Klode Kru Mermaids Swim to the Moon in Hell!

Swim:  Swim to the Moon Open Water Swim Festival, Saturday, August 17 and Sunday, August 18,

Hiland chain of lakes (Patterson Lake, Round Lake, Watson Lake and Half Moon Lake) near Hell, Michigan

Water temp: High 70s - HOT! - (what do you expect in Hell?)

Weather: Mostly cloudy, gray and drizzling        

Water Quality/Clarity:  Crystal clear, some weeds but not too bad

Waves:  Mostly very flat, a few ripples and tiny bit of intermittant chop in Half Moon Lake

Kru:  Showgirl, Lydia the Tattooed Lady, Fin-Fyn, Holly, Marion the Librarian, Dragonfly

Shore Support:  Dragonfly (Saturday) Mr. Dragonfly (Sunday); Showgirl and TTL volunteered handing out finish awards on Sunday

The Klode Kru Mermaids represented in a big way at the 2024 Swim to the Moon in multiple events (all places are in age groups.)  

On Saturday Fin-Fyn and Lydia the Tattooed Lady each placed 4th in the 10k - TTL's first 10K swim!  Fin-Fyn returned Sunday to claim 2nd in the 5k. Holly also swam the 10k on Saturday, and on Sunday won the 1.2 mile ("I just kept swimming past slow people," she explained.)  

Also Sunday, Dragonfly placed 2nd in the 5k--her first 5k! Showgirl made a triumphant return to swimming after major joint replacement surgery with Saturday's 1-mile swim.

Showgirl captures 10k start.

One of Fin-Fyn's highlights was at the 10k turnaround - participants were required to exit the water and cross the timing pad at the 5k half-way point.  Here, they also had access to refueling food and beverages, plus whatever they had packed in their individual "special needs" bags (event term, not mine.)  Fin-Fyn was astonished to see a woman at this halfway point actually putting ON a wetsuit!!  For us Klode Kru, as I mentioned, the water was already nearly uncomfortably warm)

In its 15th year, Swim to the Moon drew participants from as far away as California.  The renowned Marathon Butterflier John Batchelder swam the event's inaugural 15k ALL FLY.  (What struck me most was his happy grin at the end - he did not even look tired!)

l-r:  Fin-Fyn, Tattooed Lady, Dragonfly, Holly, Showgirl.  Someone forgot the Killepitsch but we managed a few celebratory beverages

Showgirl and Amelia volunteering at the finish:

Although the event organizers encouaged emoting at the finish for the express purpose of photo opps to promote future Swim to the Moon and other Epic events, this moment seemed a little beyond Showgirl and TTL's expectations....

Fin-Fyn shows off a prized Swim to the Moon backpack award while TTL samples some post-race pancakes.