It's a blessing

Next Swims: Mon - Fri 3:30pm 
Saturday/Sunday Noon?

Last Swim: Tuesday 3:30 pm
Water Temp: 46
Air Temp: low 60's
Clarity: crystal at the beach, little murky further out
Waves: basically flat but with a strong northbound current
Kru: Itch, Mr. Bubble

I've been looking forward to swimming today since I learned the weather was forecast to be warm and sunny, and that I'd have the day off.  

I didn't see any familiar vehicles in the parking lot, so I head down to the beach.  Don't recognize any vehicles down there either.  I keep telling myself that I shouldn't go swimming myself, despite how beautiful the skyline and the water looks.  

I keep telling myself I shouldn't go in alone, but I'll just take the temperature.  Doing my thing with the thermometer and notice a familiar beard arriving.  I had almost talked myself out of swimming before Itch arrived...then I had no choice...King Neptune you know, he didn't even have to say anything.  

I know the weather is supposed to be really nice for the next few days.  I'll be out of town during those nice days...hope some of you get to enjoy one of the upcoming nice days as much as I enjoyed swimming today. 

Itch came in about 10-15 minutes after I did.  Sun was setting and there was a quazi-sunny horizon.

King Neptune coming out of the water

View while walking back up...quazi-sunny

Today's Killepitsch Toast - (softly spoken) "A Good Swim"..."It's a blessing" 

Full Moon Swim

Join us for a Full Moon Halloween swim/plunge, tonight, Oct.31 at 6:00PM. The ghoulish Blue Moon will rise shortly after 6 (the number of the beast). Halloween moonbeam, chills and thrills we will all be, escape Banshee scream.

Friday Morning SKIN Swim! (with a lesson in blood chemistry)

Next Swims: Mon - Fri 4:30pm, Saturday/Sunday at Noon.... and some weekday mornings

Last Swim: Friday 6:30AM

Water Temp: 42
Air Temp: low 30's
Clarity: not sure because I didn't swim
Waves: 3 footers
Kru: Dragonfly, Mermaid Princess, TattooLady, Sunny Laguna 
Shore Support: Showgirl, Linda the Lamprey

So I'm thinking that an October 30th morning swim may be a new record.

It was pretty dark when we arrived at the beach, but preparations commenced.

This was a pretty badass swim.  Dragonfly, MP, and Sunny Laguna all SWAM SKIN, and were in the water for close to ten minutes.

Everybody stayed close to the rock piles. Sunny Laguna back-stroked around.  MP said she mostly treaded water and enjoyed being in the waves.  TL had more neoprene, and swam north a bit further. Dragonfly was her usual barbie-less self.  All struggled to operate their hands after exiting the water.

Since I didn't swim, I don't have a ton to say other than I continue to be impressed by those who did.

Because there is always something interesting/weird that happens at the beach, here is today's story:  as the Kru gals were nearly ready to enter the water, three guys rode down on bikes and sat on the benches.  They gave the impression that they were there for more than the sunrise.  Shortly, two of them disrobed and approached the water.  There were some quick tai chi-like motions.  They submerged up to their necks.  No swimming occurred.  They stayed in for a few minutes, and then retreated to the grass, did their tai chi-ish stuff again, and put on clothes.  

As we walked out,  MP, SL, L-t-L, and D engaged with them. Apparently they usually perform this ritual at Big Bay.  They use movement plus breathing to alter their blood chemistry in order to stay warmer in the water.  TL and I skipped the lecture but the gist was something about changing the alkalinity in their blood.

The tai chi guys are in the background.

"Good Swim"

Next Swims: Mon - Fri 4:30pm, Saturday/Sunday at Noon

Last Swim: Wednesday at 5:00

Water Temp: 46
Air Temp: low 50s and mostly cloudy
Clarity: better, murky but not dirty, 5/10
Waves: flat
Kru: Itch, Brick, Sunny Laguna, Mr. Bubble
Shore Support: Synchro, Vivian, cameo appearance by Magic Mike, Mrs. Mike and K9 Mike

Very nice conditions today.  Yeah, the water was pretty cold, but the air was warmer than the thermal inversion swim on Saturday.  Low 50's air temp felt almost balmy (that could have been a hallucination).  

Sunny being a good role model for Vivian.  Sunny was clad in a long down coat that seemed to go from her neck to her ankles.  She kept saying she was only going to go in for 5 minutes - I thought she's just being modest, she can handle this kind of temperature longer than that.  I kept that thought until I realized she wasn't planning to wear a wetsuit - just her swim suit, swim cap and neoprene gloves.  Sunny headed out right away and hadn't returned by the time I swam out.  When I did come back, first thing I said to her was "You were out there for more than 5 minutes!".  She claims it was 7 minutes.  

I thought for sure Synchro was going to go in as well.  Itch and I were trying to convince her on the walk down, but she wasn't having it.  She quotes Showgirl "Swimming in cold water is not a character flaw" that's what I thought she said anyway, and I was agreeing with it, but then she clarified that Showgirl's quote meant that there was no shame in declining to swim in the cold water.  All that aside...Synchro was very proud of herself that she was able to skip a rock on the water that made a perfect landing on the big rocks.  Alert the media!!

At Killepitsch time...a moment of silence while trying to think of a toast.  Itch finally utters it very softly without bravado..."Good Swim".  

