Solitary Morning

Next Swims:
* Thursday 6PM
* Friday 6AM & 5:30 PM

Weekend Swims:  I'm thinking noon but open to other suggestions.

Last Swims:
Thursday 6AM
Water: 66, whitecaps covering the bay - irregular 2-3 ft high frequency waves, very rough
Crew: Diablo, Patriarch

Wed 6PM
Water: 68 Choppy
Crew: Itch, Magic Mike, Wet Taco, Handyman Hank, Patriarch

Wed 6AM
Water: 66 very clear, gentle swells
Crew: Diablo, Showgirl, Mr. Anonymous, Mark, Scuba, Patriarch

I biked to the beach on this gray drizzly morning and arrived just as Diablo was leaving.  He warned me that it was tough going, especially north.  I walked down to the beach and waited a bit hoping others would show up.  No one did.  I wrestled with myself.  Swimming alone in rough water is not a good idea of course, but I've done it plenty of times, in worse conditions.  I finally decided on a short swim.  It was exhilarating but a little scary too.  Diablo's report was accurate.  After much time and effort I barely made sewer pipe. I turned around and was back on the beach in no time.  I had the entire beach to myself so I sat on the bench for a while and enjoyed the beautiful morning sky.

P.S.  Monday's total eclipse of the sun was spectacular.  I thought maybe it was being over-hyped, but if anything it was even more dramatic than I imagined.  Pictures do not come close to the actual experience.

Below the Surface, and Big Swell photo-palooza

Next Swims:
   Tues 8/22 thru Thursday 8/24 - 6am & 6pm (Klode)

Last Swims: Tues 6am
Water Temp: 65?
Waves: flat with tiny ruffle
Clarity: crystal clear
Crew: Diablo, Showgirl, Flipper Guy

I passed Diablo in the nearly empty parking lot. He told the true tale of a sliver of warm water on the surface, and much cooler water below. I don't want to be the harbinger of doom, but I'm still a bit shivery after my swim this morning.

Anyway, it was dead quiet on the beach.  I got into the noticibly cooler water, and swam to the birches.  I crossed paths with Flipper Guy on my return, and even he commented on the cooler temps.

That said, it was amazingly beautiful and serene.

And here are the much-requested pics from the Big Swell on Sunday:

Before

After!

Klode Kru Plunders Big Swell Swim

Next Swims:
   Monday 8/21 thru Thursday 8/24 - 6am & 6pm (Klode)

Last Swims:
   Big Swell Swim - McKinley beach Sunday 8/20 8:30am
      Water Temp: 68+
      Waves: 1-2ft from south
      Clarity: clear
      Crew: Showgirl, Itch, Neo, Panini, Crash, Gumdrop, Jack Frost, El Jeffe,  Drangonfly, Sir James, Wet Taco, Magic Mike, Mogal Mike, Molly, Lorraine, Rosa, Sara, Jake, Dave, Capt'n

  Klode Swim - Sunday 8/20 @ 1pm
      Water Temp: 68
      Waves:  moderate/heavy chop from south
      Clarity: clear
      Crew: Diablo, Scooby, Nanook, Forger, Northshore Nancy, Handyman Hank, Wet Taco, El Jeffe, Panni, Crash, Showgirl, Capt'n

Congrats to all the Klode Kru members who completed this morning's Big Swell Swim!  The announced water temp at the start of the race was 68 but every Klode Kru member I spoke with afterwards described the water temp as "Roastin"!.  (Me Toe-mometer placed the water temp  around 72-73)  While the water temp was delightfully warm (...by lake Michigan standards that is...) the overly playful 1ft waves pushing up from the south were a little less hospitable.  This made the final leg of the swim from Bradford Beach to McKinley beach REALLY fun....NOT!

Rockin' the swim podium today was Sir James and Molly who were the 3rd male and 2nd female in the 5k non-wetsuit division and Jake and Jack Frost who were the first and second men in the 2.5k non-wetsuit division

Complete results can be found at: http://onlineraceresults.com/event/view_event.php?event_id=19265

Panini's 4th Swimiversary

Next Swims:
   Big Swell Swim - Sunday @ 8:30am (McKinley Beach)
   Klode Kru Swim - Sunday @ 1pm & Monday @ 6am/6pm

Last Swims:
   Friday 8/18 @ 6am
      Water Temp: 68
      Waves: Calm
      Clarity: Crystal Clear
      Crew: Diablo, Panini, Magic Mike, Handyman Hank

   Friday 8/18 @ 5:30pm
      Water Temp: 68.9 (per Itchometer)
      Waves: rippled surface
      Clarity: Crystal Clear
      Crew: Itch, Gumdrop, Nanook, Drangonfly, Erin (Quinoa salad?), Capt'n + Sir James sighting

   Saturday 8/19 @ 1pm
      Water Temp: 70+ (as measured by me toe-ometer)
      Waves: slight/moderate chop from south
      Clarity: Crystal Clear
      Crew: Diablo, Showgirl, Crash, Panini, Foxy Roxy, Handyman Hank, Liz, Mark, Mo, Catp'n + Scottsman sighting


Today was Panini's 4 year swimiversary.  While most may not remember the day, The Patriarch has been known to reminisce about the day before Panini's first swim.  The story would start..."Ahhhh, I remember when it used to be so peaceful on the beach.  In fact, let me tell you about the last day there was peace on the beach..."  Rarely would The Patriarch speak of the day after that day though...but get enough grog in The Patriarch and he'll rant with the best of them!

