Let's Do Two

Next Swims: 6:30PM Today Thu 7/29 Klode,

5:45AM Fri 7/30 Klode

Last Swim: 5:45AM Thu 7/29

Water Temp: 65

Waves: One Foot Rollers

Water Clarity: Excellent

Crew: Cap'n, Diablo, Kahuna, Beth, Big Sista, Lil Sista, Patriarch

It was such fine morning on the beach, and such a great swim, that Diablo and I decided we needed to do it again tonight at 6:30. See you on the beach.

Lost Dumbbells

Next Swim: Thu 7/29, 5:45AM Klode

Last Swim: Wed 7/28, 5:45AM Klode

Water temp: 64

Waves: Calm

Water Clarity: A little cloudy, but bottom visible

Crew: Cap'n, Diablo, Kahuna, Blondie, Both Perrys

When we returned to the top of the bluff, Donika, one of the exercise group leaders, asked me if I had seen a pair of lost dumbbells. Shame on you, dear reader, for thinking what you're thinking, but no, it wasn't Cap'n and Diablo she was seeking (they could only wish).

Other highlights from this morning: a great skin swim, a twenty-one bun salute from the other exercise group, and breakfast at Stone Creek. Brueggers Bagels, next door to Stone Creek is advertising egg bagel sandwiches, it might be worth a try one of these fine mornings.

Much to Report, and to Apologize For

Next Swim: Wed 7/28 5:45 AM, followed by coffee and/or bakery at Stone Creek

Here is a picture from last night's Howl at the Full Moon Swim. Notice how the moonbeams shine directly on me. It's a sign.

Last Swims: Mon 5:45, Mon 8PM, Tue 5:45AM

Water Temps - Mon morning 63, Mon evening 68, Tue morning 65

Waves: calm

Water Clarity: Very Clear

Mon AM Crew: Cap'n, Diablo, David, Patriarch

Howl at the Moon Crew: Cap'n, Gumdrop, Diablo, Kahuna, David, Greg, Brad, Beth, Robin (Crash?), Brad, Patriarch

Tue AM Crew: Cap'n, Diablo, Blondie, Greg, Ruth, PerryB, Patriarch

First, the apology. I have committed the unforgivable sin of forgetting to bring the Killepitsch last night. As penance I will drink multiple shots clad in a leopard skin European cut swimsuit.

Second, a word on water quality. As you probably know all the Milwaukee County beaches have been closed since Thursday's storm. You wouldn't know it to look at the water though, it's crystal clear, even near shore. Of course clear water does not necessarily mean clean water, but it's a chance I'm willing to take.

Third, the Howl at the Full Moon swim worked out very well. Luckily the skies were clear and we witnessed a monster moon rise over the lake. We did a lot of howling too.

Finally, I want to say that the swimming has been GREAT. Most of the time it's plenty warm enough to swim without wetsuits. And the weather forecast looks very favorable, with warm temps and generally easterly winds. Now is the time to swim!

There is an "i" in Captain.

Next Swims: 5:45AM Monday 7/26

Howl at the Full Moon Swim 8PM Monday (the moon rises over the lake about 8:30)

Last Swim: Sunday 7/25

Water temp: 64

Waves: 1-2 feet

Water Clarity: Really gunky near shore but crystal clear a short way out

Crew: Cap'n, Diablo, Brad, Greg, Gwen, Perry, Robin, Patriarch

No time to comment, but I would like to quickly mention that while there is no I in Cap'n, we can easily put it back. Eh, el Capitano?

No "I" in team but there is one in Patriarch

Next Swim: Sunday 7/25 1pm Klode

Last Swim: Sat: 7/24 noon Klode

Water temp: 62

Waves: calm

Water Clarity: still surprisingly clear

Crew: The PatrIarch, Diablo, Beth, Robin, Lane and his daughter, Capt'n

Arrg! After I be readin' this here last blog entry one thing is certainly becomin' apparent...The Patriarch be enjoyin' his grog just a wee bit too much during his retirement. "Wimp"??? Surely he be forgettin' bout all those times his wiskers nearly lept right off his face when he unexpectedly saw his shadow while swimin'! Ha, ha...now those be some tales worth tellin' over a pint of grog!!

