Anybody find a pair of sleeves?

 After Monday's noon swim, I got home and realized I didn't have my sleeves in my gear. Went back to Klode an hour later and there was no sign of any sleeves there. Wondering if anyone picked them up thinking to get them back to their rightful owner. Lemme know if you have 'em. Or if you're a regular morning swimmer and planning go swim in the morning, I'll be there.

Thanks!

Sunday, early shift

 Probable next swims

Mon - Fri 6 am and afternoons at 4 pm?
Sat/Sun 8am and noon

Memorial Day, 8 a.m. & noon.

Last Swim: Sunday 9/30 @ 8 am
Water Temp: 51 per bubbleometer 
Air Temp: low to mid 50s
Clarity: Zero
Waves: ever so slight NE swell 
Kru: Showgirl, Mr. Anonymous, Jenny, Mr. Bubble, Dragonfly

Shore support:  Two whitish dogs north of the barrier

SUNNY.

Driving over the Hoan Bridge, things looked promising.  Smoke (steam?) from the Miloganite plant going straight up = no wind.  None.

We were a quiet bunch as we suited up.  Mr. Bubble took the temp "51 - but I don't believe it.  Feels like 47."

Jenny: "It's an improvement over yesterday."

We headed north.  As always, the beginning is the toughest.  Just try to keep moving until Sewer Pipe.  By then warmed up, at least as much as I'm going to get.  It did seem 51 rather than 47 - face not freezing and even  finger tips okay.  I visualized blood circulating strongly in them - maybe even a few flames shooting out - as I used them to maximize extension on each stroke.  After awhile noticed that while my fingers were okay, my palms were cold.

We churned away for 30 minutes or more, some getting to or near New Mudslide.  Heading out had a a great rhythm, and the sun so extravagantly abundant everywhere, even warming my back and legs.  Passed first rock wall fairly easily, my initial goal. Go another hundred to hit 800 yards? maybe Mudslide?  Settled prudently for 50 more yards.  I seemed to be all alone out here, though later learned others were probably close.  

Turned back with a little gas left in the tank.  Good thing, as return trip a bit harder - not sure why - mind games? Somehow  drifted way in toward shore.  Still felt reasonably if not uber-strong so kept slashing along and slowly crept past garage, kayak, false garage, Kraken, and then the flatlands which house Sewer Pipe. Passing the final rockpile (also has a Kraken) took inordinately long but at last around the corner and in to shore.  Always so welcome!

We shivered into clothes and my left hand especially is so weak - no grip at all as I unzip wetsuit & peel off socks. Best and longest swim yet, and we enthusiastically make plans for tomorrow.

Cold and Dirty

Probable next swims
Mon - Fri 6 am and afternoons at 4 pm?
Sat/Sun 8am and noon

Memorial Day at Noon?

Last Swim: Saturday, 9/29 @ Noon 
Water Temp: 49 per itch-o-meter, 46 per macho-meter
Air Temp: low to mid 50s
Clarity: consistent sandy brown for a more than a mile off shore
Waves: pretty frequent, mostly 2 footers with occ 3 footer.
Kru: Itch, Brick, Lydia the TTL, Sunny Laguna, Mr. Bubble, IceDaug (skin)

Shore Support:  Capt'n and Ziggy, Princess Vivian

What the Lord giveth, they can just as easily take away.  Water and air were much warmer last Saturday at Noon.  

So, honestly, I didn't hear one person say - "Wow, this looks great!"  But none of us came all the way to Klode on a nice sunny day just to turn around.  "It's not that bad!"  That's what we say, right?  

Upon emerging from the water, someone asked Itch if this was the best swim of the season? - "Top 5" 

Capt'n brought along the remains of an open Killepitsch bottle from last season (much obliged!).  I think we toasted the sun today.  

IceDaug's suggestion for the title of today's post - "Muddy Waters".  I was kinda partial to the one I had already picked out, but I liked his suggestion all the same.  So decided to use it as inspiration for an attached YouTube

The Seven Stages of (Swimming) Grief

(Probable) Next Swims: 

Mon - Fri 6 am and afternoons at 4 pm? - however, the next two mornings look like crap, so...

Sat/Sun 8am and noon

Last Swim: Wednesday 6am (Tuesday, too)
Water Temp: 47
Air Temp: 70-ish
Clarity: good
Waves: basically flat, with the impending GALE wind starting in
Kru: Lydia the TTL, Dragonfly, Showgirl

Happier pic below...

The 7 Stages of Swimming Grief:

• Shock and denial - The water can't possibly be that cold, maybe someone else should take a reading
• Pain and guilt - My feet really hurt! If only I'd bought better booties.
• Anger and bargaining - F*ck this!! But maybe if I come every day it will get warmer
• Depression - It's never going to get warmer.
• The upward turn - Wait, is it getting warmer?
• Reconstruction and working through - I will go to Lake Effect and buy more stuff.
• Acceptance and hope - I will swim regardless.  But maybe it will get warmer?

Happy family of ducks from yesterday.

