Old Friends

Next Swim: Wednesday 6/11 6AM (unless it's raining heavily, which is possible according to the weather man)

I seem to be running into anxious swimmers everywhere.  Yesterday it was Coach Dom (the Shorewood High track and cross country coach).  Everyone has the same question:  when the heck is the lake going to warm up?

 Bubba to the rescue!  In the blog comments he reported swimming by himself Monday and Tuesday morning.   That's double good news.  First it's good to hear he's been swimming again, we thought he was injured.  More importantly, he reports water temperatures in the mid-50's.  OK that's not warm exactly, but certainly better than the 40's we've seen recently.  Apparently onshore winds we've had the last few days are finally blowing in some warmer water.

Bubba, I for one will be happy to join you tomorrow (weather permitting).

Also, we hope to do a "shipwreck" swim on Saturday at noon at Atwater Beach, followed by the Shorewood Men's Club barbecue on the bluff overlooking the beach.  Kahuna is selling tickets.  A shipwreck swim is a swim to the wreck of the steamship Appomattox which lies about a quarter mile offshore, it's quite a sight but we need clear calm water for best viewing.

P.S.  To Terri P who asked a question about PM swims on weekdays.  Yes, we will do that when the water warms up a bit more, stay tuned.  

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.

 

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.  :)

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

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

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.

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).