Gleðilegt Sumar!

Next Swims:
Saturdays/Sundays at Noon
Mon - Fri 6 am (it's official) and afternoons at 4 pm ish?

Last Swim: Friday @ 0600
Water Temp: 50.9 per mitch-o-meter
Air Temp: 50 and sunny with some serious wind at the beach
Clarity: Practically zero - couldn't see my hands under water
Waves: frequent 10" - 12"swells, sometimes 12"-14"
Kru: Lydia TTL, Dragonfly, Mr. Bubble
Shore Support: Pool Noodle, Magic Mike, Linda the Lamprey, Showgirl

I'm still in total disbelief that the water was above 50 degrees today!   Thought it felt warm when I waded in to take the temp, but was still amazed when the mitch-o-meter would not go below 50.  

So that makes today the First Day of Summer - Gleðilegt Sumar!

That's the Icelandic greeting for the first day of summer, which literally translated means "Happy Summer".  Actually, the First Day of Summer in Iceland is April 22nd - it's a traditional holiday - they exchange gifts, stores are closed and everybody celebrates winter coming to an end.  You see, in traditional Icelandic culture there are only two seasons - summer and winter - kinda like Wisconsin some years.  

Fun morning with shore support visitors.  We were entertained by stories of Lydia's arsonist neighbor, who has set two fires in her own home.  Pool Noodle, retired firefighter, commenting that it's unusual for arsonists to have two X chromosomes.  To illustrate this, Pool Noodle shared a story about a citizen with a Y chromosome who thought the best way to get rid of a bees nest hanging from his soffits was to torch it (reverse misogynist comment - only a guy would think of that!).  Needless to say, that scenario did not end well and his neighbors were not delighted with him either.  This prompted me to ask Pool Noodle - "Have you ever had to put out a fire in sub zero weather?"  Oh yes, many times.  The thick layer of ice that accumulates on fire fighters gloves and coats actually serves as insulation, until it starts melt.  Underneath those waterproof layers, the firefighters are working up a good sweat.  

All in all, a beautiful First Day of Summer!!

Ducks, Debris

Next Swims: 

Friday morning: 6 a.m.

Saturdays/Sundays at Noon

Mon - Fri afternoons - 4 pm ish?

Last Swim: Wednesday 6 a.m.
Water Temp: Unknown - wetsuit weather
Air Temp: 48, cloudy
Clarity: Brown and completely opaque
Waves: BIG
Kru: Tattooed Lady, Dragonfly 

Shore Support:  Showgirl

Wim Hoffers

First 6 a.m. swim of the season! Already light on arrival but clouds totally obscure the sun.  Haven't  been able to glimpse the Pink Super Moon either over the past couple of days.  This lack of celestial definition has been creating a feeling of meh, redefined recently by The New York Times as "Languishing."

Breakers beyond the rocks almost as big Sunday's, washing far up on shore, bringing in new large pieces of debris and the damp smell of ducks and other organic matter. Off-putting grey-ish brown shore waves churn black junk.

TTL is ready to go, but "I'm not doing it" I declare as we walk down.  Establishing ourselves along the south wall, realize I have forgotten my blanket.  By the time I've traipsed up the stairs and down,  decide to swim after all. Since I'm here.

Back at the wall, TTL has changed her mind, now she's not going in.  But doesn't take much to change back when I say I am now up for it.  "But maybe we should wait for a lull?"  "Sure!  Like now.....or now....or now...."

  We suit up fully in layers of neoprene.  Limited water entry options with Wim Hoffers and a log taking up available shoreline space. 

The swim is brief but lovely, punctuated by earplug-hampered conversations, such as,  "WxxIOH Swoi ie8m97b  DI8z8?"  "What?" and "A little further?" "OK!"

Heading in, we dodge a lethal-looking ripped-away porch step. "This is what people are thinking of, when they say don't go in it's dangerous."

Getting out is tricky.  Big wave knocks me off my feet.  I stay down but the following one is smaller and I scramble out. TTL makes it out too.

Nobody cures Languishing like Mother Michigan.

No Brain, No Pain!

Next Swims: 

Saturdays/Sundays at Noon

Mon - Fri afternoons - 4 pm ish?

Possible rogue sunrise swims

Last Swim: Saturday @ Noon
Water Temp: 46 per itch-o-meter
Air Temp: 52, initial clouds cleared to full sun
Clarity: Great, could see bottom mostly
Waves: regular 6"-8" swells, increasing to 10"-12" 
Kru: Itch, Brick, Rosie, Diablo, Moondaug, Panini, Mr. Bubble, Blake, Mr. Laguna and Luna 

Shore Support:  Viv Laguna, Blake's bike, Mr. Anonymous

Investigators:  Sarah and another woman who's name we didn't get.

Great day for a swim - cloudy at first but full sun came out while we were in the water and stayed out.  Very pleasant on the beach afterwards.  Panini's first swim of the season! 

Had a nice conversation with Sarah,  who was checking out the scene. She had come down in the afternoon recently and spoke to Itch and Brick, and has looked at the blog and knew we'd be there today at Noon.  She had some very thought provoking questions, along the lines of "Why do you all do this?".  A few of us tried our best to explain. 

This lead to a general discussion that swimming at Klode sometimes requires you to turn off parts of your cognitive brain.  Like the part that says This isn't a good idea! when you first feel that cold water or see a big wave heading for you.  Hence, the title of today's blog post "No Brain, No Pain" 

Hot Cocoa followed by Killepitsch.  Today's toast - "It's a Good Life" 

Another best swim of the season!

