Beach:Klode
Water Temp: 49
Air Temp: 51
Waves: choppy
Current: from the south
Crew: Dewdrop, Diablo, Hook with special guest appearance from The Patriarch
Next Swims: Klode 1PM Saturday, 12PM Sunday
Even though he hasn't swam with us for over a month now and despite our violation of his official decree (....and subsequent banishment of our names...) we were graced by the presence of The Patriarch Thursday evening.
His great wisdom and guidance has always been appreciated and today he had a special treat for us....stories from a place where the water is about 30 degrees warmer, the workouts challenging and women who still wear swim suits...even though it is now the middle of November. As appealing as this place he talks about is, for Dewdrop, Diablo and I our first and only love still remains the Lady of the Lake. Even though her shores are now barren and her embrace cold she still maintains our undivided attention....although I must admit the part about The Patriarch's stories regarding women clad in swim suits did distract my attention for a moment or two. :)
With the limited amount of daylight and a pretty descent chop from the south our swim Thursday evening consisted of crisscrossing journey down to south-south beach and back. With the chop tossing us around and the growing shadows along the shoreline maintaining a straight line proved to be quite a challenge.
Our plan is to return at 4:15PM on Friday. Most likely we will also swim through the weekend as well. Perhaps 1pm Saturday and Noon Sunday? If you have a preference, please comment.
Hope to see you on the beach!
Friday, November 13, 2009
Monday, November 9, 2009
Another Landmark Swim - Swim Day 122!
Beach: Klode
Water Temp: 49
Air Temp: 56
Waves: choppy from the north
Water Clarity: Clear? (hard to tell without daylight)
Crew: Dewdrop, Diablo, Hook
Next Swim: Klode 4:15PM Thursday
Man, what a drag daylight saving is. Instead of enjoying our third day of Indian Summer this evening's swim was unfortunately limited by day light...or lack there of. Upon our arrival at 4:30pm the sun was already setting. By the time we got out of the water the street lights were on and reading your watch required use of the Indiglo light.
What a difference a degree makes. The water temp was a whopping degree warmer today and my toes were definitely thankful. Our swim to the garage and back, although very challenging due to a heavy chop from the north, was at least minus the set of throbbing toes that were experienced yesterday.
For those keeping score at home....today was another landmark milestone day. We logged our 122 day of swimming. We can now say we've swam in the lake for 1/3 of the year! :)
Next swim is planned for Thursday at 4:15ish...work schedule permitting. :)
Water Temp: 49
Air Temp: 56
Waves: choppy from the north
Water Clarity: Clear? (hard to tell without daylight)
Crew: Dewdrop, Diablo, Hook
Next Swim: Klode 4:15PM Thursday
Man, what a drag daylight saving is. Instead of enjoying our third day of Indian Summer this evening's swim was unfortunately limited by day light...or lack there of. Upon our arrival at 4:30pm the sun was already setting. By the time we got out of the water the street lights were on and reading your watch required use of the Indiglo light.
What a difference a degree makes. The water temp was a whopping degree warmer today and my toes were definitely thankful. Our swim to the garage and back, although very challenging due to a heavy chop from the north, was at least minus the set of throbbing toes that were experienced yesterday.
For those keeping score at home....today was another landmark milestone day. We logged our 122 day of swimming. We can now say we've swam in the lake for 1/3 of the year! :)
Next swim is planned for Thursday at 4:15ish...work schedule permitting. :)
Indian Summer Swim 2 & Strip and Dip
Beach: Klode
Water Temp: 48
Air Temp: 63
Waves: none (sheet of glass)
Water Clarity: crystal clear
Crew: Dewdrop, Diablo, Hook
Next Swim: Klode 4:30ish Monday
Amazing! Last August we found it impossible to swim at this water temp...and it wasn't for lack of effort. Just a few minutes in the water back then resulted in a mad rush back to shore using very colorful words to describe how we felt. Now, the story is completely different.
For the second straight day we were treated to very pleasant swim conditions. The skies were mostly sunny and the air temp was a balmy 63. A glass like lake surface combined with a hazy horizon gave the appearance as if the lake went on forever.
