Colorado Rocky Mountain High Potato Bug Pride Month Swim

Next Swims - 7:00 & Noon Sunday

M-F 6AM and 5pm  (Or maybe 6;30 AM; I'm not sure)

Last Swim: Noon Saturday

Water Temp: mid 50's
Air Temp: 60 with a cool breeze

Waves: Waves 2-4 feet
Clarity: OK

Dead Alewives?: Some near shore (much to the delight of some cow birds pretending to be sea gulls)
Kru:  Linda the Lamprey, Showgirl, Danny (he returned!), Cap'n, Brick, Itch, Kahuna (and I'm forgetting at least one other swimmer).  Linda impressively swam skin.

Shore Support: Squeeze o'Showgirl

LOST BUG FOUND

Have you lost your pet bettle?  Found on the beach, one Colorado Potato Bug, no collar.  Orange head, with cream colored wing covers, with 5 black stripes on each wing cover.  About thrice the size of a lady bug.  Contact Kahuna to claim and pay him the reward.

The Lake looked quite pristine as we walked down the hill today at noon.  Full sunshine and great colors.  A good time had by all.

Closeup of Shipwreck Swim Photo

Kru:  Mr. Anonymous, Showgirl, Moondaug, Dragonfly, Forger, Magic Mike, Kahuna, Linda the Lamprey, Mr. Bubble, Danny, Lauren, Super Hera

                                                                                                                                    Photo:  Mr. Dragonfly

Shipwreck and BBQ Success!

Next Swims - 7:00 & Noon Sunday

M-F 6AM and 5pm  (Or maybe 6;30....we've yet to committ)

Last Swim: 10:00 Saturday and probably noon

Water Temp: mid 50's
Air Temp: 70?

Waves: pretty flat
Clarity: good enough to see the SHIPWRECK!
Kru:  Linda the Lamprey, Adam (aka Sueeze o' the Lamprey), Lauren, Danny(new!), Kahuna, Mr. Anonymous, Moondaug, Mr. Bubble, Showgirl, Dragonfly, Magic Mike, Forger, Super Hera

Linda and Dragonfly impressively swam skin.

Shore Support: Squeeze o'Showgirl, Mr. Dragonfly, Brick

Okay, this is going to be a quick one.

There was a fantastic turnout at the top of the bluff for this morning's swim.

There were even some new (welcome Danny!) and nearly new (Lauren) swimmers.

Finally Kahuna deigned to allow us to proceed down to the beach.  Temperatures were taken.  Neoprene was applied.

We pointed towards the water and agreed that the shipwreck was probably more to the north than to the south. (That was a bit of a miscalculation, but no harm done.)

We then started to walk towards it, because Atwater is so freaking shallow.  At some point, our watery walk turned into a nice swim.  At about 400yards out, we looked here, and we looked there, and finally, someone (Mike?) found the underwhelming, though still delightful evidence of the shipwreck.  It's spread over a pretty large area, so we spent a while floating around admiring it.

KAHUNA WAS RIGHT, parts of the shipwreck are more like a checkerboard than merely parallel lines.  There, I said it.

Anyway, at some point, everyone swam back to shore, trundled up the bluff.  Next up we grabbed big plates full of BBQ, glasses of beer, and ice cream. Okay, maybe just I got the ice cream.

All to say, I think a good time was had by all.

BBQ/Shipwreck Swim - 10:00 Saturday at Atwater Park

Next Swims - 10:00AM Saturday at Atwater (deets below), also perhaps 5PM Friday?

Noon Sunday, and maybe an earlier morning swim

M-F 6am (?) and 5PM (?)

Last AM Swim: Friday 6:30 AM

        Water Temp: 56 per Dragonfly

         Air Temp: low 60's 

         Water: like glass

         Clarity:  crystal clear with a side of alewives

         Kru:  Laguna Mike, Showgirl, Lt. MJ, Dragonfly, Mr. Anonymous

Exciting Upcoming Swim:  Our annual  shipwreck swim followed by Shorewood Men's Club BBQ at Atwater Park.

--10:00 Saturday - Meet at the bluff top by the historic marker sign.

--Read the sign to educate yourself about the wreck of the Appomattox

--proceed to the beach

--important next step:  LOWER YOUR EXPECTATIONS about the shipwreck

--suit up, swim out, look for the shipwreck 

--return to shore*, dry off, lollygag, chit-chat, perhaps Killepitsch?

