Saturday, September 14, 2019

TGIF!

Next Swims:
Saturday/Sunday  @ Noon
Mon thru Thursday - 6am & 6pm, Friday 6 am and 5:30 pm

Last Swim:
Friday, Sept. 13, at 5:30 pm
Water Temp:  Itch-o-meter 54, macho meter 56
Waves:  smooth
Clarity:  Kinda 3/4 out of 10, see bottom at 3 feet
Kru:  Patriarch, Itch, Linda the Lamprey, Pool Noodle, Handyman Hank, Mr. Anonymous, Diablo, Mr Bubble
Shore Support:  Northshore Nancy, Cap'n

Thank God it's Friday  Indeed!  It may be cliche to say but it's More Than a Feeling

Arrived at 6 and was greeted by a lovely sight coming down the hill - the setting sun shining on the perfectly smooth water, and seeing Linda and Julie swimming out past the rocks, with their colorful swim caps and perfect strokes.  A slight wake rippling behind them.  It was a beautiful sight to behold.  It was the kind of moment that I didn't want to spoil by trying to capture a picture of it.  Pure beauty.

Arrived on the beach to see Patriarch and Mr. A. getting out of their suits, Northshore Nancy scanning the horizon tracking Hank's progress, Cap'n standing sideways in water about half way between his knees and waist.  Itch and Diablo could be seen in the water off in the distance, chatting with each other.  People razzing Cap'n saying Itch and Diablo were waiting for him to swim out and join the bromance.  Julie, Linda. Itch and Hank came in before I went out.  Linda and Itch sporting slight lobster complexions.  Diablo allegedly is still out there somewhere. 

So, of course, my first question upon arriving within of earshot of everyone else - "What's the number?".  I wade in to about ankle depth - this is pretty warm!  Numbers are reported - "It feels warmer than that!"  Put on the westsuit in anticipation of the warm water...doesn't seem so warm when I get out to waist depth, but I've got my routine down now...don't stop to think about it. 

This was my first swim since last Sunday and honestly, as I approached the rocks, the thought going through my head was "This is COLD!".  It's been 4 days and I'm not used to it any more.  But I know...just keep going, it will feel good soon, and so it does. 

Arrive back on shore and the Kru has already migrated up towards the flagpole.  As I'm changing, sweet Pool Noodle comes back down to make sure I got in OK. 😊.  See you all on Saturday and Sunday!

Tuesday, September 10, 2019

Synch or Swim!

Next Swims:
Wed. thru Thursday - 6am & 6pm, Friday 6 am and 5:30 pm
Saturday/Sunday  @ Noon

Last Swim:
Tuesday, Sept. 10, at 6 pm
Water Temp:  Toe test, low 50's, Atwater Buoy 54
Waves: Pretty flat 
Clarity:  Not very, 5 or 6 out of 10.  
Kru:  Linda the Lamprey, Synchro, Kahuna, Willadawonderdog.


Syncho & Lamprey, just before they commence their dramatic synchronized swim routine.
So I arrive, and almost don't recognize Synchro, all dolled up!  When's the last time a Kru member showed up at the beach with hair done and makeup?  This is Synchro's public education program to explain to the Kru the beauty and athleticism of Synchronized Swimming!  But where's the Kru?  It's just Synchro, Kahuna and Willadawonderdog at the flag pole.  Where's Itch?  Where's Patriarch?  Where's everybody else?  Oh well, fi I say, you all missed it.  We go down and see the indomitable Linda the Lamprey swimming skin, finishing off a long swim.  Linda & Synchro proceed to give a magnificent, improvised olympic-caliber synchronized swim exhibition.  

Or that's the story I'm sticking to.  Rather than the story about Sychro managing to get a very excited Willa running to play with her in the water -- a poor puppy, who is oblivious to the fact that there is a drop off, and who doesn't really know how to swim. Oopps.  Oh well, puppy recovers quickly, scampers out back onto shore, and refuses to go anywhere near the devil lake the rest of the evening.  Don't worry, Synchro, I'm sure you were not INTENTIONALLY TRYING TO KILL A PUPPY, and I'm sure after many years of therapy Willa may some day be able to look at water again without going into full PTSD flashback.  


I'm telling ya, if ya don't go to the Lake, ya just never know what you might miss seeing.     


Sequins, sequins, look at my sequins.

The hair is shellacked, and will not move, no matter how long I stand on my head underwater and twittle my feet above the lake.
 

