Plans Set for New Year's Day skin swim

Date: January 1, 2010
Location: Bradford Beach
Meeting Time: 11:40am
Meeting Location: east side of Bradford Beach House
Swim Time: Noon

The Goal: Complete a 25m Lake Michigan polar skin swim at noon on New Years Day

The Plan:

• Mark off 25m along the shore with bright orange cones.
• The mass of people on the beach typically congregate south of the Bradford Beach house so we should find ample space just north of the beach house to mark off our 25m course.
• We will setup a base camp for our towels and gear at the south end of the 25m course.
• When the cannon goes off at noon we will plunge into the water at the north end of our 25m swim lane and swim south towards base camp.
• Rumor has it that there may be warm water for soaking cold feet and perhaps a little Killepitsch available to warm up your insides! :)

Parking: Parking can be a nightmare. If you're not adverse to walking I have found it easiest to park at the Lake Park Bistro parking lot and to hike down to the beach. (...there are trails that provide a short cut to the beach.) Travel distance is approximately 1/2-3/4 mile. I plan to arrive at the Bistro Parking lot 11:20am.

Looking forward to seeing everyone on the beach!
~Capt'n

Dewdrop a no-show at noon / 35.6 degrees

Date / Time: Noon Saturday December 19, 2009
Beach: Klode
Water Temp: 35.6
Air Temp: 28
Waves: 1ft / slight chop from east
Clarity: seaweeds washing ashore on southeast beach
Crew: Diablo, Hook
Up Next: Klode Noon Sunday December 20, 2009

Date / Time: 11am Sunday Decmeber 13, 2009
Beach: Klode
Water Temp: 37.6
Air Temp: 30
Waves: None
Clarity: crystal clear
Crew: Dewdrop, Diablo with Special Guests Dewdrop Jr. & Hook

Date / Time: 10am Sunday December 6, 2009
Beach: Klode
Water Temp: 41.2
Air Temp: 28
Waves: None
Clarity: crystal clear
Crew: Dewdrop, Diablo, Hook with Special Guest The Patriarch
Notes: Polar Bear swim! Check out the video on YouTube: www.youtube.com/user/dewdrop3963

Swimmin' in December

Beach: Klode
Water Temp: 41
Air Temp: 29
Waves: none
Clarity: crystal
Crew: Dewdrop, Diablo, Hook
Next Swim: Klode Sunday 10AM

Golly geepers...who'd a ever thunk we'd ever be able to log a December swim? ....much less a swim with an air temp below the freezing mark??? Totally UN-be-lievable!!!

With the assistance of a cloudless sky and a little shelter from the breeze by Klode's bluff it actually wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be. Diablo even swam without socks and gloves...as well as continued his tradition of biking to and from Klode. Dewdrop chose to wear socks and gloves today...but its becoming apparent that Dewdrop is considerably faster in colder water than warm. (...or is it that better swimmers swim slower in colder water as Diablo theorized following the swim?)

For me, it was the same routine...two pairs of socks and no gloves. ...before you pass judgment on my apparent wimpy feet though, its important to note that my feet do spend more time in the lake as I invest several minutes in the water prior to the swim taking the water temp. ...not that anyone's got an ego here or anything. :)

Our swim this afternoon took us from Klode's south east beach up to the north beach down spout and back with a brief pause at the turn around point to debate who's crazier us or The Patriarch. (...we still unanimously agree that The Patriarch has totally lost his marbles...I mean, come on, really..."Gumbo"?)

It's likely that we'll return Sunday morning for our next December dip. Perhaps around 10 or 10:30. Interested? Please comment. :)

11/29 Swim Report - 45.3

Beach: Klode
Water Temp: 45.3
Air Temp: 42
Waves: slight chop from north
Crew: Dewdrop, Diablo, Hook
Next Swim: TBD (probably Friday)

The clouds were just starting to thin out when we arrived at Klode Sunday. The cold morning showers had moved out but the sun had yet to break through. The damp / cool air conditions and westerly breeze had all the makings for a bone chilling day but with the shelter of the Klode bluff and the excitement of swimming the conditions had little impact on our determination to log a swim.

We knew this day would arrive at some point but for some reason we all were a little surprised by Sunday's water temp of 45.3....nearly a whole degree colder than our record. It was still business as usual though. Diablo still walked the plank minus socks and gloves as did Dewdrop. The slight chop required a little extra effort for us to make it up past the north beach sewer pipe but I'd contend that the distraction of the waves helped to take our minds off of the water temp. ...of notable interest, though, Dewdrop swam remarkably faster in the 45 degree water than he has in the past. ...Diablo and I are still pondering theories as to why...

Due to work schedules this week we will have to wait until later in the week to log our next swim. Stay tuned...we will hopefully be back in action Friday or Saturday.