Legally Blond

Last swim:  6 a.m.  Thursday

Next swims: Weekdays 6 a.m. and 6 p.m., Saturday/Sunday 8 a.m. and noon

Air:  55 to 60? 

Water temp: No thermometer, but my guess 59, at the beach, but way warmer when you got way out past the rocks

Waves: Big, big waves, with lots of whitecaps

Clarity: Zip

Kru: Mermaid Princess, Mr. A, Anaswim!, Kahuna

Shore support:  Small flock (school?) of Wim Hofers

So, someone left on the beach the above painting, so I did a mug shot of Mermaid Princess with it.  She sure looks a lot happier in her mug shot than DJT does in his.  

As I descended down the path towards the beach, my ears told me I was in for a good old rock & roll swim.  Having read Dragonfly's post from yesterday, I had brought the full wetsuit, but I was assured by Mermaid Princess as I arrived at the beach that today it was nothing like yesterday water-temp wise.  So since she and Mr. A were not putting on full wetsuits, neither did I.  Which later brought to mind one of my mother's favorite questions about stupid actions "If all your friends jumped off a cliff, would you do it too?"

As at least suggested by the below pictures, there were serious waves and whitecaps, and a tremendous amount of energy surging. in the Lake today.

Definitely "Big Water" today, the biggest I've swam in the Lake this season.  

The getting in and out today was challenging.  As I got ready, I watched Mr. A and Mermaid Princess get into the water, a process that involved them steeling themselves for each wave that hit them, as they made their way cautiously and carefully in.  I resolved to resolutely, without hestitattion, make a impressive run into the water.  The best laid schemes o' mice an' men, gang aft a-gley.  I made my start, then realized "@#$%^ IT'S @#$^ COLD WATER!", and the first big waves that hit me spit me back onto the beach.  MERMAID PRINCESS LIED about the water temp.  And of course, the waves are always bigger, once you're actually in them.  My second attempt at an entrance was far more successful, and once in I managed to swim a nice straight path out to way past the big rock piles, the ones that were hoping for a big wave that would propel me into them (so they could grind me up into tasty little meaty bits for the gulls).  

Once safely way out, I then started off on a nice swim north.  I swam for several minutes, breathing to my east so as to enjoy my view of the morning sky.  Then I stopped to see if I was to downspout yet, and quickly realized "nope, I'm no further north then when I started." Infinity pool conditions for a fraction of the cost.  

It was pleasant swimming way out there (much to the disappointment of the hungry, hungry rocks), swimming along in the big, big swells. Swimming one breath at one elevation with one view, and then swimming the next breath at an entirely different elevation with an entirely different view.  

As usual on Big Water days, the return to the beach involved some navigation and planning.  There was that moment where I was directly between the rocks, and they thought it would be funny, if they and the waves just held me there for a while, to see if would give up and they would get the chance to jointly wack me to bits.  HA!  NOT TODAY ROCKS!

Finally, welcome to newbie Anaswims!  We were a bit worried watching her on her swim back t the beach, as she headed straight toward the south pile of rocks, before correcting just in time.  She's working on her graceful exits from the Lake.  Good luck to her as she heads to San Diego (I think she said for a 10k swim, impressive), and also to all of the Kru who are doing Big Shoulders this weekend.  Post-swim Chicago Dog, Italian Beef Sandwich, China Town Dim Sum, or Deep Dish Pizza?  Or maybe all four?