Sunday, September 8, 2019

Thermodynamic Equilibrium - Here yesterday, gone today

Next Swims:
Monday thru Thursday - 6am & 6pm, Friday 6 am and 5:30 pm
Saturday/Sunday  @ Noon

Last Swim:
Sunday September 8th @ Noon
Water Temp: Itch-o-Meter 54, Atwater Buoy 62
Waves: 1 -3 feet, tallest waves inside the rocks
Clarity:  Not very, 5 or 6 out of 10.  Some plant junk floating around inside the rocks
Kru:  Mr. Bubble, Drangonfly, Itch, Patriarch, OG (Other Greg), The Resistance, Magic Mike, Diablo, Jennica, Eric and his daughter Abby
Shore Support:  Kahuna and Willa

The second law of thermodynamics states that the total entropy of an isolated system can never decrease over time. The total entropy of a system and its surroundings can remain constant in ideal cases where the system is in thermodynamic equilibrium, or is undergoing a (fictive) reversible process. In all processes that occur, including spontaneous processes,[1] the total entropy of the system and its surroundings increases and the process is irreversible in the thermodynamic sense. The increase in entropy accounts for the irreversibility of natural processes, and the asymmetry between future and past.[2]

Yesterday was an ideal case where the total entropy of Lake Michigan was in thermodynamic equilibrium.  The temperatures shown on the Atwater Buoy, the itch-o-meter and the duck-o-meter were in alignment - the entropy of the isolated system remained constant.  Ah, but it was undergoing a reversible process!  The overall irreversibly of the natural processes has taken over now, entropy is increasing again (total entropy of an isolated system can never decrease over time) resulting in a restored asymmetry between future and past!  

Nevertheless, even though we were not basking in the same warm temperatures as the Atwater Buoy today, Klode was two degrees warmer than yesterday!  This kind of asymmetry between future and past is what we like.  There is less enthusiasm for future and past asymmetry when the polarity is reversed.

Itch's  toast today probably sums up how most people are reacting to this blog post - "Whatever!"

This less than inspiring toast caught Magic Mike by surprise.  He was holding his filled shot glass, looking down and speaking softly with Willa and was caught off guard.  "That was it?  I could have come up with something more inspiring than that!"  Ah, but as a student of literature, Mr. Mike surely knows that: "the moving finger writes, and having writ, moves on".  Mr. Bubble attempts to create a consensus for a do-over.  But alas, he has forgotten the rest of that quote from the Rubáiyát of Omar Khayyám; "Nor all thy Piety nor Wit, Shall lure it back to cancel half a Line, Nor all thy Tears wash out a Word of it".  There are no do-overs in real life.  

Go Cap'n and Forger at IMWI today!

  • Cap'n has finished the swim and bike and as of 4:49 pm was reported to be 9.8 miles in to the run.  Predicting he'll finish the run at 7:35 pm, which would be 12:37 for the race.
  • Forger has finished the swim and had just finished the bike at 4:44 pm.  He's just started the run so there's no estimate yet on when he'll finish.  

Hope I didn't miss anyone else who's racing today.



Saturday, September 7, 2019

Fluke of the Universe

Next Swims:
Saturday 9/7 @ Noon
Monday thru Thursday - 6am & 6pm, Friday 6 am and 5:30 pm

Last Swim:
Saturday September 6th @ Noon
Water Temp: Itch-o-Meter 52, Duck-o-Meter 52, Atwater Buoy 52
Waves: flat with occasional slow rolling swells
Clarity:  Pretty Clear, 3 or 4/10
Kru:  Mr. Bubble, Drangonfly, Mr. Anonymous, Itch, Handyman Hank, Moondaug, Synchro, Ala Mode, Linda the Lamprey (early shift)
Shore Support:  Kahuna and Mrs. "Don't call me SOK" plus their puppy, Willa

Checked the Atwater buoy reading before heading to Klode - 52!  OMG, Klode has consistently been 5 to 10 degrees colder than the buoy reading.  What will I do if the water is 42 - 47?  Will I be able to handle it even in a full wetsuit?  Will I make it past the rocks before turning around?  I was determined to find out - hopped on the bike and headed out, all the while obsessing over "What if?"  

I got to the parking lot first, and thought - everyone else has seen the buoy temperature and decided to bail!  Dragonfly arrives a few minutes later - first thing I ask her is "Did you see the buoy temperature?" No, but she doesn't seem concerned.  I go on to predict that there will be a low turnout today,  more than just the two of us, but certainly not 20 people like last Saturday.  A few minutes pass and a few other people arrive.  No one else seems the least bit concerned.  

Down on the beach and Itch starts the ritual - 52!  Moondaug puts the duck-o-meter in the water and also comes back with 52!  This clearly portends a rare alignment of forces in the Universe - the entropy in the Universe has stopped increasing and is remaining constant.  The forces of disorder which normally cause the itch-o-meter, duck-o-meter and buoy-o-meter to have divergent readings has been neutralized.  This is a Fluke of the Universe!!  The only thing that would be more alarming would be if Cap'n was here with the macho-meter, and it said 52 as well.  That would be the End of the World as We Know It!

Out past the rocks - much warmer!  Must be 55 or so,  Very pleasant conditions - water fairly clear and blue, bright sunshine.  That's the Way I Like It!


Thursday, September 5, 2019

How Deep is Your Love?

