Holy Day Swim

 Capt'ns log August 15, 20026 - Noon

 Likely Next Swims:  

 Sat/Sun 8am & noon 

 M-F 6AM, noon, 4:40(?)

  (depends on conditions)

Last Swim:  Saturday August 15th - Noon (Klode)

Water temp: 74

Air Temp: Upper 70's & sunshine

Water Quality:   light chop with diminishing waves

Clarity: cloudy near-shore - crystal clear away from shore

Kru (over three days):  The Birthday Itch, Ala-birthday-mode, Diablo, Kahuna, Wet-Taco, Luna-Lagoona, Capt'n with shore support from Syncro. 

Arrr, gather ‘round ye salty dogs! 🏴‍☠️

Today be a day o’ grand learnin’ and merry makin’! Turns out it be not just any day on the seven seas — nay, it be Itch’s birthday, a holy day fit fer a Beach Pope himself! Coincidence, ye say? Har har, I think not!

And if that weren’t enough to fill yer tankard, Ala Mode’s birthday be just a couple o’ tides ago — the sweet icing on today’s swim, ye might say. So raise yer bottles high, mates, and give a hearty cheer:

Happy birthday to Itch and Ala Mode! May yer sails stay full and yer rum never run dry!

Day 3 of Foggy Perfection

  Likely Next Swims:  

    Sat/Sun 8am & noon 

    M-F 6AM, noon, 4:40(?)

    (depends on conditions)

Last Swim: 6am Tues, Wed, Thurs

Water temp: 72.  Yes, SEVENTY-TWO

Air Temp: muggy 70's

Water Quality: flat and amazing

Clarity: crystal

Kru (over three days):  TTL, Magic Mike, JT, Heinzle, Mr Anonymous, Lt MJ, Mrs. Hollywood, Luna Laguna, Showgirl,  other randos

It's been an amazing week of flat, clear, foggy swims.

The water has been magically warm, and the fog adds a spooky mystery.  

these photos courtesy of TTL

Full Buck Moon Swim Summary

                        

Duck-Mometer - 69.5

Smart watch-Mometer- 70

Air Temp: 70 and clear

Water Clarity: reflected moon light

Waves: gentle swell

Kru: John, Mike, Moondaug-Gumdrop, Janneke P.S. (henceforward to be known as Moonshine)

Photo credit: Spawn of Mike

As we left our slight trepidations on the shore, a slight cool breeze disappeared into embracing warm swells mixed in full moon beams. The warm water sitting comfortably above the thermocline made for the perfect juxtaposition of warm and cool. Love that sensation. When you heat up, just drop your elbow a little to scoop the refreshing cool. And repeat. A gorgeous full Buck-Moon was enjoyed by all. To moon the moon or not is the question. A respectable reciprocity...

On the way back from South Down Spout, a question about sighting was asked. A suggestion was made to keep the shore in sight till the rock piles are visible again. But be sure to keep a look forward from time to time so you don't ram a rock thick as a Brick (that nick is taken already)- that's one way to get a nickname. Speaking of which, Janneke is game to have a nickname... Moonmar, Moonbeam, Moonshine (?)...my inclination is Moonshine, as she saved a capless bottle of rum, plus her awesome lights in her swim buoy!

Big Bay Adventure Swim

 Likely Next Swims:  

    Sat/Sun 8am & noon 

    M-F 6AM, noon, 4:40(?)

    (depends on conditions)

Last Swim: 6am Wednesday, and maybe noon?

Water temp: 64.5

Air Temp: high 60's?

Water Quality: medium disorganized waves out of the NE

Clarity: NOPE

Kru: Lt. MJ,  Cindy, Showgirl, Mermaid Princess, TTL, Zach, Zach friend 1 and Zach friend 2

Klode was feeling a little ho hum, so we swam at Big Bay this morning. 

It was a rough one, and most slogged out 1000 yard swims, with Lt MJ getting lost on the return trip and doing an extra few hundred.

We'll be back at Klode tomorrow.

photo credit Zach

Photo credit (and subject) TTL

photo credit TTL

Full Moon Swim

                                                                    

Next Full moon swim; Wednesday 7-29, 8:15 pm, (Buck full moon)

The forecast is for warm water, warm clear air, and smooth gentle moon swells. Full moon rises over the lake at 8:32 pm, with a sunset at 8:13 PM. Swim on out and swim in/to the gravity feed pull sway of pulsating waves and shimmering rays. 

