2nd Chance for Loss of Innocence (WARNING: unauthorized blog post)

Next Swim:  Saturday Oct 31st, NOON.  Sunday TBD.


Last Swims:
Sun Oct 25th 1PM
La, la, la insert last-swim-details here.  Or not.


The buoy says water temps are above 50.  Let's not miss another chance to have a last swim, and another chance to do more shots of.... whatever random thing people bring, and most especially, another chance to rip off the Patriarch's clothes.

End of the Season and the End of My Innocence

Next Swim:  ?? 2016 ??

Last Swims:
Sun Oct 25th 1PM
Water Temp: 47
Waves: Gentle Rollers
Water Clarity: Good
Crew: Showgirl, Panini, Whatzzisname?, Itch, Diablo, Gumdrop, with me, Capt'n, Crash, and Scarface cheering from shore
Wetsuit/Skin: 3/3
Pitsch: 10

Sat Oct 24th 1PM
Water Temp: 55
Waves: Gentle Rollers
Water Clarity: Murky
Crew: Capt'n, Diablo, Mr. Anonymous, Itch, Showgirl, Crash, Patriarch
Wetsuit/Skin: 4/2
Pitsch: 7

Despite some bold Killepitsch-inspired talk about continuing to swim, I think realistically we've reached the end of the season.  Good thing, too, as the ladies, have lost all self control.  After practically forcing me to drink shots, Showgirl ripped off my shirt and Panini groped me all over with  her cold wet hands, while Crash and Scarface stood by and laughed.  Ladies, show us and yourselves some respect!  We're more than just handsome hunky studly sex toy playthings!  

Weekend Swim Plans

Next Swims: Friday Oct 23rd 5:30PM
Sat & Sun Oct 24th and 25th 1:00PM

Last Swim: Thu Oct 22nd
Water temp: 58
Waves: 1 foot rollers
Water Clarity: Excellent
Crew: Itch, Diablo, Panini
Wetsuit/Skin: 1/2

One More Day

Next Swim: Thursday Oct 22nd 5:30PM

Last Swim: Wednesday Oct 21st 5:30PM
Water Temp: 58
Waves: One foot rollers
Water Clarity: Good
Crew: Itch, Diablo
Wetsuit/Skin: 0/2

It's remarkable how the water temp has held steady in the upper 50s for the last two weeks.  It's beginning to look like we might still be swimming this weekend.

I'm a (double) loser

Next Swim: Wed Oct 21st 5:30PM

Last Swim: Tue Oct 20th 5:30PM
Water Temp: 56
Waves: Small Rollers
Water Clarity: Excellent
Crew: Whatszhizname, Diablo, Itch
Wetsuit/Skin: 1/2
Pitsch: 0, but in it's place Itch brought some vile awful tasting substitute

Of all the love I have won or have lost,
There is one love I should never have crossed.
She was a girl in a million my friend,
I should have known she would win in the end.
I'm a loser
(Lennon & McCartney)

Today I got my comeuppance for calling people losers for showing up on the beach but not swimming. Today was my turn to be the loser. Not only did I not swim, I forgot to bring the Pitsch.  I paid big time. If scorn and humiliation were not enough, I was forced to choke down some Czechosolvackian  foul smelling terrible tasting concoction that's been rattling around in the back of Itch's Jetta since 1985.  I am writing this two hours later and I still can't get the aftertaste out of my mouth.  Yuch!  

Eking Out Another

Next Swim: Tuesday Oct 20, 5:30PM

Last Swim: Monday Oct 19th, 5:30 PM
Water Temp: 55
Waves: One Foot Rollers
Water Clarity: Excellent
Crew: Itch, Gumdrop
Wetsuit/Skin: 0/2

How long can we go?  Can we make it to another weekend?  I have to hand it to Itch.  While the rest of us are increasingly ready to call it a season, he maintains his enthusiasm.  So if he shows up damn it I will too!

