Kru FAQ's

Kru FAQs

Swimming in Lake Michigan and Swimming with the Lake Michigan Swimmers

(a/k/a “The Klode Kru”)

We’re glad you have an interest in learning about Lake Michigan open water swimming, and possibly swimming with us (the Lake Michigan Swimmers, also known as “The Klode Kru”). Here are some answers to questions we frequently receive. If your questions are not answered below, feel free to leave a question in the comments section in the blog, and someone will get back to you. 

1. Who are the Lake Michigan Swimmers? The Lake Michigan Swimmers is a very loosely organized group of Milwaukee area swimmers who love to do open water swimming in Lake Michigan. Started in around 2008 by Ted Shue and Greg Wyder, the group has grown to roughly 60 swimmers (although some of those swimmers may only swim occasionally). We are also called “The Klode Kru” because we tend to gather at and swim from Klode Beach. 

2. What does the Kru do? We (a) engage in open water swimming in Lake Michigan, (b) provide advice to others who want to try Lake Michigan open water swimming, and (c) work to make the beaches from which we swim and the water in which we swim better. 

3. When does the Kru swim? Members of the Kru swim in Lake Michigan year round,  but most of the swimming occurs during the months of May through October. To determine when the next group swim is scheduled to occur, check the most recent blog entry. 

4. When during the week are Kru swims scheduled? During the warmer weather months (May through October), the normal schedule is Monday through Friday at 6:00 a.m., and 5:30 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday at 8:00 a.m. and noon. Again, check the most recent blog entry for variations in the normal schedule. The time posted means the time that folks gather in the Klode Park parking lot (the east lot); Kru members then tend to walk down to the beach together, at the posted time. The times posted are generally not the time when folks actually enter the water.

5. Why does the Kru swim in Lake Michigan? Because Lake Michigan is an outstanding, beautiful, freshwater body of water, that provides a world class environment for open water swimming.

6. Are there lifeguards at Klode Beach? No. 

7. If I want to swim with the Kru, do I just show up? Yes.

8. How do I find Kru members on the beach? Look for people putting on wetsuits or swim caps on the southern end of Klode Beach. Then just come over, ask if they are members of the Kru, and introduce yourself. We are always happy to welcome newcomers.  

9. Are there dues, or do I have to apply to join the Kru? No. There are no formal memberships, no membership application, no waiver agreement to sign, and no tryouts.

10. Does it cost anything to swim with the Kru? There is no charge to park at Klode Park, or to use the beach. 

11. Who can I sue if I drown or get hurt? If you decide to try Lake Michigan open water swimming (either with the Kru, or without) it’s all, and completely, “swim at your own risk.” The Kru is not a corporation, club or association, and it has no assets. It’s just a group of people, who individually or together indicate when they are going to go for an open water swim in Lake Michigan, and who post those times on the group’s blog. 

12. Is it safe to swim in Lake Michigan? Like most things in life, the answer is “it depends.” Do you know how to swim? Do you know how to swim in cold water (if the Lake on the day you arrive is cold). Do you know what to do if you find yourself in a rip current? Are you reckless when it comes to swimming, and knowing your abilities? People die from drowning in Lake Michigan every year, but those people who drown usually are not swimmers. In the 16 years that the Kru has been regularly organizing swims, we’ve never had a drowning incident. We pride ourselves on having helped a lot of folks who want to learn how to engage in Lake Michigan swimming to learn how to do that in a way that is safer and more enjoyable than it might otherwise be. 

13. Are there steps I can take to decrease the chances I will drown in Lake Michigan? Yes. Learn how to swim. If you do not know how to swim well, do not go into or swim in water that is over your head. To increase your buoyance (and to decrease the risk of hypothermia in cold water), consider wearing a wetsuit (such as the ones sold by Xterra). To decrease your risk of drowning (and to make yourself more visible in the water to boaters, jet skiers and others) consider swimming with an open water swimming buoy (such as the ones sold by Xterra). Many of our members do both. 