--proceed up the stairs to enjoy the BBQ

--the BBQ is 11:30-7

*some may get the hair-brained idea to swim out to the weather buoy

Here's more history on the shipwreck:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SS_Appomattox

Here's what the Appomattox looked like afloat:

The Appomattox as it appears from above,
in its final resting place.

I hope to see you at this fun event.

Okay! There is also a swim to report on from today.  Ara put on full suit and accoutrements and swam about a mile.  MJ and I did three laps around the rockpiles skin (+booties/gloves).  

Laguna Mike and Mr. A did longish skin swims.

MJ and I both recorded our swims and this is what we got:

Lt MJ's three loops around the rockpile

My three loops.

Remember, no matter how much you may feel like spaghetti, we are all stars.

Premiocre? Or Just Mediocre? You decide.

 Reminder:  Shipwreck Swim (by Klode Kru tradition) from Atwater Beach on Saturday, June 11 to be followed by Shorewood Men's cookout.  See Kahuna for details.

 Next Swims - 6 or 6:30 a.m. M-F and 5 pm weekdays?  

Tomorrow looks iffy, weather-wise, a repeat of today.

Last AM Swim: 6-6:30 AM

    Tuesday, June 7

        Water Temp: 55 per Lydia the Tattooed Lady

         Air Temp: 60-ish, cloudy, unfriendly chill northerly breeze

         Water Conditions:  Chop from the north

         Clarity:  Meh, many dead alewives

         Kru:  Showgirl, Tattooed Lady, Lt. MJ, Dragonfly, Mr. Anonymous

In 2017 writer Venkatesh Rao coined the phrase "premium mediocre" which he defined as "...the finest bottle of wine at Olive Garden...truffle oil on anything...extra leg-room seats in Economy."  In other words, aspirational yet still accessible.  He went on to describe the concept as "ultimately a rational adaptive response to the challenges of scoring a middle-class life lottery ticket in the new economy." The phrase was coopted and shortened to "premiocre" in (naturally) The Atlantic.

Thrilled with this shiny new (to me) piece of word play, I immediately began to examine where it might apply in my own life.  My Humane Society cats with their possible Russian Blue heritage?  My self-cut and styled hair layers?  My husband's Carhartt shorts from Farm & Fleet? Or just quoting some intelligentsia from....five years ago?

Regardless.  This morning was definitely Premiocre on the beach.  I got pushback:

"But it's so cold."

"It's so choppy."

"So many dead fish."

"It stinks."

BUT. WE'RE ON THE BEACH.  It is June, and we are swimming.  Perhaps Mediocre compared with other swimming days, but still Premiocre as a day in Life.

Mr. Anonymous, ventures forth.  Two women Wim Hofers to the north.

Showgirl expresses somewhat joyful ambivalence 

at the general prospect.

Photos by Lt. MJ.

Die Hards Only

 Next Swims - 6AM Friday and 5 pm weekdays?  

Maybe 6 am every day now? (check back) 

Sometimes 6:30 when people (i.e. myself) are squeezing out that extra half-hour of sleep.

Will try to keep these caprices to a minimum and post them on the blog.

Last AM Swim: 6-6:30 AM

    Wednesday, June 1

        Water Temp: 46-something, per Lydia the Tattooed Lady

         Air Temp: 70-ish, cloudy, windless

         Water Conditions:  Blessedly flat

         Clarity:  Wonderfully clear (compensation for the low temps)

         Kru:  Diablo and Magic Mike, early shift 6 a.m.; Showgirl, Tattooed Lady, Lt. MJ and Dragonfly. 6:30 a.m.

MJ encountered Diablo and Magic Mike in the parking lot.  Both shared assessments that it was really cold; Diablo miming a shiver.  TTL took the temperature because we had to know HOW cold.  "I have bad news for you ladies," she said.  "It's below 49 (Tuesday's temp) and still going down."  "Get out of the water now!" we urged her.  But she stayed until it stopped at 46.

MJ, Dragonfly, TTL.  Photo credit, Showgirl

We set out North.  It took a while to put our faces in--MJ was first to do so--but the clarity was worth it.  The dying alewives were clearly visible. My face even stopped hurting after about 400 yards and the air felt noticeably warm when I turned my head to breathe.  There was also a fair amount of backstroking!