S.S. Freaky

Likely Next Swims:  

    Sat/Sun 8am & noon 

    (but also, chop is getting choppy, so who knows)

    M-F 6AM, noon, 4:40(?)

    (depends on conditions)

Last Swim: 8am Saturday, and probably noon

Water temp: 65-75F  it was all over the place

Air Temp: 80's

Water Quality: tiny chop out of the north, then flat, then increasing chop at about 9:30

Clarity: clear

Kru: that's the question.  There were lots of people swimming.  Peeps I remember:  Lt. MJ, Ala Mode, Cindy, Holly, Bass Babe, Magic Mike, NM dude, Mrs. Hollywood, Showgirl, Mermaid Princess, JulieN, Doug, Kim, plenty of other mystery people

Shore Support: Nahid

Photo credit: Holly

It's been a week, hasn't it friends?

Having spent the last few days in Satan’s inferno, we were all stalking air quality sites, desperate for a few good hours in the lake. 

The weather gods smiled upon us and conditions were great this morning.

It was still a roller coaster of water temps and conditions, plus sunshine and clouds.

Anyway, this time of year brings out the fair weather swimmers and triathletes.  There were lots of occasional swimmers at the beach.

With many events in the near future, most people swam long—many to three piers, some even farther.

Mrs. Hollywood logged a shocking 9400 yards.  I’ll do the math for you: that’s 5.3 miles.  Yes. She did that.

When we launched, it was cloudy with tiny ruffles on the water caused by a breeze out of the north.  Later in the swim, the wind died down and the sun came out.  Later in the swim, the clouds rolled back in and significant chop commenced.  During all of that, there were breathtakingly chilly pockets of water interspersed with cool, with warm, and even the occasional TOO warm pocket. 

But what is S.S. Freaky, you ask?  So…. swimming landmarks come and go.  Near three piers there has been a mostly-destroyed orange canoe.  TTL and I saw it totally submerged on Wednesday.  Others saw it on the beach.  Today, Magic Mike, Cindy, and Other Guy dragged it back on shore and saw its name:  S.S. Freaky.  Sadly, we will never know what this canoe or its owners did to justify that name.

July 4th Swim Summary

 Captn's log: July 4th, 2026 - Noon  <location: Big Bay Beach>

NEXT SWIM:  Sunday July 5th - Noon  <location:  likely Klode unless July 4th Fireworks postponed>

SWIM CONDITIONS:

Water Temp: 

• Captn's ToeMometer - 52
• Duck-Mometer - 51
• Itch-O-Meter - 54

Air Temp:  67 & fog

Water Clarity:  crystal clear

Waves: steadily increasing from flat to 1ft+

Kru: Itch, Kahuna, MoonDawg-Gumdrop, Yonica,  Hawaii-4-0, Luna Lagoona, BeachLoaf, Capt'n

☠️ Ahoy, Mateys! Happy 4th o' July to ye all!

'Twas a mighty peculiar day on the shores o' Lake Michigan. The mornin' began as fine as any sailor could hope fer—bright sunshine, calm seas, and air temperatures hoverin' around 80 degrees. But just before our traditional 4th o' July Walk o' the Plank at Big Bay, the Lady o' the Lake had other plans. Out o' nowhere, a thick fog rolled in, the mercury dropped into the 60s, and the shoreline took on a ghostly look worthy o' any pirate tale.

Despite the recent "Ring o' Fire" scorcher that sent landlubbers sweatin' through temperatures in the 90s with enough humidity to float a galleon, the Lady o' the Lake turned her icy shoulder upon us. She drove the water temperatures down into the upper 40s and low 50s, remindin' us who's truly captain o' these waters.

But the Kru be made o' sterner stuff! We remained steadfast and fearless, continuin' to walk the plank and brave the frigid depths without so much as a mutiny.

Now fer Sunday's voyage...

Our plan be to return to Klode, unless tonight's fireworks be delayed on account o' the fog. Should the annual Whitefish Bay fireworks be postponed until Sunday, I'd expect the Whitefish Bay Facebook page to spread the word.

If the Klode fireworks be moved to Sunday, July 5th, we'll set sail from Big Bay instead.

And fer any matey lookin' fer a bit more adventure after the swim, there be whispers throughout the fleet o' a post-swim gatherin' at the Estabrook Bier Garten. Cast yer eyes upon the picture below to spy Sunday's specials, and mayhaps we'll hoist a pint together after conquerin' the cold waters.

Fair winds, calm seas... and may the Lady o' the Lake show us a wee bit more mercy next voyage! ☠️