Just like yesterday, Diablo and I logged a swim up to Cedar Grove and back. Dewdrop, still hoping to become magically faster in his new wetsuit continued on up to the mudslide before turning back. Sadly though, Dewdrop would once again find out that he was not any faster today.
Always in search of new adventures we decided to start a new tradition today. We call it, "Strip & Dip". The rules are quite simple: (1) log swim with wetsuit. (2) upon returning from swim, remove wetsuit and swim caps (3) return to water and swim out from shore. (4) return to shore. ...we're still debating though if we should place a minimum number of strokes on the swim part...but then again, it is the strip & "dip" so the swim part may be just a formality. Stay tuned.
Next swim is planned for 4:30 Monday at Klode...or perhaps a little earlier if work schedules permit.
Water Temp: 48
Air Temp: 63
Waves: none (sheet of glass)
Water Clarity: crystal clear
Crew: Dewdrop, Diablo, Hook
Next Swim: Klode 4:30ish Monday
Amazing! Last August we found it impossible to swim at this water temp...and it wasn't for lack of effort. Just a few minutes in the water back then resulted in a mad rush back to shore using very colorful words to describe how we felt. Now, the story is completely different.
For the second straight day we were treated to very pleasant swim conditions. The skies were mostly sunny and the air temp was a balmy 63. A glass like lake surface combined with a hazy horizon gave the appearance as if the lake went on forever.
Just like yesterday, Diablo and I logged a swim up to Cedar Grove and back. Dewdrop, still hoping to become magically faster in his new wetsuit continued on up to the mudslide before turning back. Sadly though, Dewdrop would once again find out that he was not any faster today.
Always in search of new adventures we decided to start a new tradition today. We call it, "Strip & Dip". The rules are quite simple: (1) log swim with wetsuit. (2) upon returning from swim, remove wetsuit and swim caps (3) return to water and swim out from shore. (4) return to shore. ...we're still debating though if we should place a minimum number of strokes on the swim part...but then again, it is the strip & "dip" so the swim part may be just a formality. Stay tuned.
Next swim is planned for 4:30 Monday at Klode...or perhaps a little earlier if work schedules permit.
Sunday, November 8, 2009
Indian Summer Swim
Beach: Klode
Water Temp: 49
Air Temp: 70!
Waves: none
Water Clarity: cloudy
Crew: Dewdrop, Diablo, Hook
Next Swim: Klode 11AM Sunday
Indian summer has finally arrived and the Klode beach was hoppin'. It was almost as if we had travelled back in time...was it August? No wait, did the air temp ever hit 70 in August this year?
Initial temperature readings Saturday placed the water temp at 50.0 and 50.1 while the sensor rested on the lake bottom about 5 ft from shore. Holding the sensor closer to the lake surface resulted in a water temp of 49.4. Taking the water temp was just a formality though. With sunny skies and an air temp hovering around 70 the only question today was whether we'd go skin or not. ...funny how none of us even mentioned the word 'skin' today...
We swam northward first up to the garage and then onward to Cedar Grove. Dewdrop, not content at how slow he was swimming in his new Desoto wetsuit opted to continue his journey up to the landslide....apparently hoping he would at some point magically get faster. Sadly, I think Dewdrop has started to figure out that sometimes it's the engine that matters most and not the wetsuit. :)
With the nice weather sticking around for another day we plan to return at 11am on Sunday. All are welcome to celebrate (or swim) with us!
Water Temp: 49
Air Temp: 70!
Waves: none
Water Clarity: cloudy
Crew: Dewdrop, Diablo, Hook
Next Swim: Klode 11AM Sunday
Indian summer has finally arrived and the Klode beach was hoppin'. It was almost as if we had travelled back in time...was it August? No wait, did the air temp ever hit 70 in August this year?
Initial temperature readings Saturday placed the water temp at 50.0 and 50.1 while the sensor rested on the lake bottom about 5 ft from shore. Holding the sensor closer to the lake surface resulted in a water temp of 49.4. Taking the water temp was just a formality though. With sunny skies and an air temp hovering around 70 the only question today was whether we'd go skin or not. ...funny how none of us even mentioned the word 'skin' today...
