The New Year's day weather does not look promising, but the opportunity for socializing IS promising.
And thus, we will see you on the beach at noon, Thursday.
Refreshments will (probably) be served.
It might look like this:
Next Swims: generally, Tuesdays, Thursdays, Sat, and Sunday noon, weather and people dependent. Mornings still happening? Post for inquiries.
Last Swim: Sun noon
Water temp: high 30's F. per Itch-o-meter
Air Temp: low 20's F.
Water Quality: 2- 3 foot rollers
Clarity: clear as a bell and cold as hell
Kru: Brick, Diablo, Fin Fin, Itch, Moondaug.
The winter swimming season is now indeed underway. Itch, Brick, and Fin Fin suited up and swam to rock wall. Diablo Wim Hoffed for a good few minutes and I polar beared. Conversations were-why does Itch swim slower in a wet suit in the winter time, and the recent court case that could determine free beach access in the state to the public.
Several slow wet suit theories theories were postulated. Cold water may constrict the wet suit material reducing arm cycle flexibilty. Buoyancy also may be affected I would think as the material constricted. Or maybe Itch is just trying to convince us it's not his fault for staying out so long and freezing our patoot's off. Additional theories welcome.
Apparently a property owner off Atwater beach wants to shoo people off the beach just down from his home. And the court case is pending. Syncro and I attended. Neighbors and community have walked the shoreline for decades and all the neighborhood peoples I have talked with said they always understood it to be a right to do so. Protected in the State Constitution under the Public Trust Doctrine the public is understood to have access to navigate all waterways, up to the Ordinary High Water Mark, which usually leaves some room for walking. Of concern to swimmers especially is needing to exit the water in cases of emergency situations such as lightning and cramping up, ect. Towards the end of the 4 hour packed court case the judge( Shorewood Municipal), said she would decide (by the end of the month) for the beach walker if she accepted his interpretation that walking is a form of navigation. The village attorney argued that the legal definition of navigation is over water and walking is not specifically mentioned. Anyone know the history of horse boating and ice harvesting here? I wonder if that could be relevant.
The Outside Swimming Society of England lobbies for free access to nature including enshrined access to water. They recommend and I agree (at least as far as the Ordinary High Water Mark to the waters edge) with The Scottish Outdoor Access Code.
“There are so many more reasonable and responsible examples of how the public could access nature, from Norway to Scotland to Estonia, that benefit not just public mental and physical health, but that are demonstrably proven to benefit nature as well,” says Nick Hayes, author of the Book of Trespass.
"Under Scots law everyone has the right to be on most land and inland water for recreation, education and going from place to place providing they act responsibly. The basis of access rights in Scotland is one of shared responsibilities, in that those exercising such rights have to act responsibly, whilst landowners and managers have a reciprocal responsibility to respect the interests of those who exercise their rights. The code provides detailed guidance on these responsibilities.
Access rights apply to most land regardless of whether it is owned by the state, private individuals, companies, or voluntary and charitable bodies. The rights covers any non-motorised activity, including walking, cycling, horse-riding and camping, and also allow access on inland water for canoeing, rowing, sailing and swimming."-OSS.
Brief history lesson-Despite the words freedom and liberty having similarities in early uses implying power of choice, an ability to exercise one's will, and a condition that was distinct from slavery, there were still differences.
The word " freedom" derives from a large family of ancient languages in northern Europe. The English word "Free" is related to the Norse "fri", the German "frie", the Dutch "vrij", the flemish "vrig". The Celtic "rheidd", and the Welsh "rhydd". All descended from the Indo -European "priya" or "friya", or "riya", which meant dear or beloved. The English words freedom and free have the same root as friend, as do their German cousins "frei, " and " Freund". Free meant someone who was joined to a tribe of free people by ties of kinship and rights of belonging.
Liberty has another origin. The word "liberty" came from the Latin word "libertas" and its adjective "liber", which meant unbounded, unrestricted, and released from restraint. A synoynm was "solutus", from the verb "solovo", to loosen a set of bounds. The Roman "libertas" always implied some degree of separation and independence.
In that respect, the original meanings of freedom and liberty where not merely different, but opposed. Liberty meant separation. Freedom implied connection. A person with libertas in Rome had been granted a degree of autonomy, unlike a slave. A person who had freiheit in northern Europe was united by kinship or affection to a tribe or family of free people, unlike a slave.
