Saturday, October 19, 2013

End of Season

After Friday's most excellent Pirates Pizza Night celebration, and having accomplished our goal of 100 days straight of Lake Michigan swimming, it seems as good a time as any to formally end the swim season.

I Patriarch of the Klode Kru do hereby declare the 2013 summer swim season closed.  Any further swims this year will be counted as "Viking" swims, and the participants thereof considered insane.  

Here are some of my highlights of this swim season, please add your own in the comments:
- Those few perfect days when the water was flat calm and clear and the swimming was more like effortless gliding.  Some of those days were July 4th, Big Shoulders, and the Shipwreck Swim.
- On the other hand, those few big wave days when it was fun to just roll and splash in the surf.
- Spectacular sunrises over the lake viewed from the water.
- The great post-swim party at McTwists
- The false alarm that caused the North Shore Fire Department to come to the beach in force looking for a non-existent "swimmer in distress"
- The day a most attractive video journalist from channel 12 shows up looking for the swimmers doing a tribute to Diana Nyad, and Capn's reaction to her and his subsequent TV interview.
- The day a record 40 people came to swim, and the water temp plunged to 40 degrees.
- Watching Mike & Co. swim 5 miles across Whitefish Bay.  
- Kahuna's Skull and Crossbones flag.
- GTGBFTOFB Day (Get the great big freaking tire off our beach day).
- Best quote of the season:  James to Cap'n, "To get swimmers ear you have to be a swimmer"
- Runner up quote:  Showgirl, "Once you go skin, you'll never go back."
- Diablo's record breaking skin swim in 46.9 degree water
- Post swim Pitschs.
- Post Swim Door County Cherry Pancakes at Solly's.  
 


14 comments:

Diablo said...

- Banana pants
- Fluh, Fluh, Fluh...
- Water is warmer away from the rocks
- Meet my stinky friend
- Breaking traditions (swimming from the north beach)

Diablo said...

- New landmarks: Deadwood, Lone Rock, 4 Piers
- GD went South, let's go North
- Landmarks new names: Silver Springs, Lauren's Golden Shower
- Water is not warmer away from the rocks
- Pass the sandbar and you will be ok

Waterbug08 said...

Whens the next swim ??? =)

Moondaug said...
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Moondaug said...
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Moondaug said...
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Moondaug said...

Last swim; 11-30-13
Water temp; high 30's
air temp; mid 40's

It's to hard trying to scare up "swim cold bitches", but I keep on thinking there's just got to be some around here somewhere :-). Anyway, after taking most of November off from swimming it's no cake walk getting re acclimated-from water temp in the 50's to the high 30's! Gotta start ramping up for the plunge. Any other warm blooded healthy folk with an interest, feel free to send a message.

For inspiration-Swim Cold Bitches http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tyu1LYfS3Mw

Showgirl said...

Last night I dreamed we were all swimming at a little-known beach in Shorewood, in unseasonably warm December waters...

Moondaug said...

Use your delusion

Who's in for a snow swim. The waters are unseasonably warm for December :)!

Unknown said...

Ahaha Diablo how did Sewer Pipe's new name go from "Golden Showers" to the aforementioned? I guess I had better show up a bit more so as to keep an eye on things!

Moondaug said...

FYI-Brent Emery is setting up a propane heated tent on Bradford beach for the polar bear swim @ 11AM. Save the polar bears!!!

SCB

Moondaug said...

Anyone else interested in this 90 mile swim from Milwaukee to Chicago this August?
http://www.thegreatlakeswim.com/#!the-swim/c1ktj