Lake Michigan: Your Year Around Swim Destination

Next Swim:  Saturday?

Last Swim:  Tuesday November 22nd 2PM
Water: 39!! Choppy and Murky

Crew:  Diablo, Itch, while I took pictures from shore

So the weather is wintery and the water temp has fallen into the 30s, so I assumed, as I think any reasonable person would, swim season was over.  The key word being "reasonable".  I ran into Diablo today and he told me he and Itch were swimming at two.  I thought he was joking but for once he was not.  Photographic proof below.  (If you look closely you will see that they swam in opposite directions.  I didn't ask why, just one more unexplainable Kru phenomenon.)

So the water temperature can only go down a few more degrees to 32, so I figure what the heck, let's just swim all year!  Drill through the ice, if necessary.  Are you with us?!  (Not actually me I am using the rhetorical "us", I mean Itch and Diablo and whoever else is completely nuts.  My job will be to point out where to chip the bodies out of the ice)

Apolitical Swimming

Next Swims: Weekday Swims, post to the blog. Itch said he might swim at 2pm.
Saturday, Sunday 11/12,13 noon

Last Swim:  Sunday Noon
Water:  54.5 annoying chop out of the south
Clarity: crystal
Crew:  Itch, Diablo, Handyman Hank, Showgirl, We'Taco, Gumdrop, Mike, Panini
Shore Support: Squeeze o'Showgirl, Mike's son, Mike's son's dog
skin/suit: 3/5

Today's water temp was about the same as yesterday, but the group motivation seemed a wee bit lower.  However, the lake rewarded us for our efforts with amazing, sparkling water clarity.

We swam south into the chop, most to the picnic table, a few further.  Mike said he saw a big fish.

These creatures were also spotted creeping near the shoreline:

We've Made Swimming Great Again!

Next Swims: Sunday November 6th noon
Monday 5:30pm ?

Last Swim:  Saturday Noon
Water:  54.3 beautifully calm
Clarity: so-so
Crew:  Itch, Diablo, Crash, Handyman Hank, Drangonfly, Showgirl, We'Taco, Gumdrop, Mike
Shore Support: Squeeze o'Crash, Squeeze o'Showgirl
skin/suit: 5/4

Okay, we didn't make swimming great again, swimming has always been great.  But it was exceptionally great today, given that it's NOVEMBER and we're still swimming.

We arrived at the beach to see completely flat water and a cloudless sky.  The International Man of Mystery, Diablo, made his mysterious entrance thru the trees.

Also notable, the skins outnumbered the suits!  There was a lot of post-swim shivering, but it was totally worth it, as we warmed up in the beautiful sun. Several swam to mudslide, and others to the birches.  Unfortunately, as the leaves have fallen, THE birches are harder to identify among all the other... birches.

And, while we jumped into the lake with abandon, this creature struggled to exit.

I Like Pina Coladas

Next Swims:  Friday November 4th 5:30PM
Saturday November 5th noon
Sunday November 6th noon

Last Swim:  Thursday November 3rd 3PM
Water:  55 calm and crystal clear
Crew:  Itch, Patriarch

Itch and I decided to take advantage of a sunny warm November day and swim at 3 instead of 5:30.  Good choice.  We had a great swim, especially considering the date.

Unfortunately this will be my last Lake Michigan swim of the year.  I am leaving for a ten day vacation and do not expect swimmable temperatures when I return.  On the other hand I will be in the Carribean, so I'll be swimming in warm water and sipping pina colodas on a white sand beach while you guys are shivering in fifty degree water.  Ha Ha Ha Ha

A bad (swim) day in November

Next Swim:  Thursday November 3rd 5:30

Non-Swim Report Wednesday November 2nd 5:30PM
Water:  54 murky 1-2 foot waves

Coll and wet on the beach today, we'll try again tomorrow.

Go Cubbies!

A good day in November

Next Swim: Wednesday November 2nd 5:30PM

Last Swim: Tuesday November 1st 5:30 PM
Water: 55 calm murky
Crew: Itch (skin), Gumdrop, Patriarch

Here are words I never thought I'd write: I swam in Lake Michigan in November and enjoyed it.

Oh my God, Addison Russell just hit a grand slam!  If the Cubs hang on maybe tomorrow there will more words that haven't been written in over a century.