...but enough about The Patriarch.  This blog post is dedicated to Panini's 4th Swimiversary and the fond memories we all have Panini.  Like the first time she put on her wetsuit...backwards.  And the time she misspelled Dragonfly...a nickname that has stuck by the way!  ...and the other time she misspelled Gumdrop as Dogrump.  Still not sure why that one didn't stick....

While I could go on for at least a few more sentences...or maybe even a paragraph...about my fondest Panini moments I'd like to invite everyone to post a comment with your favorite Panini moment.  (...hopefully I haven't already spoiled yours with what I've already written...)  Many thanks to Panini for bringing her sensationally colorful personality to the Klode Kru.....here's to 4 more years, CHEERS!!!

Where are we going, and why am I in this handbasket?

Next Swims:
* Fri 5:30 PM
* Saturday 1pm
* Sunday 8:30am, Big Swell, McKinley Beach (in person registration at 7am-8am)
* Sunday 1pm

Last Swims:
   Wednesday 8/16 - 6am
      Water Temp: 70ish (per me Toe-meter)
      Waves: Calm
      Clarity: Clear
      Crew: Diablo, Showgirl, Molly, Capt'n
      Notes:  "Perfect!" ...and the swim conditions were nice too. :)

   Wednesday 8/16 - 6pm
      Water Temp: 75 (per the Techno Itchmometer)
      Waves: no report
      Clarity: no report
      Crew: Itch + 4 others + reports of Sir James sightings

   Thursday 8/17 - 6am  (storms / knucklehead swim)
      Water Temp: no report
      Waves: no report
      Clarity: no report
      Crew:  no report

   Thursday 8/17 - 6pm
      Water Temp: 71  (per the Techno Itchmometer)
      Waves: rippled surface
      Clarity: clear
      Crew: Itch, Ziggy, Blake, Mike, Kristin-with-an-E, Capt'n + 4 suits with pink barbies + 2 unidentified black capped swimmers + reports of Sir James sightings
      Notes: the storms passed an hour before the swim leaving dark clouds on the east horizon and a "potato" shaped rainbow....truly a Kodak Moment wasted.

My friends, Patriarch left town, and this whole operation has gone to hell in a handbasket.

The weekend swims are posted, so we can all calm down.

Many of us will be doing the  Big Swell Milwaukee on Sunday morning, and if you're feeling left out, there is still in-person registration Sunday morning at McKinley Beach.

See you at the beach.

Jack Frost, We Have Your Swim Trunks

Next Swims:
* Wed 6AM & 6PM
* Thu 6AM & 6 PM
* Fri 6AM & 5:30 PM
* Saturday 1pm

Last Swim: Tuesday 6PM
Water: High 60's with 1-2 foot waves
Clarity: nope
Crew: Kristen, Patriarch, Jack Frost, Liz, Showgirl, Panini, Itch
Shore Support: We'Taco

The big waves and warm water of this morning continued this evening.  Panini had a breakthru swim accompanied by Barbie, and coaxed into the water by Itch. It was a fun, wavy swim.

So ends the month-long celebration of Itch's birth.  Happy birthday! We had a delightful post-swim celebration with a typically eclectic collection of treats: watermelon, Paydays, brownie bites, margaritas, and a Goldschlager chaser.

Final topic: I have gained possession of Jack Frost's swim trunks. Jack - I'm a bit worried that you won't have a thing to wear Sunday for the Big Swell. Let me know if you want to meet prior to the event for a trunk hand-off.

No junk in these trunks.

The Real McCoy

Next Swims:
* Tue 8/15 6PM
* Wed 6AM & 6PM
* Thu 6AM & 6 PM
* Fri 6AM & 5:30 PM

Last Swims:
Tue 6AM
Water: 69 clear - bottom visible, 1-2 foot waves only 2-3 seconds apart - very rough going
Crew: Mr. Anonymous, Scuba, Showgirl, Diana, Rosa, Mary, Super Hera, Showgirl, Diablo, Patriarch

Mon 6PM
Water: 70 choppy clear - bottom visible in most places
Crew: Kahuna, Scott, Nanook, Itch, Handyman Hank, North Shore Nancy, Drangonfly, Wet Taco, Lorraine, Moondawg on his SUP, Patriarch, and special guest Mark from Aberdeen.

Mon 6AM
Water: 68 calm
Crew: Panini, Magic Mike, Mr. Anonymous, Forger, Diablo, Patriarch

Sunday's blog was about a cursing Scotsman, but not a real Scotsman, a wanna be, FAKE NEWS.   But speak of the devil, an honest-to-god real Scotsman shows up on the beach, Mark from Aberdeen.  By chance he was doing a training swim for his upcoming Chicago Tri.  Our fake Scotsman invites him over for our traditional post swim shot and he joins us, gotta love those Scots.  So if mentioning someone in the blog means they show up on the beach, here's to you, Susan Sarandon.

Matriarch and I are leaving for Tennessee early Wednesday, to visit our granddaughter and also for a total eclipse party.  By luck they live right in the middle of the path of totality.

So that means I will miss the Big Swell swim on Sunday.  But good luck to all those participating.  Gie it laldy!