day) May 26th @ 11am

Last Swim:  Sunday May 25th @ 1pm

Swim Conditions:
   Water Temp:  57.2+  (warmer away from the rock piles)
   Air Temp:  71 & sunny with light wind from SE
   Waves:  light chop from south
   Clarity: crystal clear with frequent little fish sightings
   Crew:  Diablo, Gumdrop, Kahuna, Neo, Riptide, Zoom-Zoom, Capt'n with special guest appearances by Scooby & Eye Candy and Zoom-Megan
   Suit Count:   5
   Skin Count: 2
   Pitsch Count: 6

Wow...after the winter and spring we've had who would have predicted season opening conditions like this!?!?  If you would have asked me in March I wouldn't have been shocked to see icebergs still floating in the bay and today's swim akin to more of a polar bear plunge than a full fledged swim.

For the record, today's water temp was 5 degrees warmer than last years season opening swim.  The water temp registered 57.2 on the Captn-o-meter and 13.8C on the Scientific-o-meter.  All Kru members noted though that the coldest water was at our launch site with the water along our route south to the Silver Spring downspout feeling at least a few degrees warmer.  (60+?)  Perhaps the only downsides to today's swim were the slightly choppy waves and occasional patches of floating debris.  (weeds?)

Following our initial swim all Kru members performed the "Strip-n-dip" ritual whereby we shed our wetsuits and ventured out for a skin swim.  Both Diablo and I completed the quarter mile swim to Picnic table and back to log the seasons first official skin swims.  To celebrate our most excellent Season Opening swim the Kru enjoyed a round of Pitsch...highlighted by Kahuna's unique technique that can best be likened to someone who has never had a shot of Pitsch before.  (Obviously Kahuna must not have practiced much over the long winter months.)



Saturday, May 24, 2014

Current Conditions - Saturday May 24th at 1pm

Less than 24 hours until the first official Klode Kru swim of the season.  In hindsight, had I known the conditions were going to be this nice I would most certainly have set today as the date for our first 'official' swim.  (...of course some of us may have already ventured out for a swim...but...the Klode Kru Code dictates that a blessing or proclamation from The Patriarch must be obtained first before a swim can be declared as an 'Official Klode Kru' swim.)

1pm Klode Conditions:
   Water Temp:  56.1 (54.3 right next to the NE rock pile)
   Air Temp:  68 & sunshine
   Waves:  None...virtual sheet of glass
   Clarity:  Crystal clear with frequent sightings of small fish

Next Swim:
   Sunday May 25th @ 1pm (Klode)

Note:  Klode's Northeast beach (the beach between Klode's 2 most northern rock piles) appears to currently be the best location to walk the plank from.  Let's plan to meet there Sunday.

Thursday, May 22, 2014

Traditional First Klode Kru Swim of the 2014 Season

Ahoy Mates!  Memorial Day weekend is traditionally when we log our first 'official' swim of the season.  Surprisingly the maps are indicating that the surface water is nearing 50...stay tuned though for an official reading from the Captn-o-meter.

How about we meet at Klode at 1pm Sunday fer our first plank walk of 2014?  Of course there will be plenty of Pitsch for everyone on hand to celebrate the occasion!

....please post a comment and let me know if yer alive or dead...and if yer 'in' fer Sunday.  :)