Cold Water Cold Beer

Next Swims:  Friday July 31st 6AM
Blue Moon Swim Friday at 7:45 PM, followed by the Beer Garden

Last Swims:
Thursday July 30th 6AM
Water Temp: 49
Waves: Calm
Water Clarity: Excellent
Crew: Diablo, Itch, Forger, Kelly, with the Wimp Club (including this reporter) watching from shore
Wetsuit/Skin: 2/2

Wednesday July 29th 6PM
Water Temp: 53
Waves: Calm
Water Clarity: Good
Crew: Mark, Nanook, Diablo, Sarah, Mr. Anonymous, Steve, Patriarch
Wetsuit/Skin: 4/3
Pitsch: 7

A beautiful warm and sunny morning lured us to the beach only to get bitten by frigid water.  I measured 49 at our usual launch spot.  In a desperate and pathetic attempt to find warmer water we marched to the north end of the beach to take another reading.  That's not quite as crazy as it sounds.  Many times we've run into warm pockets and cold pockets and it's sometimes cooler by the rocks where we usually start.  But it was to no avail.  The north beach was only a degree warmer at 50.

Most were waving the white flag at this point, but not Diablo, Itch, Kelly and Forger.  In they went. Diablo and Itch without without wetsuits!   Totally nuts but also inspiring.  Good job guys, you preserved our streak.

The responsibility for this cold water, I fear, belongs to the evil west wind which is blowing the warm surface water out and bringing up cold water from the frigid depths. Unfortunately that offshore wind is expected to persist through the weekend, and therefore I predict cool water the next few days.  I offer this prediction because I'm almost always wrong, so if I predict cold it might actually turn warm.  I know that makes no sense, but neither does anything else about this group.

The good news:  clear skies are expected on Friday, and so the rise of the Blue Moon over the lake at 8:15PM should be spectacular.  (A Blue Moon is the second full moon of the month, a rare event).  And I predict the beer at the Beer Garden will be as cool and frosty as Lake Michigan.