Hot fun in the (almost) summertime

Next Swims:  Sunday 5/23 at 7:30 am and Noon

Other dates and times subject to Heisenberg's uncertainty principle

Mon-Fri: Sunrise at 6 am, 4 pm ish

Last Swims: Saturday, 5/22 @ Noon and 7:30 am
Water Temp: 

7:30 am:  48 with pockets of much, much colder water

Noon:  51 with warm pockets

Air Temp: (Noon) 80 and sunny, just a little wind, altho wind changed direction got stronger
Clarity: Beautiful, Could see bottom the whole way
Waves: very flat, almost glass.  Some ripples on the way back when the wind changed

Kru: 

7:30 am shift:  Dragonfly Lt MJ, Jenny

11:00 am shift:  Mr & Mrs Laguna and Princess Vivian

Noon shift:  Itch, Brick. Rosie, Sandy, Mr. Bubble, Kahuna, We'Taco, Panini, 

Near Shore Support:  Cap'n

The true first day of summer is June 20th, but it looked like many people felt like it was today.  Beach and parking lot were crowded for the Noon swim.  Lots of people out on bikes on the streets.

Lots of cool things happened today.  Starting with the rogue 7:30 am swimmers.  I heard about it second hand from MJ.  They say it was cool, in a very literal sense, but beautiful as always.  I'll post one of MJ's pictures below.  

 The next cool thing today - again in a literal sense - is that Princess Vivian took a dip!  A very brief one, without a wetsuit of course. Big smile on her face afterwards - wish I had a photo.

The Capt'n also waded in, skin, and made it past the critical decision point for his critical mass, but he kept his sunglasses on and didn't go all the way.  

Surprise appearance by Super Hera!  Judge-elect and mother to be!  Looking very healthy with just a few more weeks to go!  She said she planned to attempt a dip, and wait and see how the little being reacts before deciding how to proceed.  Clearly, she has a very strong parenting skills foundation.  

Panini was also a surprise appearance, at least for me.  I asked her - you're moving next week, right?  No, now it's the middle of June.  Panini tells me the story about how she wants to do some things to her house before she goes, but she keeps delaying what she wants to do.  My conclusion is that she's a tiny bit ambivalent about moving away, but she's determined to get it done.  

Additional surprise appearances, at least for me - Sandy, Kahuna, We'Taco and Capt'n.  I don't think I had seen any of them so far this year.  Had to ask Sandy to remind me what her name is.  I couldn't remember We'Taco's nickname at first either - it came to me while I was swimming.  

Enough with the cool stories, let's get down to the cool pictures.  

Two Ladies about to experience
(different) life changing events

MJ's photo from 7:30 am swim

Here's some of my photos from Friday at 6 am

YMMV

(Probable) Next Swims: 

Mon - Fri 6 am? and afternoons at 4 pm?

Sat/Sun 8am and noon

Last Swim: Friday 6am
Water Temp: 48 per the duck
Air Temp: 70-ish at the top of the hill, much cooler lakeside
Clarity: pretty great
Waves: small swells out of the south
Kru: Lydia the TTL, Dragonfly, Mr. Bubble, Mr. Anonymous, Luna Laguna, IceMoonDawg, Lt MJ, Rachel, Showgirl, Mermaid Princess
Shore Support: Linda the Lamprey

The 2021 swim season is beginning with its usual fits and starts.  After weeks of 2-3 morning swimmers 1-2 times a week, we had a crowd today. (Yes, there are also PM swims, but I never go to those, so I can't really attest to what's happening then.)

It was the usual herding cats this morning.  Most swam south into the current, and a few peeps swam north.  I did a bit of both.

I have posted some theoretical swim times above.  If you show up and no one is there to swim with you, please click the "Contact Us" link, and we will address your concerns with our usual expediency.

To further entice you into the water, there are a number of new landmarks along the shore.  Some are permanent-- a new staircase south of Love Rock.  Some are temporary: white surfboard north of the garage.  All provide added interest to the swim, and important topics to chat about.

In related swimming news:  our very own Linda the Lamprey will be doing this North Dakota river swim for the second time in a few weeks:

https://endracing.com/end-wet

Swim on, my people.

Real first day of Summer!

Next Swims: 

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

Last Swim: Sunday @ Noon
Water Temp: 53 per itch-o-meter
Air Temp: 80 and sunny, just a little wind
Clarity: Beautiful, 9/10
Waves: very light, maybe 2" - 3" or so.  Gentle intervals
Kru: Itch, Brick. Lydia TTL, Dragonfly, Mr. Bubble, Mr. Anonymous, Sunny Laguna
Shore Support: Magic Mike, Forger, Mr. Laguna and Viv

Great day all the way around.  Beautifully warm.  Only downside worth mentioning is that the parking lot was full!  But still plenty of street parking.  Weren't that many people on the beach though.  

Great day for swimming - relatively clear and calm water, sunny skies, warm breezes.  I misjudged the water temp and didn't wear any neoprene on my feet.  To quote a line Magic Mike uttered last year "My feet hurt, but not that much".  Indeed, the sand was so warm that my cold feet were all warmed up well before I got out of my wetsuit.  So toasty, I didn't feel the need to get changed in to dry clothes afterwards.  Was pretty much dry by the time I got to the car.  

Speaking of toasty - drank Killepitsch to - Best Swim of the Season and thank the lord for solar energy!