We swam northward first up to the garage and then onward to Cedar Grove. Dewdrop, not content at how slow he was swimming in his new Desoto wetsuit opted to continue his journey up to the landslide....apparently hoping he would at some point magically get faster. Sadly, I think Dewdrop has started to figure out that sometimes it's the engine that matters most and not the wetsuit. :)
With the nice weather sticking around for another day we plan to return at 11am on Sunday. All are welcome to celebrate (or swim) with us!
Friday, November 6, 2009
This Abomination Can Not Go Unpunished
Your swim names have been revoked. Henceforth Gumdrop will be Dewdrop. Gabriel will be Lucifer. Cap'n will be Hook.
Patriarch so decrees.
Thursday, November 5, 2009
The Sacred Accord has been broken
A Sacred Accord was struck last Sunday to officially call an end to the 2009 swim season. The final three bowed to the wise proclamation of The Patriarch and then affirmed their allegiance to his great wisdom with a solemn vow that would not suffice with just ones signature in blood...but instead required a demonstration of their worthiness by partaking in an unyielding shot of Killepitsch. All was well then. The Lady of the Lake was left to peacefully slumber into her winter hibernation and the Klode crew was left with fond memories of a record setting swim year.
But that was then....now the story has changed. The Accord has been broken...by one who has become and shall remain nameless. (...until a new name shall be given that is fitting for his betrayal of the Code!) Rather than to honer our sacred accord to end the swim season he decided to once again partake in the adventures of the high seas on his own.
So here were are...with the Accord now broken Gabriel and I have returned to the shores of Klode. What remains now regretfully appears to be the more traditional spiral to the finish whereby the Lady of the Lake sends us woefully home with a cold slap in the face, a frozen set of toes and a frosty kick in the ass to not come back until next year....is there no sanity in this world?
Here's today's swim report....
Beach: Klode
Water Temp: 50
Air Temp: 49
Waves: glass like lake surface
Water Clarity: crystal clear
Crew: Gabriel, Capt'n
Next Swim: Klode 1PM Saturday
What was odd...besides the fact that we were swimming....was that there was no moon. The sun had set, the stars had risen but there was no moon. Just last night there was a full moon. O-where-o-where is The Patriarch when you need an astronomy lesson? What was also odd was that Gabriel swam without goggles....and I think he may have actually been faster...
But that was then....now the story has changed. The Accord has been broken...by one who has become and shall remain nameless. (...until a new name shall be given that is fitting for his betrayal of the Code!) Rather than to honer our sacred accord to end the swim season he decided to once again partake in the adventures of the high seas on his own.
So here were are...with the Accord now broken Gabriel and I have returned to the shores of Klode. What remains now regretfully appears to be the more traditional spiral to the finish whereby the Lady of the Lake sends us woefully home with a cold slap in the face, a frozen set of toes and a frosty kick in the ass to not come back until next year....is there no sanity in this world?
Here's today's swim report....
Beach: Klode
Water Temp: 50
Air Temp: 49
Waves: glass like lake surface
Water Clarity: crystal clear
Crew: Gabriel, Capt'n
Next Swim: Klode 1PM Saturday
What was odd...besides the fact that we were swimming....was that there was no moon. The sun had set, the stars had risen but there was no moon. Just last night there was a full moon. O-where-o-where is The Patriarch when you need an astronomy lesson? What was also odd was that Gabriel swam without goggles....and I think he may have actually been faster...
Sunday, November 1, 2009
Patriarch Pronounces Swim Season Over
Cap'n, Gabriel, and Gumdrop accept the Patriarch's end of swim season benediction:
Celebrating a successful swim season with a shot of Killepitsch:
Water temp: 51
Waves: calm
Crew: In the water, Cap'n, Gabriel, Gumdrop. Taking pictures: Patriarch
Next swim: June 2010
Several records were broken today: Latest ever in the year, first ever November swim, coldest water (51), and craziest swim (no explanation required).
As Patriarch, it is my duty to stop these guys before they kill themselves. They'll never stop on their own, as they would rather freeze to death than be the person to suggest it's time quit. Therefore, as the one semi-sane member of the crew, I decree MISSION ACCOMPLISHED, the SWIM SEASON IS COMPLETE. See you next June.
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