Moonlight Swum

The moonlight swim was fabulous. A full red moon over the sparkling waters with a nice warm temp of 74 per duck-o-meter, 73 per Captains macho-meter, with pockets of refreshing cooler temps. Air temp was about 80. 

Full moon rose from the east to brilliant specter, setting the water a light, which was magical in its own right. Then, dazzling fireworks in the sky from the north and the south presented over the bay. All were amazed by the brilliant lights in the night, on this day of independence, as we swam in the freedom of great precedence, of a king rejected and liberty protected.

Crew; Patriarch, Captain, Mr. Anoymonous, Wetaco and squezze, Handy Man Hank and North Shore Nancy, Don Diego, Sir James, Big Show, Janneke, Scottish guy (sorry, forgot your name), Syncro and squeeze, Moondaug, Dragonfly Riffraff  and squeeze, Rosa, Amanda A.  If I forgot someone (which I'm sure I did) please blog below.
Next swims; see blog below, rumour has it a bike ride to Port preceded by a 9AM swim.

Shipwreck Swim Foundered

Next Swims:

• Noon Saturday, Good-old regular weekend noon swim (expect a packed beach, and boats), Klode.
• 8:00 p.m. Saturday,  Full Moon Swim, Klode.
• 9:00AM Sunday, Klode - beat the heat, crowds, and those pesky boats
• Noon Sunday, Good-old regular weekend noon swim (again, expect a packed beach, and boats), Klode.
• M-F 6AM, 5PM

Last Swim: Saturday 8AM Atwater
Water Temp: 74
Clarity: good clarity near shore, crap further out
Air:  it's going to be a hot one
Kru: Kahuna, Magic Mike, Mr. A, Patriarch, Dragonfly, Forger, Sir James, Mystery Swimmers #1, 2, and 3, Showgirl, Tatoo Lady, We'Taco, Dave, Janneke, and probably more
Shore Support: Daughter o'Forger (Cathy on SUP), Squeeze o'Showgirl

We arrived at Atwater park this morning and there was a WEDDING on the verge of happening. No, not the years long culmination of my engagement to Itch, but someone else's wedding.  With a runner leading up to the overlook, scattered rose petals, scampering children... everything needed for someone's perfect day.

Even tho we were eager to watch the bride walk down the aisle, we had a swim to do.

The air was warm, a few clouds drifted across the sky, and the water was a shockingly warm 74.  There was, however, a stiff wind out of the east, kicking up some waves and probably responsible for the lost of clarity.  Nevertheless, we put on caps, goggles, earplugs, barbies, gps watches and other vitally important accessories and got into the water.

Most shipwreck swims are a white whale, and this was no different.  We optimistically swam away from shore, clumped up here and there, kept our eyes peeled in the murky water.  Magic Mike and We'Taco saw the shipwreck.  The rest of us had a fun swim in the warm waves.

The swim out was a struggle, but the return trip was pure fun as we rode the waves back to shore.

Rest assured there will be other shipwreck swims this summer.

Choices, Choices, So Many Choices

Lots of options exist for swimming in the next 72 hours:

• 5:00 p.m. Friday, "Big Bang" Swim, Klode.
• 8:00 a.m. Saturday, Shipwreck Swim, Atwater.
• Noon Saturday, Good-old regular weekend noon swim (expect a packed beach, and boats), Klode.
• 8:00 p.m. Saturday,  Full Moon Swim, Klode.
• Noon Sunday, Good-old regular weekend noon swim (again, expect a packed beach, and boats), Klode.

Last Swim: Friday, 6 a.m., July 3rd.
Water: 68, with perfect clarity, almost completely flat.
Air:  Warm with clear skies.
Kru: Showgirl, Panini, Mr. A, Thanos the Mad Titan, Patriarch, Professor Mike, Julie Pool Noodle,  Magic Mike, Eric/Brick, Lydia TTL, Dragonfly, Kahuna. Diablo maybe early shift.  (I think I'm missing three or four swimmers, sorry about that, but I didn't expect to be writing today's blog, add your name in the comments if I missed listing you).  

Easy to get spoiled with conditions like this morning.  I'm keeping my fingers crossed for continued good conditions for tomorrow morning's shipwreck swim.  See below re a potential post Full Moon Swim social event.    

Full Moon Swim Saturday
Full Moon Swim Saturday July  4th 8:00PM, full moon rises over the lake at 8:28, with a sunset at 8:33 PM. Swimming in the intermingling light of the full moon and setting sun in ideal conditions is a rare thing here. As Whitefish Bay has cancelled this years July 4th fireworks, the beach will be open and clear skies are predicted!  After the swim we could continue our full moon celebration at a nearby outdoors establishment, while practicing appropriate social distancing of course.

Also, regular morning weekday swims, noon time weekend  swims (at Klode) and an early morning 8 AM shipwreck swim on Sat (at Atwater).

