Saturday, July 30, 2022

It's nearly August... where's that warm water?!?!

Next swims: Sat noon, Sun 8am and 12noon, M-F 6am and 5pm

Last swim: Sat am from 7:30 - 8:00

Water temp: 60, but that it got considerably colder.  

Air temp: 75

Waves: flat

Clarity: really clear, got to watch the bottom for the whole swim

Kru: Showgirl, Mermaid Princess, Lt MJ, Cindy (do you have a swimmer name yet?), Dragonfly Riffraff, Mr. Anonymous, Magic Mike, two triathletes who I did not meaningfully interact with.

ShoreSup: Squeeze o' Showgirl, a third triathlete.

First, a quick note about Friday night's swim. I showed up at 5. Itch was there, and the Lagunas showed up at about the same time. We talked about how there was warm water out there and that it was not far away. Itch and I came to the logical conclusion that we should simply swim out to the warm water. Sunny had a better idea, so Itch and I committed to a 15 minute swim due east in search of the warm stuff. Never found it. 55 degrees on shore; 53 degrees 15 minutes out. This is just a sample of the tantalizingly close warm water. If only!





This (Sat) morning, we all knew it was gonna be cold. But the initial profile of the morning at the beach was pretty idyllic!



I came later than the main thrust of swimmers. Report was 60 in the shallows. But damn if it didn't just seem to get colder the further along you swam. That's why they make wetsuits. Word on the street is that the Kru headed to Bayfield one week from today may be in for some cold water swimming up there. As usual, the west coast of Lake Michigan is good preparation for a swim in Kitchi-gummi. 

Despite the chilly water, everything else about the swim made you glad for your choice to come down to the beach: good company, calm, clear water, abundant sunshine, and that post swim high that, on some mornings, is the strongest impetus to get me outa bed and down to the water. 

Just keep swimming!


6 comments:

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

Good crowd too at noon on Saturday. Beautiful water clarity and color, but like in the morning, more cold water than warm water. My guess is that a lot of what we were swimming in was in the mid-50s range.

With the direction of the wind forecast to change on Thursday, and staying easterly through Saturday evening, the USAT folks might just possibly luck out on water and air temps for their races. But they should be wary if the forecast doesn't hold, and the wind speeds pick up and are generally westerly.

Moondaug said...

So, "15 minute commitment", hmm.

Dolphina said...


At 5:45pm tonight. Two-foot soft waves with mild currents at Bradford. The buoy said 55. I was prepared for much colder. .

Not sure of the water temperature--these days of swim deprivation have left me both desperate and delusional--it seemed about 57 when I started and got warmer steadily as I swam. I stayed in for fifty minutes. It might have been 61-62 when I got out. No red hands and feet, ice cream headache or dizziness. Only mild shivers an hour later.

Water was deep green and opaque. Not furry, smelly or gelatinous.

I am stoked. It felt tropical to see those white caps and all the bugs blowing and blown away!

Wytosk said...

Dolphina your updates are great. We all wonder who you are, eloquently providing intel from other beaches. Appreciated though!

rsm said...

I fondly remember the days from July pasts when the water was in the upper 60s/low 70s...