Pink seagull and Mr. A: Signs of Spring

  Last Swim:  6 a.m. Friday

Next Swims: Saturday and Sunday noon; also 8 a.m. Sunday pre-Mother's Day swim

Water temp: 52.9 degrees F per Lydia the Tattooed Lady 

Air temp: About the same, a little chill-ish breeze, initial cloud but then beautiful sunshine 

Kru: Lydia the Tattooed Lady, Showgirl, Fin-Fyn, Dragonfly, Mr. Anonymous, Diablo

Waves:  Maybe about 1 foot of fairly gentle swell

Water:  Pale brown, a little stinky and greasy around the rocks, clearer offshore

A pink seagull was the first thing I saw stepping out the back door this morning.  Pink because the sunrise was reflecting on it as it sailed among pink clouds.  A good omen for sure.

What do you think of when you think of signs of spring?  New bright green crocus shoots?  Tulips or daffodils? The first trill of the redwinged blackbird?

For us open water swimmers, it was definitely the first appearance of Mr. Anonymous on the beach.  Sporting a Lake Effect t-shirt (Milwaukee's surf shop on Capitol Drive), he arrived at our little encampment.  

"How was everyone's winter?" he asked in his polite, debonair way.

He & Diablo went in for brave skin dips.

The rest of us followed in full wetsuits.  me in a sleeveless with sleeves - earlier than I would have planned, but my full wetsuit has developed a small seam separation which must be dealt with STAT.

The swim was absolutely gorgeous, with the sun grandly emerging from a horizon cloud bank and just enough wave to rock you gently.

Photo credit:  TTL.  And TTL fully deserves the credit, as she devotes the energy to the group experience, taking not only the photo, but the temperature, while the rest of us are lazy slobs.