No Reason to Stop

Next Swim: Monday Oct 19th 5:30 PM (don't be late, it will be getting dark)

Last Swim: Sunday Oct 19th, 1:00PM
Water Temp: 55
Waves: Small Chop
Water Clarity: Excellent
Crew: Gumdrop, Showgirl, Itch, Diablo, Patriarch
Wetsuit/Skin: 3/2
Pitsch: 5

I keep thinking that every swim is the last of the season, but the swimming is still good, so why stop now?

Weekend Swims?

Next Swims:  Sat Oct 17th 1:00PM. Maybe Sunday too if we survive Saturday.  It appears lake water temps are falling relentlessly, we are very near the end.

Last Swim: I did not swim Friday evening, if anyone has a report please post a comment.

Itch Has the Pitsch, and Panini Achieves Her Goal

Next Swim:  Friday Oct 16th 5:30PM

Sat & Sun swims at noon, if conditions permit, check back

Last swim: Thu Oct 15th 5:30PM

Water Temp: 57

Waves: Choppy

Water Clarity: Excellent

Crew: Panini, Lenore, Linda, Itch, Patriarch, and a couple of losers who didn't swim but had a Pitsch anyway 

Wetsuit/Skin: 1/4

Pitsch: 6

Congratulations to Panini who swore she would finish her season with a skin swim and did it despite the cold rough water and even colder and windier air.  (But someone tell me why we do that to ourselves, so I can write my book.) 

Thanks to Itch, who supplied the Pitsch.

It's cold, windy, dark, choppy, eerie, shivery, shaky and scary.  We can't keep this up much longer, can we?

Water is Warmer Than the Air

Next Swim: Thursday Oct 15th, 5:30PM

Last Swim: We Oct 14th 5:30PM
Water Temp: 57
Waves: Rolling less than one foot
Water Clarity: Murky
Crew: Linda, Gumdrop, Itch, Diablo
Wetsuit/Skin: 1/3
Pitsch: 4

Diablo advises that it's better to stay in the water because when you exit into the cold air unstoppable shaking starts and makes it difficult to hold the Killepitsch.

Halloween is Coming

Next Swim: Wed Oct 14th, 5:30PM

Last Swim: Tue Oct 13th, 5:30PM
Water Temp: 59
Waves: 1 foot Rollers
Water Clarity: Excellent
Crew:  Linda Lamprey, Itch, Panini, Whatsizname?, Diablo, Patriarch
Wetsuit/Skin: 3/3
Pitsch: 6

A cold and windy and dark day, dusk descending and Capt'ns Halloween party days away, it was an evening for frightful stories.  Linda telling tales of lamprey attacks: http://www.animalplanet.com/tv-shows/river-monsters/videos/a-kiss-of-death-lamprey-sucks-jeremys-blood/

And all of you that have done the swim from Alcatraz check out this:
http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-tourists-shark-alcatraz-20151013-story.html

Swimming at Dusk

Next Swim: Tuesday Oct 13th, 5:30PM

Last swim: Mon Oct 12th 5:30PM
Water Temp: 59
Waves: Small Rollers
Water Clarity: Excellent
Crew:  Itch, Lenore, 2-Ply, Diablo, Gumdrop, Patriarch
Wetsuit/Skin: 3/3
Pitsch: 6

One neat thing about swimming at dusk:  the water takes on a beautiful deep blue-green hue.  We had another wonderful swim tonight, extending our streak of great October swimming.  Hopefully we'll have another tomorrow.

Best October Swim Ever

Next Swim: Monday Oct 11th, 5:30PM

Last Swim: Sunday Oct 10th, 10:30AM
Water Temp: 58-59
Waves:  0.2 foot rollers (or so Capt'n says)
Water Clarity: Much improved
Crew: Panini, Crash, Showgirl, North Shore Nancy, Whatszisname?, Itch, Kahuna, Capt'n, Forger, Diablo, Patriarch
Wetsuit/Skin:7/4
Pitsch: 13

Showgirl got it right.  She pronounced today's swim to be "the best October swim ever".  A perfect day with warm sunny clear skies.  Quiet clear water.  The water could have been a bit warmer, but 59 is pretty darn good for so late in the season.