14. What about currents? Rip currents at Klode Beach are rare, but currents are not. You should know how to deal with normal currents, and rip currents. Normal currents at Klode typically run parallel to the shore, but can be strong if the waves are high. Importantly, when waves are high on Lake Michigan, you should exercise great caution around jetties and other rock structures (such as the three large rock piles that were created/exist to protect Klode Beach).

15. What’s the water temperature? That depends. Water temperatures at Klode can be unexpectedly high, or unexpectedly low. On a day in July, the water can be a pleasant 74 degrees, or (if the wind is from the west and currents are just right), the water can be a bracing 48 degrees. If you want an estimate of what the current temperature at Klode Beach will be, on the left side of the blog, below the pictures, there is a list of links, including to “Atwater Buoy Temps.” The Atwater Buoy is a weather buoy, which is about a mile offshore, and a little south of Klode Beach. At that website, is a graph that shows the temps over the last five days, and the current temperature reading. The temperature shown on that graph, does not guarantee what the temp will be at Klode, but it gives swimmers a clue as to recent trends. Check the blog too, as Kru members often post what the temp was, as to their most recent swim. 

16. Is Klode Beach a good place to try open water swimming for “newbie” open water swimmers? Our opinion is “yes.” First, by swimming at Klode with the Kru, you can ask questions and obtain advice from experienced open water swimmers. Swimming with others is always a good idea. Additionally and importantly, if one swims north from Klode Beach, there are several features of the shoreline and the lakebed that are conducive to less risky and more pleasant swimming for newbies. The shoreline north of Klode Beach is a long (about one mile long) sandy beach that is easy to walk upon. So if a swimmer ever experiences any problems, the swimmer can simply walk out of the water, and walk back along the nice sandy beach to the starting point at Klode Beach Park. Also, the lakebed there tends to be a flat sand lakebed, that tends not (if one stays roughly the same distance from the shore) to have great variation in depth. In other words, if you want, you can swim close to the shoreline in a relatively safe depth of 5’ feet of water, and if you run into any problems, you can stop swimming and you should be able to stand up on the lakebed. That can give you an opportunity to catch your breath, clear your googles, and assess whether you want to keep swimming (or walk back instead). Note the above relates to the area north of Klode beach. The area south of Klode beach is different, and not as “welcoming” to the newcomer. That is because the lakebed there is more rocky, and the shore is more rocky (not one that is easy to walk along). 

17. Is the water where you swim clean enough to swim in? Lake Michigan is a natural body of water, and any time you swim in Lake Michigan you are therefore exposing yourself to a natural body of water, and everything that is in it. The Milwaukee County Health Department tests the water at Milwaukee County beaches, and posts test results (using “green, yellow, and red” warning signs at beaches). Families with children, or people who are immune compromised, should pay attention to the County’s website and its warning signs. In general, Kru members tend to pay less attention to the signs for several reasons. Those include that there is a time delay between when the samples are taken, and when the results are posted, and because the samples are taken in very shallow water (where kids play in the water). Kru members tend not to swim in such shallow water, tend not to go swimming the day after a heavy rain fall; but other than that, we swim in a wide variety of water conditions. In the 16 years that the Kru has been swimming, none of us that we know of have gotten sick.

18. What about waves? There are days when waves on Lake Michigan at Klode Beach can be large (up to 6 or 7 feet). On those days, some Kru members decide it is too risky to swim, and some Kru members love days like that, and love to swim in such “big water.” We do not recommend that newbies swim in big water. If you do swim, note that there can be strong currents (especially around the rock piles that protect Klode Beach). If you don’t know what you are doing, and you are not a strong and confident swimmer, stay far away from the rock piles on days like that. Anticipate too that on a big water day, you may encounter a rip current, and be sure you know how to deal with rip currents. Swimming with extra buoyance (a wetsuit, and/or a swim buoy) is recommended on big water days. 

