Last Swims:
Sunday Sept 13, 10AM
Water Temp: 56
Waves: Calm
Water Clarity: Murky, all stirred from Friday's and Saturday's big winds
Crew: Itch, Showgirl, Gumdrop, Mr. Anonymous, Patriarch
Mark and North Shore Nancy swam earlier and Diablo later
Wetsuit/Skin: 6/2
Pitsch: 7
Saturday Sept 14, 9AM
Water Temp: 53
Waves: 2-3 feet very choppy with strong southerly current
Water Clarity: Murky
Crew: Diablo (he single handedly keeps the streak going once again!)
Wetsuit/Skin: 0/1
We arrived at the beach this morning to find this message in the sand:
It reads: "North Shore Nancy + Mark swam this a.m. NO PITSCH!"
Well guys, you'll be happy to know your Pitschless swim did not go in vain, we had a Pitsch for ourselves and another for you. Thanks for making that possible.
I was shocked to learn that for the first time in 25 years, Big Shoulders was cancelled. It sounds like most people were relieved, but Itch was enraged. He's blames the organizers and the whole state of Illinois which he seems to believe is a fetid swamp inhabited by yellow bellied cowards. That's the pirate spirit, Itch! The Packers should have no problem dispatching that lot.
I've done Big Shoulders seven times, at least twice in very rough conditions so it must have been really snarky for them to cancel. If anyone has an email or anything explaining their decision please forward it to me, I'm really curious.
The good news is that the swim season is not over yet! The Atwater buoy made it to 60 this afternoon and the trend is up. Come out and swim while you still can.
1 comment:
Here's some of the email from the Big Shoulders race director (and a link to a photo of the waterspout from 10 a.m.)
....with waves crashing along the sea wall next to Lake Shore Drive, it was apparent we had a significant safety issue. Then we got word that Chicago Park District couldn't safely guard the course, and we had little choice but to cancel the race for the first time in 25 years.
However, I know we made the right call. At 9 a.m., after the race had been called and most had left the beach for warmer, drier environs, we got a bit of a tease from the sun, and I wondered if we'd made a hasty decision. Then I saw Lori Wheeles' picture on Facebook of the water spout right near Ohio Street Beach at 10 am, which absolutely confirmed we made the right decision.
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=1037509599592932&set=gm.10153870618458455&type=1&theater
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