Response of the First Responders!!

Next Swims:  Mon-Fri @ 6 am and 5 pm, Saturday/Sunday @ Noon
Last Swim:  Sunday Noon
Water Temp:  55 per mitch-o-meter
Air Temp:  61 with light winds
Clarity:   variable - brown near shore, brownish green ~200 yds out, green after
Waves: mostly 6-8", occasionally something 1 or 2'
Kru:  Linda the Lamprey, Mr. Bubble, Itch, Dragonfly, Lydia, Capt'n, Diablo, Brick, Panini, 
Special Guest Star:  Abbie, 2nd timer, T.O.M. (The Other Mitch)
Shore Support:  Ziggy, Pool Noodle

Oops, we did it again.  That's right...someone apparently called 911 and told them that there were people swimming at Klode who were in trouble and needed help.  This all happened while I was swimming so I'm re-telling details Panini and Pool Noodle shared with me.

Apparently there were 3 police cars who drove down the ramp to the grass above the north side of the beach, and there were two ambulances and two fire trucks up on street level - only one ambulance could fit in the parking lot so the other ambulance and fire trucks had to park on the street.  Fortunately, Panini and Pool Noodle (who is a retired Milwaukee firefighter) were there to intermediate, act as Klode Kru liasons.  They did a good job.

Panini and I were the last two in the water.  Panini did an 8 minute swim and the first responders arrived shortly after she came back.  Apparently, the men on the grass were scrutinizing this guy doing the breast stroke out by the rocks - they weren't too sure if he was really swimming (I'm never too sure myself either).  In any event, Panini and Pool Noodle re-assured them that the Klode Kru are all strong swimmers, even that guy who looks like he doesn't know how to swim (they didn't really say that part).

Pool Noodle also tells me that one of the first responders told her they thought there was an ordinance against swimming more than 200 yards out without a swim buoy, but they weren't sure.  Pool Noodle would like to know for sure, so she could politely contradict any future first responder who may have similar doubts. 

So, it was a big day, but maybe not quite as big a day as Sept 1, 2013.  That's when a previous false alarm situation happened.  I wasn't there, so as Roy Rogers would say, "All I know is what I read in the newspapers"

According to what it says here, it sounds like a Klode Kru liason wasn't available to talk the responders out of escalating the situation and bringing in more responders.  I'd heard that the Coast Guard was even called in. 

There was a very strong consensus among those present today that it was comforting to see how quickly the response came.  By Panini's reckoning, the call must have come in sometime after the first swimmers hit the water, so they must have arrived within 15 minutes of the call coming in.   

There was also an extremely strong consensus that we all had a lovely swim today.  Several people commented as such.  It wasn't flat, but wasn't as choppy as it's been the past few days.  Also nice that it wasn't that windy, either.