Alas, we shall save those tales for another time. Today's adventure was a rather pleasant one. Amazingly, the water clarity continued to be unphased by Thursday's big storms. If you're into theories as I am...one possibly explanation for our amazing clarity is that we've been saved by the Conveyor Belt whereby our surface water (including all the storm gunk) has been pushed towards Michigan and the cooler (...and clearer!) water from the bottom of the lake has surfaced on our side. This would explain the cold water temps yesterday depite air temps near 90 under sunny skies.

The water temp today made a remarkable recovery from yesterday. 52 yesterday....62 today with pockets of cooler water & warmer water that tempted you to ditch your wetsuit. Our journey today took us up to the rockwall and back. With tomorrow's forecast calling for sunny skies, warm temps and an east breeze there's a good chance we'll enjoy even warmer water temps than today.....and perhaps even an opportunity for a skin swim.

Keeping the Streak Alive

Next Swim: Sat 7/24 noon Klode

Last Swim: Fri: 7/23 6:30PM Klode

Water temp: 54

Waves: calm

Water Clarity: surprisingly clear, I would have expected murky water after the storm

Crew: Cap', Diablo, Robin, Patriarch

Thursday night's deluge marooned me at my mom's nursing home until almost midnight, and when I finally made it home I was greeted with six inches of water in my basement. So with a huge mess to clean up, I didn't go to the beach Friday morning.

But I figured I could count on Cap'n and Diablo to take command and keep our swim streak alive. Alas, I expected too much. They showed up at the beach, but they didn't swim! Wimps! Apparently they are lost without me.

A hero was needed, and (humbly) yours truly stepped to the plate. After spending all day hauling and cleaning and scrubbing, I dragged my sorry aching butt down to the beach, enduring biting flies and cold water to show Cap'n and Diablo how it's done. Did they appreciate this? Of course not.

Note: Their version of this tale might differ in a few insignificant details, but there's no way they could spin this to make it anything other than me being a hero and them being wimps.

The good news: I would have thought that the water would have been full of gunk from the storm, but although there was some gunk right near shore, out just a bit it was amazingly clear.

Everything is Trending Up

Next Swim: Fri 7/23 5:45AM Klode

Last Swims: Wed & Thu 5:45 AM

Water Temp: We think low to mid-sixties (the thermometer is on the fritz, so we're not sure).

Waves: Calm

Water Clarity: a little clearer each day since the big storms, but today's storms may stir it up again.

Wed Crew: Cap'n, Diablo, Kahuna, Blondie, David, Perry, Robin, Patriarch

Thu Crew: Cap'n, Diablo, Kahuna, Blondie, Robin, Beth, Ruth, Rob, Greg, Patriarch

It must be something in the water in Whitefish Bay. Rabbits, biting flies, and swimmers are proliferating like little Diablos. It's good to see such a big crew. Even better, the water is warming into skin-swim territory, although it's cool enough that you need to limit your swim to 20-30 minutes or pay the shiver-price (check with Cap'n, he is the expert on this).

Another upward trend is that we stopped for breakfast for the second time this week, this time at Stone Creek, where I heartedly recommend the dark chocolate mocha and the cherry scones. No better way to start the day than a gorgeous sunrise, a skin-swim, and breakfast.

Hopefully, the water will warm enough that we could attempt longer skin-swims this weekend. Would noon or 1PM work for people? Please comment. Also, how about a "howl at the full moon" swim at moonrise (sunset) on Monday? Teacher Blondie will present a lesson on Why the Full Moon Always Rises at Sunset (quiz to follow).