Dragonfly, MJ, TTL.  Photo credit, Showgirl

I swam to the structure just past Sewer Pipe and MJ and TTL continued some unfathomable distance past that.  Showgirl had donated blood the evening before and opted for a brief skin dip.

I was thrilled with my 500-yard swim!  I am still feeling a bit post-op-ish so I was pretty fatigued.  Some of you know that my ankle was broken in a fall while ice skating at Wilson Park in March.  (In a strange turn of events, I was "rescued" off the ice by TTL's husband, an accomplished figure skater!  He produced an ace bandage and, since I couldn't walk, a chair  I sat on while Good Samaritans pushed me off the ice because of course I was a the farthest point from the entry.) I had to have some hardware installed via surgery, and boy do those screws look giant on the x-rays.  But it felt great to be in the water making my comeback!

    

Memorial Day Weekend Swims Set Record!

Next Swims - 6AM Tuesday and 5 pm weekdays?  
Maybe 6am every day now? (check back)

Last PM Swims: 

    Saturday May 28th - Noon

        Water Temp: 51.1 Macho-Meter / 54.3 Itcho-Meter

         Air Temp: 66 & mostly sunny

         Water Conditions - Moderate chop from south

         Clarity:  Clear

         Kru:  Kahuna (imitating Oscar the Grouch), Moondawg-Gumdrop, Diablo, Itch, Rosey, Sandy, Other Dave, Capt'n

    Sunday May 29th - Noon

        Water Temp: 50.7 Macho-Meter / 53.4 Itcho-Meter

         Air Temp: 68 & partly sunny

         Water Conditions - Moderate chop from south + 1-2ft waves

         Clarity:  Cloudy / Sand filled between the rocks

         Kru:  Diablo, Itch, Mr. Bubbles, Other Dave, Capt'n with Special Guest Appearance and Plank Walk extravaganza by the Stanford Women's Ultimate Frisby Team

    Monday May 30th - Noon

        Water Temp: 48.0 Macho-Meter / 48 rubber duck-o-meter / 51.2 Itcho-Meter

         Air Temp:  82 & Sunny

         Water Conditions - light chop from south + 1ft waves

         Clarity:  Cloudy / Sand filled between the rocks

         Kru:  Kahuna, Diablo, Moondawg-Gumdrop, Itch, Rosey, Sandy, Mr. Bubbles, Ziggy, Laguna, Luna Laguna + Lil' Laguna, Other Dave, Capt'n

Ahhhhh...Memorial Day weekend.  The 'unofficial' start of summer and the traditional start of the Klode Kru swim season as officially proclaimed by The Patriarch once upon a time ago when you were a total bad ass if you dared to swim bare (skin) when the water temp was below 60.  Now a days, the kru swims all year round so the season never really ends and swimming without a wetsuit below 50 is like no big thang.  

Being a traditionalist at heart, though, I still try to hold out until Memorial Day weekend to log my first official Klode Kru swim of the year.  Of course I still remember that time when we defied the official end-of-season proclamation by the Patriarch and were momentarily stripped of our Klode Kru names...it was a traumatic experience that still haunts me to this day...and may explain my hesitation to swim during untraditional times of the year.

As the Lady of the Lake would have it this year, if you were going to walk the plank Memorial Day weekend you had to earn it.  In recent year's we've been blessed with water temps in the upper 50's to low 60's for at least one of the 3 days of the weekend.  Not this year.  In the wise words of Itch...if you snoozed Saturday you loosed.  Saturday turned out to the be "warmest" water day at 51.1 with only a moderate chop to the water.  From there, the water got colder and choppier/wavier.  

However, despite the challenging conditions we STILL set the record Sunday for the most skin plank walks with the water temp below 52 on Memorial Day weekend for a Klode Kru swim.  24 brave souls walked the plank Sunday.  To commemorate this historic accomplishment I snapped the picture below.  (editors note: somehow the pictures of Sunday's regular Kru mates who also walked the plank got lost on my phone...but thanks to Ziggy I have included a snap of Monday's Kru)  Many thanks to the Stanford Women's Ultimate Frisby Team for joining us Sunday at Klode!  It was fun meeting (...and watching...) you...best of luck with your upcoming competitions.  Perhaps competitive polar plank walking is in your future?  :)