Saturday, June 7, 2014

Cold Water? So What!

Next Swim: Sunday 6/8, 9:30AM  (We are swimming early so as to allow time to get to the Locust Street Beer run which begins at 11:30)

Last Swim:  Saturday 6/7 1:00 PM
Water temp: 55, but as usual warmer and colder pockets
Waves:  Small Chop
Water Clarity:  Excellent
Crew:  Phil, Kahuna, Neo, Diablo, Gumdrop, Cap'n (late as usual), Panini, Showgirl, Putin, Patriarch, plus spectators James, Sarah, and Brad
Wetsuit/Skin: 5/5

The lake is taking a long time to warm up this summer, which I suppose was to be expected given the long cold winter.  But that didn't stop ten hearty Crew members from enjoying a refreshing dip, including five who swam without wetsuits in very cold water.

 

Friday, June 6, 2014

Swim Plans for 6/7

Next Swims:
   Saturday June 7th @ 1pm
   Sunday June 8th @ TBD

Current Conditions at 4pm 6/6:
   Water Temp:   54.2
   Air Temp:  75 & Sunny
   Waves:  <1ft p="">   Clarity:  Crystal

The maps indicate the 60 degree water is approaching....perhaps it will be here by tomorrow.  Regardless 54.2 isn't bad compared to what we've had all week.  Plan is to swim Saturday at 1pm and then survey the Kru for a Sunday swim time.  The Locust Street Beer Run is at 11:30am so I'll be lobbying fer an early or late swim Sunday.  :)

Tuesday, June 3, 2014

Miracles Happen

I don't have a swim to report today but I do have a good story.  Spoiler Alert:  This is one of those made-for-Hollywood tear jerkers where everything goes wrong for the story's heroes (me and Cap'n), but right at the end a miracle occurs and everything turns out all right.  And you say to yourself  THAT would NEVER happen in real life, but it DID and we have a picture to prove it. So grab a box of tissue and read on.

It all started innocently enough.  The temperature maps of the lake were all showing mid-40s, but I was driving by Big Bay late afternoon and said to myself "sometimes the maps are wrong, I'll take a reading".  And sure enough I registered 52 off the pier, still cool but warm enough to think about.  And the sun was shining and the water calm and crystal clear.  Never did our Lady look so inviting. She was asking me, no begging me to swim. I know what you're thinking: "Patriarch you should know better".  But I can't resist Her siren song.

So I text Cap'n and see if he could he could meet me at Klode in an hour, and he says sure and we are hoping for a great swim.  As we descend the bluff we run into our old friends Dave and Not Dave's Wife.  We tried to get them to swim with us but they rejected us (cue the tissues).  But they did give us some good news, a photo shoot involving an attractive blonde is happening on the beach.

We walked by the photographer and model, and we're intrigued and curious, but what can we say that wouldn't make us sound like a couple of creeps? So we walk by.  We wade into the water and our thermometers immediately plunge into the 40's.  She's done it again, our beloved Lady had seduced us, enticed us, flirted with us, and then spit us out like bad food.  So now we've been thrice rejected:  Dave, Not Dave's Wife, and the Lake.  I'll pause for a moment as you probably need to grab another box of tissue.

So, sad, rejected, despondent and depressed, we start walking up the bluff.  The sight of the model was even more depressing, because we want to talk to her, but we might as well try to talk to a mermaid.  Then the miracle happens.  Out of the blue she says "I recognize you two from the swim blog".  Turns out this particular mermaid is a certified yoga instructor, writes a blog about healthy eating, is a triathlete training for Chicago, follows our blog and plans to swim with us.  Unbelievable, right?  Well here is a link to her blog and below that a picture of her and your heroes.

http://www.thefitgirlskitchen.com


Copywright: Patriarch 2014, Hollywood and Broadway producers interested using this story for movie and play productions can contact my agent at CrazyCap'n.com

Monday, June 2, 2014

Wussed Out

Next Swim: ???  Whenever the water temp gets above 50 again.

We stuck our toes in the water this morning and it was immediately obvious that the water temp had plunged again.  After considerable hemming and hawing and with no one volunteering to lead the way, we headed back up the bluff with our tails between our legs.