In ancient Rome, most people were born in a condition of prior restraint. Liberty implied inequality. The free born people of Northern Europe were alike in their birthright of freedom, however disparate they may have been in power, wealth, and rank. They all had possessions that are called rights in English, or "rechte" in German. Ancient Mediterranean languages had no exact equivalent for rights. - End brief history lesson. # David Hacket Fischer- Liberty and Freedom.
It would be a shame if it was decided that Wisconsinites do not have the right of free public access to the shoreline of its beautiful lakes. Other mid west states have already settled their law for public access on the shore line. Free public access. Even in Florida one can walk the shorelines.
Next Swims: Mon-Fri 6am or possibly 6:15 a.m. to accommodate later sunrise. Tuesdays/Thursdays noon.
Sat/Sun 8am and noon. (All of these are weather and people-dependent)
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Krew at Big Shoulders; Brick, Abbey, Cindy, Tatoo'd lady, Mr. Anonymous, Anna, moondaug.
Evryone had a great swim at Big shoulders. It was an ideal end of the competition season. Nice sunny day with summer water tempeatures in the mid to high 60's. A beautiful venue and Chicago looked great going out later. Summer flowers still in bloom, and wonderfull weather to enjoy the city and all its amenities. And nice people all around, at least in the several districts I visited.
Several of the Klode crew grabbed top spots in their group. I hear Brick and Cindy took first in their categories. I got swam over once and a couple of bumber car collisions. And some toe tickler leaving nail scratches on my lower legs. No one likes a toe tickler. But all in all, had a great time!
Congratulations also to Cap'n and Hawaii 4.0 for their finishes of Ironman and half Ironman. Cap'n amazingly is the last person standing to finish all 23 WI Ironman races.
Delightful fall swimming still lies ahead. Taking an early afternoon swim (this afternoon) I ran into Itch and Brick exiting as I was entering. The water was a delightfully warm fall temperature of about low 60's. And leaves are starting to turn. Though waves were a bit like a wash machine on low. Best swim of the season.
P S. I didn't snap any pics myself, as I was wrapped up in the moment, but I know some did. Posts appreciated.
Next Swims: Mon-Fri 6am Weekday evenings 5? 5:30? 6?
Sat/Sun 8am and noon. (All of these are weather and people dependent)
Labor Day 12 noon
Last Swim: Sat noon
Water temp: high 60's
Air Temp: high 60's
Water Quality: a little chop
Clarity: stirred not shaken
Kru: Wetaco, Mermaid Princess, Dragonfly, Peaches, Sandy, Hawaii 4.o, Kahuna, Itch, Moondaug.
Stirring the pot, Kahuna declared summer over, receiving several objections. BOOOO. Which can't possibly be true anyways, because Kahuna "Coffee on the Beach" has not happened yet. Coffee is for closers. Talk around the water cooler consisted of the krews rep, upcoming events and High Water mark/property rights. Yada, Yada.
Not infrequently getting athletes prepping for their open water swims, the krew typically gladly shares their experience and Iove of open water swimming. Though the triathlon season is ending soon, we wish all good fortune in their upcominging triathalons and open water swims.
Several triathletes dropped in recently to prep for the Lake Geneva triathlon and came out looking pretty strong and confident. Hawaii 4.o will be doing his first 70.3 Ironman right out of the gate with no previous triathlons under his belt. Bad ass. I think all will do well. Big shoulders will also be next weekend. If any North Shore people would like to car pool for Big Shoulders, leave a post.
As most of us were gathered post swim, we saw an American bald eagle soaring over the beach. No doubt this a sign of good fortune for the Krews upcoming endeavors. Where eagles fly.
P.S.A. Recently while swimming at Atwater I ran into one of the beach neighbors (on his boat/jet ski) who told me that there was no such thing as the "High Water" mark. Doing a little looking into this I recieved info from Senator Larsons office. Generally speaking, one is permitted to partake in open water swimming in all navigable water ways. As this is a protected right for the public in the Wisconsin Constitution under the Public Trust Doctrine. Generally, as long as your feet are wet you are OK. Also, no boat wakes are permitted 100 ft. from shore and boats have to yield 100 ft. from swimmers by powering down to no wake speed until they are 100 ft. from you. I was told links will be supplied, I will post when received.
Next Swims: Mon-Fri 6am Weekday evenings 5? 5:30? 6?
Sat/Sun 8am and noon. (All of these are weather and people dependent) Also 8/30 at 6am
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| Anxious triathletes at dawn (they did great) |
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| Chocolate ice cream with the class of 2026! |
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| Photo credit Nahid |