We're going day by day now, but my intention is to keep swimming until the water drops back into the forties.

Sunday Swim Moved Up To 10:30

Ardent Packer fans demanded that Sunday's swim be moved up to accommodate the game.
Next Swim: Sunday Oct 11th, 10:30AM

Last Swim: Saturday Oct 10th noon
Water Temp: 59
Waves:  small ripples
Water Clarity: Better but still not great
Crew: Mr Anonymous, Itch, Whatzhizname (Mark?  Vern?  Axle? Wood Crotch?),  North Shore Nancy, Crash, Showgirl, Panini, Capt'n, Patriarch
Wetsuit/Skin: 7/2
Pitsch: 12

Who would believe that some of the best swimming of the season is in October.  What a day!  What a swim!

Still Hanging In There

Next Swims:  Sat & Sun, Oct 9th & 10th, noon both days
Note:  These swims will be at our normal Klode Beach location,  In a previous post I said we might swim from Atwater to the shipwreck this weekend but conditions are not favorable for good shipwreck viewing (waves and murky water).

Last Swim: Fri Oct 9th 5:30PM
Water Temp: 59
Waves: 2-3 feet
Water Clarity: Poor
Crew: Itch, Patriarch
Wetsuit/Skin: 1/1

We're down to a few diehards swimming in gathering gloom.  Before we turned around at "birch trees" we stopped to float on our backs atop the waves and meditate on the beautiful pink sunset and the brilliant fall colors on the bluff.

The weekend weather forecast looks great.  It may well be our last chance.

The Picnic Table is Buried

Next Swim: Today Oct 9, 5:30PM
Sat & Sun, tentatively noon, check back later for time and place, we might do a shipwreck swim from Atwater instead of our usual Klode swim, we'll access the condition tonight and make a decision.

Last Swim: Thu Oct 8th 5:30PM
Water Temp: 56
Waves: flat
Water Clairity: murky
Crew: Itch, Diablo
Wetsuit/Skin: 0/2

Diablo reports that the picnic table was buried from all the high waves last week.  If anybody wants to dig it out see Itch, he has a shovel.

Day by Day

Next Swim:  Thur Oct 8th, 5:30PM

Last Swim:  Wed Oct 7th, 5:30PM
Water Temp: 60
Waves: 1-2 feet
Water Clarity: Excellent except for some gunk near shore
Crew: Itch, Lenore, Panini, Mr. Anonymous, Gumdrop, Mark
Wetsuit/Skin: 4/2

We've eked out another day, not yet ready to go inside to tile bottoms and the smell of chorline.

Assuming conditions are still favorable how about a "shipwreck" swim from Atwater Beach Saturday or Sunday?

Bonus Swim

Next Swim:  Wed Oct 7th, 5:30PM

Last Swim:  Tue Oct 6th 5:30PM
Water Temp:  60
Waves: Small Chop
Water Clarity:  Gunky right on shore, but crystal clear just a few yards out
Crew: Lenore, Kyle, Itch, Diablo, Patriarch
Wetsuit/Skin:  2/3
Pitsch: 4

Any swimmable day in October is a bonus, and an October day with 60 degree crystal clear water is a real treat.  Night was falling as we swam and the water took on a beautiful teal color. And if that's not enough, the colors on the bluff are fantastic.

Itch and Diablo actually managed to dig out the beached yellow kayak and muscled it up the beach.  Don't ask me why, it makes no sense to me, but that's true of a lot of what this group does.

Speaking of the kayak, we're pretty sure it was the one that we see on rocks just north of the Silver Spring downspout.  We swam by there today and there was no kayak, so it's probably the same one.      

