Sunday, October 18, 2020

Swimming Evolution. Swimvolution. Swivolution?

Next Swims: Mon - Fri 6:30 am and 4:30pm  <-- NOTE THE NEW PM SWIM TIME
Saturday, Sunday 8 am and Noon

Last Swim: Sunday noon
Water Temp: 45
Air Temp: 40's
Clarity:  not really
Waves: Slow swells
Kru:  Brick, Itch, Diablo, Dragonfly, Mermaid Princess, Luna Laguna, Ala, Showgirl, Blake
Shore Support:  Linda the Lamprey, sporting the coolest Doc Martins ever

This will give you a feel for today's conditions.

Here's a helpful informational quote from one of our swimmers:

"Loads of good swims remain IF YOU DRESS FOR THE FREAKING POST SWIM CONDITIONS!!
Enough said...cu on the beach."

I will let you figure out who said that, though it should be perfectly obvious.

Now, whether or not there will ever enough warm clothes to warm up my feet after a swim in 45 degree water when the air temp is about the same is debatable.

And thus, I will also add this helpful quote:

"Being cold is not a character flaw."

I won't make you guess who said that, because _I_ said it.

But I digress.  An impressive crew of swimmers arrived at the beach today, undeterred by the chilly air. Some of us avoided a chilly beachside costume change by arriving fully encased in our neoprene outfits.  I'm not going to lie to you-- I never thought I'd be driving my car in a wetsuit, much less earplugs, booties, and three layers of caps.  But that's what it's come to.

And it worked for the most part.

So several swimmers were gone long enough that they probably went at least to mudslide.  Others swam less far, but no less impressively.  Dragonfly and Luna Laguna SWAM SKIN.

I looked at the blog from last year, and, unsurprisingly, this year we are swimming longer and colder into the season.  Last year there was an early October string of swims in the mid 50's and then, after 10/09.... crickets, followed by one swim at 45.  Now, I'm not saying that no one swam on those un-blogged days, but it gives you a feel for how different this year is.  (I guess I shouldn't be surprised by that, right?)

Today's beachy art:
RIP newly chopped-down tree.




6 comments:

Dragonfly Riffraff said...

Cool historical perspective!

Luna Laguna said...

I love the image of you driving in full neoprene. I’m going to try that strategy at some point I’m sure!

jamie said...

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-8854437/Cold-water-swimming-help-defend-brain-dementia-scientists-say.html

Moondaug said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Moondaug said...

Its good for your brain, blah, blah, blah, dementia, fwah, fwah, fwah. This article tells you the real deal-https://www.iprshealth.com/news/8-benefits-of-cold-water-swimming/. The take away points are; (1) it gets you high, (2) its good for the sex drive.

jamie said...

Water warmer than the air...always a mixed message. Is it good or bad. Well both if you like the 40's.
Who in gods green earth likes the 40's?!? Does anything good start with 40? But all in all a great swim. Brick and myself swam to red kayak even though the actual red kayak is long gone which seems to perplex most.
Water was clear and rather enjoyable.