Three Bad Mujeres and a headless dip

Next Swims: THANKSGIVING - NOON  - and maybe an earlier contingent

Saturday/Sunday at Noon

Random a.m. swims - comment if you'd like to join!

Last Swim: Wednesday 6:30 a.m.
Water Temp: 42
Air Temp: 48
Clarity: None where I was
Waves: Calm at first, then SE chop just when people were swimming, faded out as they returned
Kru: Showgirl, Lydia the Tattooed Lady, Sunny Luna Laguna-tic, Dragonfly
Missing:  Wim Hofers

Drove over the Hoan Bridge into total dark gray-ness with the top of the U.S. Bank building shrouded in mystery.  Northwestern Mutual did not even make an appearance until the curve in the bridge.  Drizzle in Bay View but none in Klode, boded well for leaving stuff on the beach.

Those planning longer swims - Showgirl, TTL and Luna - arrived on the beach in their wetsuits.  I caught this photo of them heading out:

Shortly after they launched, the SE chop kicked up.  I was thinking to time my planned strip-n-dip as people were coming back, but they seemed to be gone a loooooong time.   I huddled inside my jacket trying to dodge a persistant little SW breeze.  Finally I figured, go for it before I get any colder.  It was a "headless" dip - I tucked my hair into a cap but purposely did not put my face in or head under.  I'm considering the efficacy of this tradeoff - no wet hair but one definitely generates more heat with freestyle.

The water  took my breath away as I breast-stroked out to the rocks.  I was thinking 100 yards but that fantasy quickly shrank to "getting back to shore" which suddenly seemed quite far and like I was not making any progress. 

TTL and Sunny Luna had the same experience on a grander scale.  "I thought it would be better coming back, but it wasn't" TTL said.

"The factors just kept piling up," said Sunny.  "The cold, the waves, the fog - "

Sunny went to the Rock Wall.  Showgirl and TTL also did long swims (VERY long for conditions!) Three Bad Mujeres.

Drying off I could not feel the skin on my arms and legs - literally frozen.  Showgirl looped around the southerly rocks impressively, but was shivering as she came up the beach.  She could not find her goggles and gave them up for lost, but when she got home they magicallly reappeared amongst her gear.

She also noted she hung up her wetsuit outside to dry, then it rained.  That's what happens when you put too much work into something.

Heading up, we commented on the absence of the Wim Hofers...then speculated that they probably did the same about us on those RARE days when we don't show...