Last Swim of the Season. Or not?

Next Swim:  Sunday 10/6 at 11AM,  note the Lakefront Marathon is being held Sunday morning and the course goes right by Klode, it may be difficult or impossible to get to the parking lot, so it might be necessary to park on a side street and walk there.

Last Swims:
Friday 6AM, Saturday 2PM
Water Temp: 56
Waves:  Gentle rollers
Water Clarity:  Poor Friday, Excellent Saturday
Friday Crew: Gundrop
Saturday Crew:  Cap'n, Gumdrop, Patriarch

I went to the beach today with the idea that this would be my last swim of the season.  The water is cold, the air is colder, the days are short.  It's been a great summer, the best swimming summer by a long shot.  From the beginning of July to the beginning of September we had warm water and outstanding swimming, and I swam more often and further than any previous summer. So time to quit while we're ahead, right?

Cap'n has other ideas.  He believes that because one of the crew proclaimed we will swim to Halloween, we are honor bound to complete that quest.  I tried to argue with him.  Just because some drunken crew member makes some crazy incoherent bluster does not mean we are honor bound to complete the task.  After all, even the crew member that made the quest admits it is a bad idea and is no longer himself committed to the goal.  Cap'n will have none of it.  "The crew must complete the quest" he shouted with a crazy gleam in his eye. "Rum for all and all for rum!"  That's why he's the Cap'n.  I tried to talk to him with wisdom and common sense (that's why I'm the Patriarch), but to no avail.

While Cap'n and me were arguing Gumdrop was muttering half-coherent ramblings about a season ending ceremony involving singing, hired escorts, and lots of Killepitsch.  That's why he's a Gumdrop.

Irresistible....skin swim

Next Swim:  Friday 6am? & Saturday 10/6 2pm

Last Swims:

• Monday 10/1 6AM & 5:30PM
• Tuesday 10/2 6AM
• Wednesday 10/3 6AM
• Thursday 10/4 6AM & 5:30PM

Thursday 10/4 5:30PM report

• Water Temp:  61.8
• Air Temp:  64
• Waves:  dead calm with occasional swell
• Clarity:  clear further out
• Crew:  Capt'n with special guest appearance by The Patriarch

Admittedly I showed up 10 minutes late and when I found a crew of zero waiting for me on the beach I figured that I'd just take a water temp reading and call it a night.  Much to surprise the water temp was 62, the lake surface was flat and the clarity was decent....so how could I say "no" to a skin swim???  Not I!  The Patriarch did though....but without his swim gear I'm sure he didn't want to get his hair wet.  :)  Nonetheless, it was great to see The Patriarch back on the beach!

Thursday 10/4 6AM report (from Showgirl)

• Water Temp: High 50's
• Air Temp: about 60?
• Waves: like glass.
• Clarity: zip.
• Crew: Gumdrop, Showgirl, and some freaky fish that swam by Showgirl

Next swim: Thurs. 5:30 PM (tentative) Per Lorraine this is potentially the last swim of the season, but I really hope not!

Wednesday 10/3 5:30PM report (from Lorraine)

• Water temp: high 50's
• Air temp: 62
• Waves: 1/2 - 1 foot rollers
• Clarity: cloudy but clearer near mudslide
• Crew: Showgirl, Diablo, Gumdrop, Lorraine and Dave

 Wednesday 10/3 6AM report (from Gumdrop)

• Water Temp: High 50's
• Air Temp: about 50.
• Waves: noisy small rollers.
• Clarity: a little stirred.
• Crew: Gumdrop, Showgirl
• Next swim: wed. 5:30 PM

Monday & Tuesday 6AM reports (from Gumdrop)

• Water Temp: High 50's -60 
• Air Temp: Monday about high 40's, Tuesday 50. 
• Waves:Monday a littler chop Tuesday, flat.
• Clarity: Monday shaken, not stirred Tuesday Clear.
• Crew: Monday; Gumdrop, Showgirl Tuesday;Diablo,Gumdrop,Showgirl 

 Monday 10/1 5:30PM report (from Capt'n)

• Water Temp: 59.6 (with pockets of colder water)
• Air Temp: 68
• Waves: flat.
• Clarity: cloudy / clear in spots
• Crew:Lorraine, Capt'n