Last Swims: Thursday July 2nd 5PM
Water: 73, beautiful blue with slight ripples and a pink backdrop over the lake
Air:80
Crew: Syncro, Stickler, Itch, Sir James, Megan (wife of Laguna Mike), Moondaug.

The amazing swimming season of warm water and beautiful swimming is upon us, get it while you can, as all good things eventually end.

A Convergence of Perfection

Next Swims:  
     Mon-Fri @ 6 am and 5 pm, 
     Saturday 8 am - Shipwreck swim at Atwater
     Saturday/Sunday Noon at Klode   
Last Swim:  Thursday 6 a.m.
Water Temp:  68 (est.) with warmer pockets
Air Temp:  70s
Clarity:   6/10
Waves: very slight swell, not quite pond flat, light northerly breeze
Kru:  Diablo and Linda the Lamprey (early shift); Patriarch, Handyman Hank, Pool Noodle, Magic Mike, Ala, her daughter Carolina, Dragonfly; Mr. Anonymous (late shift)
Guest stars:  Andrea & Ashley, first-timer pool friends of Pool Noodle, and Sheila, friend of Magic Mike (has come often enough to need a nickname)

No thermometers today, but  walking down, Handyman Hank noted that the Atwater Buoy said 68 degrees for both air and water.  I learned you can call the buoy at (866) 218-9973 and then enter 45013 as a text to get the temperature.  (I tried just now but the line was busy, not surprising given the gorgeousness of the day.)

Additional driftwood piled up in the Klode corner (near the iron wall on the south end of the beach) as fast as the City is clearing it, apparently.  Maybe new trees will work their way down from New Mudslide with a few more North Easters.

Diablo and Linda the Lamprey were still on the sand when the 6 a.m. Kru arrived.  Diablo allowed that the water was "nice" - THIS was a good sign.  

"Can't beat the heat" said Linda.  
"Too warm," snorted Diablo, more in character. 

The sun was shining, the leaves in the treetops were flickering, the water felt soft, smooth and warm, and any current was minimal--unlike yesterday morning, when even with a reading of 66, the water's disturbed motion  (south wind vs north current) seemed to be stealing heat away from my body.  Because of course we were all swimming skin. Some kvetched about the declining clarity, but hey.  A minor point amid sooooooo much ...yes, I would still call it perfection.

It was a day to go long - many to Mudslide and beyond.  I didn't want to get out of the water and I didn't want to leave the beach.  Patriarch noted how excellent it was not to shiver getting dressed.  Truth - we stood around longer than necessary, just basking.

Pool Noodle's pool friends (Mudsliders all) were much impressed.

"It just worked out," Pool Noodle confided.  "One just moved here, and the other is from Colorado, and she's going back tomorrow.  

"How do you tell them it's not always like this?  

"It was just kind of....a convergence of perfection!"

It's getting better all the time

Next Swims:  
     Mon-Fri @ 6 am and 5 pm, 
     Saturday 8 am - Shipwreck swim at Atwater
     Saturday/Sunday Noon at Klode   
Last Swim:  Wednesday @ 5 pm
Water Temp:  72!
Air Temp:  84
Clarity:   Very clear but a tiny bit less than recently, 9/10
Waves: steady 10" - 12" swells
Kru:  Itch, Mr. Bubble, Mr. Anonymous, WeTaco, Janicka, Synchro, Brick, Liz, Super Hera

Three words....Seventy...Two...Degrees...
Any other words are superfluous

8AM Saturday Shipwreck Swim

Next Swims:  Mon-Fri 6am, 5pm
                    BONUS: Saturday 07/04 - 8AM Shipwreck Swim                         Sat,Sun noon
Last Swim:  Wed 6am
Water Temp:  66!
Air Temp:  warm
Clarity:   declining
Waves: a little choppy
Kru:  Pool Noodle, Patriarch, Showgirl, Sheila, Dragonfly, Kahuna, Thanos the Mad Titan (please note that I'm never going to type that entire nickname again Kahuna), Nanook, Magic Mike, Laguna, Ala, Diablo (early)

This Saturday we're going to do an 8AM Shipwreck Swim.  Be advised that the shipwreck is NOT at Klode.  It is, in fact, off Atwater Beach in Shorewood.  Meet us at the overlook, or meet us on the beach.  What is a shipwreck swim, you ask?  Basically we swim straight out, not all that far, keep an eye out for a bunch of parallel pieces of wood, make a side trip in search of the propeller (I don't think we've ever seen it) and swim back. to shore.  If you've never done this before, I advise you to lower your expectations.  This is not the Titanic.

The Sat/Sun noon swims at Klode will also occur... if you show up to make them happen.

This morning the water was nice and warm, with a pretty strong current out of the south.  And yet also a pretty strong current out of the north for the return trip.  <sigh>

There was lots of debris in the water, some new logs have washed up on the shore, and the clarity has declined.

I believe this was Nanook's first Klode swim of the season (welcome!), and she showed up with the coolest barbie on the beach: 

Could be a new nickname for Nanook?