Swimming to the Moon and Beyond, Part III - Fyn-Fin's Foray around Mackinac

 First a brief update on this morning's swim:

Water Temp: 65 per toe-mometer, 69 per incomplete thermometer reading per Lt MJ ("The waves were hitting me and I was getting wet but the thermometer was not"), warmer away from the rocks, weird warm pockets.  
(Magic Mike reported in an afternoon swim yesterday [Wednesday] there was a 50-ish degree layer close to the surface and then various-sized pockets of 50-ish water.  For the evening swim, Itch reported 70 degrees if you swam South and 60 degrees if you swam North)

Air Temp: 75

Wind:  Slight northerly breeze

Waves: Chop from North, also current

Skies:  Stormy-looking gray, fog

Clarity: Good away from the beach

Kru:  Hurricane Swimdy, Lt MJ, Showgirl, Mr. Anonymous, Magic Mike, Dragonfly

Everyone chanted, "We love the fog!  We love the fog!" before taking the plunge into the uninviting waters.

For me these later-season swims are not about yardage, but enjoyment, so there were more in-water chats.  Yet this swim was not that enjoyable - a little chilly upon entry, rough chop going out (north), easier coming back but a sense of opposing current too.  Others commented same.

Now for Fin-Fyn's amazing Mac swim!

Epic Swim:  Swim Around Mackinac Island

Location:  Mackinac Island, Michigan

Distance: a whopping 8.2 miles

Water temp & Conditions:  60.8 degrees at start, 65.2 at finish, reports of much colder pockets throughout.  NNW winds.  Rough on the way out, opposing current on the way back

Date:  Sunday, August 13

Klode Kru: Fin-Fyn

Shore support:  She did it solo

Additional swimmers:  About 400 (per Facebook)

"It took me about 5 hours and I'm definitely feeling tired but glad I did it and the time was pretty much spot on my goal, so happy there," she texted shortly after the event. 
Before the start:

Note booties.  These were required for navigating treacherous rocks and boulders while getting in and out of the water.

Reading about the event, I noted another a prominent warning:  "There will be NO BATHROOMS at the start!"  then, to add insult to injury, "Please plan accordingly"  

The first half of the swim was quite cold and rough, Fin-Fyn recounted later.  There were two onshore food-and-drink stations, the first about 3.7 miles.  "At that point I knew I was close to halfway and rounding the corner of the island," she said.  For those who are a little hazy on the geography, I concluded after studying a map that Mackinac is technically in Lake Huron.  It appears that the Interstate 75 Mackinac Bridge divides Michigan from Huron.

Once Fyn-Fin got around, however, there was a strong opposing current.  "I knew I would be living here, I thought I'd never get out of it," she said.

Then, in a crushing disappointment, her watch died about a mile from the finish.  "For the last mile, I was so angry.  No official record, even though I did the thing!" she recalled.

Still, a finish is a finish, and thus a win!  The swim is a local community fundraiser, not a competition, so I assume no time chips.  "This is a fun swim among friends," the website insists.

Congratulations, Fin-Fyn!  Klode is so proud to claim you as our own!