Gumdrop's Chocolate Salty Balls

Next Swim:  Monday 10/1 @ 5:30pm

Last Swim:  Sunday 9/30 @ 11am
Water Temp:  58.8
Air Temp:  65 & Sunny
Waves: rolling < 1ft
Clarity:  cloudy
Crew:  Diablo, Gumdrop, Buffy, Lorriane, Capt'n

Following our traditional post swim round of Pitsch today Gumdrop offered up a batch of his Chocolate Salty Balls.  Feeling a bit adventurous today I sampled one of Gumdrop's now famous creations.  "Interesting" is about the only way I can describe it. (I think they may actually be the secret that was used to get Mr. Ed to talk....)  Mixed with a round of Pitsch the combination turned out to be quite entertaining...thanks to Buffy's suggestive thoughts it was long after sampling Gumdrop's creations that visions of Buffy and AliKat rolling down the Klode park bluff to the beach began to float around in my head.  Shortly after this I began to sing a familiar grade school rhyme "AliKat and Buffy rolling down a hill...then they went SW-I-M-M-I-N-G...first came the Kru, then came the hill..."  Thank goodness Diablo was there to snap me out of it! 

Quotables

Next Swim:  Sunday 9/30 11am

Last Swim:  Saturday 9/29 12pm
Water Temp:  60.8 (...but pockets of colder water just off the rock piles...)
Air Temp:  71 & Sunny
Waves:  Calm
Clarity:  clear until Mudslide...then cloudy
Crew:  Gumdrop, AliKat, Buffy, Neo, Dave, Kim, Lorraine, Capt'n

As the Klode Kru strolled down to the beach on Saturday phrases such as "Like oh, mah gahd...look at that water..." could be heard from one of the Klode Kru mates as she talked at a feverish pace on her cell phone.  Indeed, Buffy was right...the warm sun not only felt great on our backs it also made the water look very inviting this afternoon.

"Whoa!" was the puzzled exclamation made by Kru mate Neo as he walked the plank skin this afternoon.  (...the only Kru mate to complete today's adventure skin....)  Despite being greeted by pockets of colder water (mid-50's?) just outside of the Klode rock piles it was actually a pretty nice day for swim.  The sun actually made you feel a little uncomfortably warm in your wetsuit while standing on the beach...which in hindsight probably made the colder pockets of water feel like more of a shock than normal.

Note from the Surgeon General....going to loud rock concerts can adversely affect your hearing. 

Getting back to normal

Next Swim:  Saturday 9/29 Noon

Last Swim:  Friday 9/28 5:30pm
Water Temp:  59.7
Air Temp:  64 & Sunny
Waves:  Calm
Clarity:  5ft visibility away from shore
Crew:  Gumdrop, Alikat, Sarah, Lorraine, Capt'n

The water temp continues to inch upwards back to the 60 degree mark.  (seasonal norm?)  Tomorrow's forecast calls for light winds and a high of 70!  Should be a great day for an early fall swim! 

Moving Forward

Next Swim:  Friday 5:30pm, Saturday noon?

Last Swims:  Thursday 6pm & Friday 6am

Thursday 6pm Report:

Water Temp:  56.4
Air Temp:  58 & cloudy
Waves:  1-2ft chop
Clarity:  stirred up
Crew:  Gumdrop, Capt'n with special guest appearance by The Patriarch

The water temp is definitely heading in the right direction.  Nearly forgot how much fun it can be rolling in the waves...I could feel my body rolling for the next few hours whenever I closed my eyes!  :)  I plan to be back at 5:30pm Friday.  Anyone else in?

Friday 6am report from Gumdrop:

Water Temp: High 50's -60
Air Temp: about high 40's
Waves: 1-2 foot playful rollers
Clarity: shaken, not stirred
Crew: Diablo,Gumdrop,Showgirl

Water is noticeably warmer a few yards off shore. Think we got our groove back.

Call to Arms...keeping the streak alive

Next Swims:  Thursday 9/27 6PM, Friday 9/26 6PM

Last Swim:  Wednesday 6/26 5:30PM
Water Temp:  upper 50's to 60
Waves:  1-2ft rollers
Clarity: no report
Crew:  Gumdrop, Geoffrey

Gumdrop and I are in for Thursday evening's 6PM swim.  Per Gumdrop's report from Wednesday we may have turned the corner with regards to getting back some warm(er) water.  We're almost to 100 days of consecutive swims!  Today will mark our 100th consecutive day.  Who's in for this evening's swim?

Swim time for Friday evening is flexible.  Please post a comment if you have a preferred swim time for Friday.