19. What about lightning? Do not swim if you can hear thunder, you can see lightning, or either are predicted. 

20. What about blue green algae? While blue green algae (which contains cyanobacteria) is a problem at some beaches on the Great Lakes, so far that has not been a problem at the beaches we swim at in Lake Michigan. Blue green algae (which swimmers should avoid), should not be confused with the more common (and far less toxic) “nuisance algae” (cladophora). There are occasions when that type of nuisance algae does accumulate on Klode Beach (when the wind and currants are just right). Such accumulations tends not to last. While it’s a nuisance (it can smell bad, and it’s a wee bit gross to wade through to get to clearer water), it is not a problem that deters Kru members from swimming.

21. What about sharks, or other things that could bite or sting or sting a swimmer? There are no sharks in Lake Michigan. Very, very rarely, there are some tiny (2” to 3”) little fish that can take a nip at you, but that is a rare, and harmless occurrence. There are no stinging fish or jellyfish in Lake Michigan. 

22. What about water clarity? We see a wide variation in water clarity. On some days the Lake can be crystal clear, and a swimmer can clearly see down to depths of 15 feet. On other days, the lake can get riled up, and it’s difficult to see further than a few feet. 

23. How far do you swim? Some Kru members will go out and swim a half mile, some four miles. How far you swim is entirely up to you. 

24. Do you “swim together”? Yes and no. Some do, and some don’t. If you really are hesitant about your first swim at Klode, feel free to ask one of the more experienced swimmers if he or she will swim along with you, and keep an eye on you during your first swim. But again, your safety is entirely your responsibility.

25. Are there more men, or more women in the Kru? That has varied, but currently, it is probably about equal, or composed of more women. 

26. Are all the Kru members really good swimmers? Yes and no. Some members have raced multiple Ironman triathlons. Some members have competed in national open water swim championships. But at the other end of the scale, some members just like to swim, and are unlikely to ever sign-up for or win a swim race.

27. If I want to swim in Lake Michigan, do I need a wetsuit? The answer is “it depends.” Some Kru members hardly ever wear a wetsuit, and some Kru members almost always wear a wetsuit. However, if you are not accustomed to swimming in water below 65 degrees (which the water temp in Lake Michigan often is), you may want to acquire and wear a wetsuit. And if the water temp is below 55 degrees, you may also want to acquire and wear a neoprene hat, gloves and/or booties.

28. Isn’t it dangerous to swim in such cold water? Yes it is, if you are not used to it, and you don’t know what you are doing. But swimming in cold water can also be exhilarating, and deeply satisfying.

29. If I want to acquire a wetsuit, where can I do that? Locally, you may want to go to Emerys Cycling, Triathlon & Fitness. Or, some Kru members choose to  buy Xterra wetsuits (and other swim products) online. 

30. Do I need to protect my ears when swimming in Lake Michigan? There is something called “surfer’s ear,” which can develop in anyone who is exposed to cold water over a long period of time. To avoid developing surfer’s ear, many members of the Kru tend to wear silicon ear plugs when they swim, to keep cold water out of their ears.

31. What are the ages of the Kru? There is a wide variety of ages that swim with us. 

32. What about swimming in the Milwaukee River? The Milwaukee River unfortunately was abused and not properly cared for by Milwaukeeans for many years. But over the last few decades, Milwaukeeans have made great strides towards eliminating dams and otherwise in improving the quality of the river. The Milwaukee River is much healthier than it used to be, for people and fish (people now come from all over the world to flyfish on the Milwaukee River. The improvements have been so great, that there have even been two competitive open water swim races in the river in the last few years (but that was done only after careful water quality testing). But in general, we do not recommend that you swim in the Milwaukee River. Certainly, never jump into the river after a night out, or on a dare; that is a sure way to end up dead given the currents and structures in the river. Canoe, kayak, or fish, yes; swim, no. 

33. What’s with the nicknames? The Kru has a long tradition of assigning nicknames to members of the Kru. Why? Several theories exist. One is that is just silly fun. Another is that some members of the Kru wish to remain anonymous, and those members like the fact that a pseudonym is used to refer to them (or what they say or do) in the blog. Come swim with us, and you can get a cool or silly beach name too.

34. Are you guys welcoming to newbies? Yes! Come swim with us! 

THANKS FOR YOUR INTEREST. WE HOPE TO SEE YOU ON THE BEACH.