Dementia Protection

Next Swims: Mon - Fri 6:30 am? and 4:30pm 
Saturday, Sunday 8 am? and Noon

Last Swim: Saturday Noon
Water Temp: 44
Air Temp: 41-42 and partly sunny
Clarity: not really, worse by the rocks
Waves: 2-3 footers inside the rocks, changing steady 4-6" swells 
Kru: Itch, Rosie, Mr. Bubble, Mr. Anonymous, Blake, IceMoonDaug, Laguna
Shore Support: Linda the Lamprey and Rosie's friend on arrival, Diablo on departure, 

Quite a turnout today for a late season swim.  We didn't have any sun on arrival, and it was just a tiny bit windy.  That just made it all the more pleasant when the sun did come out later.  

While we were all suiting up, I mentioned this video produced by the BBC, highlighting a study that was done in the UK,  They found that cold water swimmers produce a protein which might protect us from dementia.  I thought everyone at the beach today would have heard about it already, but no one had. Here's the video sent to be by my friend, Terri (who's been a Klode guest star several times this year).  BBC Cold Water Swimming Video

You'll note on this video that the experimental subjects swam in water that was 7 Celsius, which just happens to be about the same temp as it was today at Klode = 44.6 F.  You may also notice these cold water swimmers are swimming in a pool - (WTF!).  Plus, the scientist says she needs to do more research to determine whether this cold water swimming protein will actually protect humans from dementia.  I guess it's proven to protect mice from dementia, but not yet proven to protect humans.  No matter, she told these cold pool water swimmers they were pretty cool - but I don't think it was an intended pun.  

Getting back to today - IceMoonDaug dived in first, wearing only his Speedo and a neoprene cap.  I heard Rosie comment "He's not even wearing gloves!".  Blake brought his new, full wetsuit and headed off shortly thereafter.  Daug made it back just when the rest of us were heading out.  Laguna was the last to arrive at the beach so he set off after I was in.  Saw him swimming past me a while later.  I was going to turnaround at the birches, but then the sun came out for a bit, so I was motivated to swim further. 

Killepitsch toast for today - Keep It Coming!

ps - any comments about whether 0630 weekday swims or 0800 weekend swims are still happening?  

It's not over until we say it's over

Next Swims: Mon - Fri 6:30 am and 4:30pm

NOTE THE NEW PM SWIM TIME
Saturday, Sunday 8 am and Noon

Last Swim: Tuesday 4:30
Water Temp: 45
Air Temp: 49
Clarity: not really
Waves: 1-2 footers inside the rocks, changing to 3-4 footers further out
Kru:  Itch, Brick, Rosie, Mr. Bubble

Shore Support: Diablo

Arrived at the parking lot at 4:45 and saw the familiar Nissan pickup with camper top and the black pick up with the Clowns left, Jokers right bumper sticker,  Didn't see the owners nearby and thought - they're smart, they're probably in the water already!  Actually, everyone was just suiting up when I arrived.  They set out about 5 minutes before me.

Hadn't read the latest blog entry so didn't realize the time had been moved to 4:30.  Itch pointed out that weekday evening swims will probably be all done after Oct 31st, since we'll be changing the clocks back.  

From a distance, the water looked relatively calm, but the waves seemed to get bigger and bigger as we swam further south.  I made it about 3/4 way to Love Rock.  Itch, Brick and Rosie were out for another 15-20 minutes after I got back.  Definitely swam back faster than swimming out.  Diablo arrived on the beach just as the rest of the Kru was within sight - he was doing funny dance steps to get their attention and waving them in. 

Very proud of myself that I was well prepared for getting out of the water - felt cold but didn't feel like I was going to go in to shock momentarily.  Brick asked if I rode my bike - nix - all the stuff I needed to stay warm after getting out is just too heavy to carry in a backpack.  Besides, so much nicer to be able to crank the heat in the car for the ride home.  

No Killepitsch tonight - just a common sentiment that we'll be back for more.  Best swim of the season!

Swimming Evolution. Swimvolution. Swivolution?

Next Swims: Mon - Fri 6:30 am and 4:30pm  <-- NOTE THE NEW PM SWIM TIME

Saturday, Sunday 8 am and Noon

Last Swim: Sunday noon
Water Temp: 45
Air Temp: 40's
Clarity:  not really
Waves: Slow swells

Kru:  Brick, Itch, Diablo, Dragonfly, Mermaid Princess, Luna Laguna, Ala, Showgirl, Blake

Shore Support:  Linda the Lamprey, sporting the coolest Doc Martins ever

This will give you a feel for today's conditions.

Here's a helpful informational quote from one of our swimmers:

"Loads of good swims remain IF YOU DRESS FOR THE FREAKING POST SWIM CONDITIONS!!

Enough said...cu on the beach."

I will let you figure out who said that, though it should be perfectly obvious.

Now, whether or not there will ever enough warm clothes to warm up my feet after a swim in 45 degree water when the air temp is about the same is debatable.

And thus, I will also add this helpful quote:

"Being cold is not a character flaw."

I won't make you guess who said that, because _I_ said it.

But I digress.  An impressive crew of swimmers arrived at the beach today, undeterred by the chilly air. Some of us avoided a chilly beachside costume change by arriving fully encased in our neoprene outfits.  I'm not going to lie to you-- I never thought I'd be driving my car in a wetsuit, much less earplugs, booties, and three layers of caps.  But that's what it's come to.

And it worked for the most part.

So several swimmers were gone long enough that they probably went at least to mudslide.  Others swam less far, but no less impressively.  Dragonfly and Luna Laguna SWAM SKIN.

I looked at the blog from last year, and, unsurprisingly, this year we are swimming longer and colder into the season.  Last year there was an early October string of swims in the mid 50's and then, after 10/09.... crickets, followed by one swim at 45.  Now, I'm not saying that no one swam on those un-blogged days, but it gives you a feel for how different this year is.  (I guess I shouldn't be surprised by that, right?)

Today's beachy art:

RIP newly chopped-down tree.