Next Swims:
   Friday:  6am & 5:30pm

Last Swim:
   Thursday September 5th @ 6pm
      Water Temp: 51
      Waves: 8" swells pretty regularly
      Clarity:  Pretty clear, but not crystal
      Kru:  Skins - Itch, Linda the Lamprey 
                Suits - Super Hera and Mr. Bubble 
Shore Support:  The Patriarch, Handyman Hank, Synchro

Arrived fashionably late at 6:10 to see Patriarch, Hank and Synchro standing around, looking out on the water, but still in street clothes.  Super Hera was donning her wetsuit and a couple of swim caps swimming southbound.  What's the verdict?  Super Hera dares me to guess - below 50?  Nope.  51

This is the time to ask yourself  how deep is your love?
How deep is your love, how deep is your love?
I really need to learn 'cause we're swimming in a world of fools
Breaking us down when they all should let us be
We belong to you and me


Patriarch, Hank and Synchro have decided that their love is not deep enough to go in.  Super Hera and Mr. Bubble's love is deep enough to go in, but with some protection.  Itch and Ms. Lamprey's love couldn't be deeper - they give the lake their unconditional love
Give me your unconditional love
The kind of love I deserve
The kind I want to return 

and so, regardless of how deep our love runs, we each get the kind of love we deserve, and we return...

Monday, September 2, 2019

Deceptive Motivation

Next Swims:
   Tuesday thru Thursday - 6am & 6pm
   Friday:  6am & 5:30pm

Last Swim:
   Monday (Labor Day) September 2nd @ Noon
      Water Temp: Sir James' xr-7 laser gun (58), Itch-o-Meter (50), Macho-Meter (48.9)
      Waves: flat with occasional slow rolling swells
      Clarity:  Crystal Clear
      Kru:  The Patriarch, Diablo, Kahuna, Itch, Linda the Lampre, Sir James, Mr. Bubbles, Mr. Anonymous, Dragonfly, Wet Taco, Forger, Magic Mike, Ala Mode, Kickass Rubber (a.k.a. Stephanie), The Resistance (a.k.a Liz), Chris, Capt'n with Lone Star shore support from Gina.

With sunny skies, an air temp comfortably in the 70's and a calm lake surface the Kru arrived on the beach today with no shortage of motivation to swim.  Most didn't even hesitate for an official water temp as they grabbed their swim cap and goggles with nar a thought of pulling out a wetsuit.  The motivation levels quickly changed when the water temp reports were called out.  First Sir James' XR-7 Laser gun reported an initial reading of 58.  While this caused a momentary hesitation by some, the Kru continued to approach the plank as if it were just another day on the beach.  Then the initial Itch-o-meter reading was called out...52.  The Kru paused.  Then an unexpected second Itch-o-meter reading...50!  Groans could be heard with a smattering of "Whaaaaa???"  This was followed by a Macho-meter reading of 48.9.  At this point, those with wetsuits returned to their bags to begrudgingly prepare for the Baltic water.

Those who didn't have wetsuit or were already wearing them were the first to walk the plank today.  Surprisingly, after swimming past the Klode Rock Piles Mr. Anonymous exclaimed that he had found warmer water on the plus side of 60.  Could it be?!?!  With the new found motivation several of us ditched our wetsuits and walked the plank with visions of frolicking in the warmer water.  Much to our chagrin, though, we would soon find out that Mr. Anonymous had intentionally deceived us.  Shame!

Speaking of Motivation....thought some of you may enjoy this video.  Rumor has it this individual may be a distant relative of The Patriarch:

Two Minute Motivational Swimmer Video




Sunday, September 1, 2019

Laboring off the plank, Chapter 2

Next Swims:
   Monday (Labor Day) @ Noon
  Tuesday - Thursday @ 6 am and 6 pm
  Friday @ 6 am and 5:30 pm

Last Swim:  Sunday September 1st @ Noon
Water Temp: 55 (Itch-o-meter), 52 (Macho-meter)
Waves:  1-2ft chop from south
Clarity: murky pretty much everywhere, but no green junk today
Kru: The Patriarch, Kahuna, Moondrop Gumdawg, Itch, Panini, Stephanie, Drangonfly Riffraff,  Mr. Bubble, Capt'n, Liz (nickname resister), Magic Mike, Showgirl, Chris H (first timer)
Shore Support:  Layla (Kahuna's pooch), Mrs. Gina H. ("I'm not a swimmer"), Squeeze of Showgirl (SOS?)

Kind of a re-run from yesterday, but colder.  Pretty choppy but a little milder, waves at more regular intervals.  Absence of green junk most welcome.  Not terribly sunny.  Klode Kru Kiddie Pool definitely colder and choppier than surrounding areas.  Tiny bit calmer and warmer further away.  

Headed south since waves were coming in from Southeast again.  Itch advised everyone to go between the two big rock piles and turn right, instead of going between the southern most rock pile and the steel barrier - lots of big rocks just under the relatively shallow surface.  Indeed, some of those larger white boulders along the steel barrier could be found in the water half way down the beach.  

Had a little bit of a surprise when I came back from my swim - there's a full bottle of Killepitsch in my backpack.  Itch?  "I don't know how that got there", Patriarch?  "Don't know either".  Does anybody know how that bottle wound up in my backpack?  Finally, Kahuna solves the mystery - Cap'n put that there before he went off on his swim, thinking it was Itch's backpack, since Itch's stuff is nearby.  

Noon on Labor Day - Kahuna will bring the pirate flag.  

Late add - Flashback to September 2, 2013. 
Lake Michigan swim outing sparks mistaken rescue response