Upcoming events:
Saturday June 14th at Atwater Beach - Shipwreck swim (conditions permitting) followed by Shorewood Men's Club Barbecue

Post Swim Cookout at Patriarch's:  exact date TBD, but sometime soon

Sunday, June 1, 2014

Weekday Morning Swims Begin

Next Swim:  Monday June 2nd 6AM

Last Swim:  Sunday June 1st 2PM
Water Temp:  57 near shore, but much colder away from the beach (50?)
Waves:  Very Choppy
Water Clarity:  Good
Crew: Big Show, Sir James, Showgirl, Panini, Kahuna, Riptide, Sketch, Mitch, eRun, Patriarch
Wetsuits: 10, Skins 0
Pitsch Count: 6
Conspicuously Absent: Cap'n
Loser of the Day: Cap'n
Sucking Sound Extraordinarie: Cap'n
Smelly Dead Fish Award:  Cap'n

After yesterday's awesome conditions it was back to reality: cold choppy water.  But conditions be damned, everyone (or everyone that showed up at least) got in at least a short swim.  That's the true Klode Krew spirit!  Afterwards we had a great time at the Beer Garden where we ran into Coach Dave and his lovely wife Laura.

Showgirl and Panini must have had too many beers because they proposed that we begin weekday swims at 6AM tomorrow. Drunk or not, we can't let the ladies show us up, can we guys?

Oh, and did I mention that low down good for nothing sack of s*** Cap'n didn't show up today.  He texted some lame ass excuse about being stuck in traffic, but I suspect the real reason was likely a woman or grog, or probably both.

Saturday, May 31, 2014

Perfect Day

Next Swim:  Sunday June 1st 2:00PM, followed by Estrabrook Park Beer Garden

Last Swim: Saturday May 31st 1:00PM
Water Temp: measured between 57 and 60, but much warmer and much colder pockets
Waves: calm
Water Clarity: Very Good
Crew: Sarah, Alba, Doc Amy, Zoom Zoom, Sketch, Nivens McTwist, Gumdrop, Andy, Phil, Diablo, Neo, Cap'n, Patriarch
Wetsuits: 11, Skins 2, plus 5 "strip and dips" (swim with wetsuit, then a short skin swim)
Pitsch:  11

Having missed last weekend's inaugural swim, I was very happy to join the crew for my first Lake Michigan swim of the year.  It couldn't have been a better day, warm sunny and calm.  Looking forward to many more!

We swam to "mudslide" and back, about a mile, Neo and Zoom Zoom without wetsuits!  We celebrated a great swim and a great day with shots of our favorite beverage.

Following tomorrow's swim please join us at the Estrabrook Park Beer Garden for a refreshment (or two).

Friday, May 30, 2014

Improving Conditions...May 31st Swim Plan

Next Swims:
   Saturday May 31st @ 1pm
   Sunday June 1st @ TBD

Current Conditions - May 30th @ 5pm
   Water Temp:  56.1+ (60ish north of north rock pile)
   Air Temp:  64 & Sunny
   Waves:  none
   Clarity: crystal clear with 100's of little fish near to shore

Avast ye Maties!  Well blow me down!  It be a sure sign that summer be upon us when dar be a sighten' of The Patriarch near to the Klode shores.  I fool ye not....low an behold as I was pullin' up anchor from the Klode parkin' lot in sails The Patriarch... gloatin' bout his adventures that included swabbing the poop deck of some fine young lasses, scorin' the motherload and even offering advice fer one of our fellow Kru mates (...who will remain nameless for now...) "thinks he be ready to sail a beauty, ye better be willin' to sink with her!"  Ah indeed...classic Patriarch...who by the way is on the record for being officially in fer tomorrow's swim.

Here are the Klode Kru results from last night's Aquathon Race #1 at Menomonee Park:

Water Temp:  73.4+
Air Temp:  72 & sunny
Waves:  none

FNLNTIMEOVERALLSWIMTRANSRUN
Matt "Kung Fu's Hubby"Ammman34:13:00215:020:4118:31
Larry "The Legend"Lanza35:15:00315:520:3818:46
Bryan "Riptide"Hermus37:14:00816:361:0019:38
Ted  "Capt'n"Shue37:57:001118:370:4518:35
KevinBaseheart38:01:001214:201:0222:40
"Sir" JamesBiles38:38:001313:450:3324:21:00
KarenKimple38:49:001416:131:0021:38
MichelleLanouette40:33:001918:440:5820:51
Matthew  "Sketch"Twieg42:12:002320:170:5121:05