When You're in a Hole Stop Digging

Next Swim: Tuesday Oct 6th, 5:30PM

Last swim: Monday Oct 5th, 5:30PM
Water Temp: 59
Waves:  less than one foot
Water Clarity: Good away from shore
Crew: Itch, Diablo, Mark, Patriarch
Wetsuit/Skin: 2/2

As long as the water stays in the 50s we'll keep coming.  Tonight was a very pleasant swim enhanced by all the colors starting to show on the lake bluff.

Due to all the heavy surf last week a lot of flotsam and jetsam washed up on the beach, including a yellow kayak that was deeply buried in sand and rocks.  Don't ask me why, but Diablo and Itch decided it was their personal mission to dig it out.  Mark and I decided to walk back up to the parking lot as darkness fell, but Itch and Diablo were still digging like madmen.  They're probably still digging.

October Swimming

Next Swim: Monday October 5th, 5:30PM

Last Swim: Sunday Oct 4th noon
Water Temp: 54
Waves:  2-3 foot roller, with the occasional 4 footer for fun
Water Clarity: None
Crew: Capt'n, Diablo, Itch, Lenore, 2-Ply, No Ply
Wetsuit/Skin: 4/2
Pitsch: 6

The days are shorter.  And cooler.  The wind is rawer.  The lake water temps are slowly declining.  But we keep swimming.  Postponing that sad day not too far away when we say, "that's it until next year".  But we're not just being stubborn, trying to postpone the inevitable.  It was actually fun playing in the waves today.  There still is good swimming to be had.  It's too cold and dark for 6AM swims, so we'll keep swimming at 5:30 as long as we can.

Party in the Surf and at Kahuna's

Next Swim: Sunday Oct 4th noon

Last Swim: Sat Oct 3 noon
Water Temp: high 50's
Waves:  4-6 feet, high frequency, powerful current too
Water Clarity: Zero
Crew: Gumdrop, Lenore, Neo, Diablo
Wetsuit/Skin

Howling winds and monster waves made for a raw day at the beach.  Only four swimmers were brave enough to challenge the surf.  The current was so powerful that all four ended up exiting the water and walking back.

But it was a great party afterwards at the Kahunas.  A good old fashioned blowout with burgers brats and all kinds of snacks and deserts.  I had such a good time I left my bottle of Pitsch there.  Should be a good night for Kahuna and (what's her name again?).  

Krufest: A Season End Celebration at Kahuna's Saturday Afternoon

Next Swim: Friday, Oct 2nd 6AM
Saturday Oct 3rd noon, followed by party at Kahunas (see details below)

Last Swim: Wednesday Sept 30th 5:30PM
Water Temp: 57
Air Temp: 54
Waves: 4-5 feet, very rough and irregular, strong current too
Water Clarity: None, mucky brown
Crew: Mr. Anonymous, Gumdrop, Kahuna, with support on shore from Itch, Diablo and Mark a/k/a Verntinytrakowski.
Wetsuit/Skin: 3/0
Pitsch: 6

Whether you swim or not Saturday you are welcome to our season ending celebration "Krufest" at Kahuna's.  Here is his invitation to all:

I hope you can stop by my house Saturday afternoon. The plan is, swim at noon, then head over to my house for a cookout. Don't worry, "She Who Must Not Be Named" is happy to hear your coming over. Our address is 3529 N. Frederick Avenue, Shorewood. If you are not swimming I would expect people will be arriving at my house between 1 and 1:30. We'll fire up the grill, and provide hamburgers, brats, buns, chips, dip, veggies, a big green salad, beer, wine, mineral water and soda. Spouses, significant others and kids welcome. Please bring something to share. You might also want to bring a lawn chair, as I'm a bit short of that type of chair. I don't think it's going to rain, but I think it could be cool that day. So I have a better idea of how much stuff to buy the evening before, if you believe you are likely to be able to join us on Saturday, please send a text message to my cell no., 414.418.4469, telling me whether you plan on coming, and how many others you are bringing with you. Looking forward to seeing as many of you as possible on Saturday!