Panini Party - Sat May 15, 1:30 - 7:30 pm at Estabrook Beer Garden

Panini asked me to post some info about her Send Off Party at the Estabrook Beer Garden on Saturday, May 15th.  She's planning it over the course of several hours, from 1:30 - 7:30 pm, so that people can drop in when it's convenient for them, and so that it won't get too crowded at any one time.  

As many of us know, Panini has been planning to move to Boston for her new job, but the move has been on hold for months and months.  She's finally moving at the end of May.  

Here's a quote from Panini's Facebook event for the Send Off Party:

I plan this as a semi-socially distant event with COVID precautions (come masked and interact as you see fit). I want to hope that by May 15, most of you will be vaccinated and can come have a beer with me at the Estabrook Beer Garden, weather permitting! The party is spread out over many hours to allow for interested parties to saunter in, enjoy a pint, and out as needed thus keeping it possible for social distancing.

This concludes this test of the Emergency Broadcast System.  

We now return control of your television set to you

All You Need is Love!

Last swim: Saturday at Noon

Next Swim - Sunday at Noon

Air Temp: All sun. 48 on arrival, 52 on departure
Water Temp: 46.7 
Clarity: meh, muddy near shore, clearer further out
Waves: 1-2 foot waves

Kru: Itch, Brick, Rosie, Mr. Bubble, Lydia TTL, newcomer Martin

Shore Support:  Patriarch, Diablo, Magic Mike, Moondaug, Martin's daughter Anna

While I'm chatting with Martin to get to know him, Brick comes along and says "Mr. Bubble, could you put this picture up on the blog?  It's the Love Rock which used to be across from Bradford Beach.  They blew it up in 1986".  Aha!  I reply.  I remember that rock.  I moved to Atlanta in 1983 and it was gone when I moved back in 1996, and I always wondered what happened to it.  

All this talk about what happened to the Love Rock in 1986 skipped over the question that was really on my mind - Why did Brick want me to post this picture all of a sudden?  What was the relevance and significance to today?  

This article from the Shepherd's Express lays out the "official" history of the love rock, but everyone knows that's just fake news.  You see, almost everyone thinks that the Love Rock was a man made, inanimate object.  That's what the fake newsers want you to believe.  But if that's true, then how can you explain this?  

Three rock piles suddenly appeared in Klode Beach, just a few years after the Love Rock was blown up.  Just a coincidence?  Don't be a sheep - that original Love Rock is an alien life form - it grew out of a meteorite that struck the earth right there.  You see, the Love Rock was an illegal alien!  After 91 years, the city fathers decided they couldn't tolerate illegal aliens any more and they made plans to deport it.  They would blast it back in to space - back to the country it came from!  

Ah, but the city fathers didn't realize that was exactly what the illegal rock alien wanted them to do.  By exploding the Love Rock, they were actually dispersing it's spores all across the Lake Michigan coast.  Klode Beach was the perfect spot for the spores to germinate, and so the Love Rock has been reincarnated 3 times over. 

Today's Killepitsch toast - Best Swim of the Season, of course.  

Easter Egg Hatchlings

Last swim: Saturday at Noon
Next Swim - Weekdays at 3:00, weekends at Noon (no 6 am's yet)

 
Air Temp: All sun, no clouds. 48 on arrival
Water Temp:  44

Clarity: nice, 7-8/10 
Waves: flat, almost glass
Kru: Itch, Brick, Rosie, Diablo, Mr. Bubble, Lydia TTL
Quick Skin Dippers: Dragonfly and MoonDaug,

Another great day!  Very much a repeat of yesterday, except we swam north today instead of south.  Water was slightly calmer and cooler air temp slightly cooler. 

Across the street in the par, we spotted a guy in an Easter Bunny outfit, passing out goodies.  This lead to a deep conversation about the symbolism behind easter bunnies and easter eggs.

Appropriate Killepitsch toast - Happy Easter!  Even more appropriate - second shots for those who needed it.  Brick said he was going to a family function and might need a third shot.  

Hippity Hoppity

Last swim: Saturday at Noon
Next Swim - Sunday at Noon

Air Temp: All sun, no clouds. 62 on arrival, 69 on departure
Water Temp:  44

Clarity: eh, 3/10 near shore, clearer further out
Waves: flat with some tiny swells
Kru: Itch, Brick, Rosie, Diablo, Mr. Bubble
Quick Skin Dippers: Dragonfly and MoonDaug,
Shore Support: Synchro

My first swim of the year - what a great start.  Great to see everyone again. Brick reports that the water has been in the 40s lately.  

A Small Craft Advisory was still
in effect when this photo was taken 😂

Dragonfly finishing up her quick dip

Our Killepitsch/Hot Cocoa toast for today was "Happy Easter".  Of course, Easter is really tomorrow, so it was clearly inappropriate to make that toast today.  A more appropriate choice would have been "Easter's On Its Way".  This is such an appropriate toast that a song was written about it.

My Wisconsin Backyard

Milwaukee Public Television has a new show called "My Wisconsin Backyard," and in one of their recent shows (# 102) they show three swimmers at Klode, going for a distance swim in 34.9 degree water.  Here's a link.  The piece is about 5 minutes into the show (after the triathlete story, and the surfing story).  Looking forward to seeing folks soon.