While L1 is still the finest swim spot on the planet, it’s always a treat to see “how the other half swims” during the winter months…
I was fortunate enough to have an opportunity to return to Kauai earlier this month, and I wasted no time getting back into the water. The ocean temperature at Shipwreck Beach was a uniform 79.1F, and the buoyancy factor of the salt water made swimming a breeze compared to Lake Michigan.
There were some funky swells near the shore, but things were quite calm about 150 feet out. So after getting out there, it was a fairly textbook out-and-back mile swimming parallel to the shore. Plus I was able to scope out the area underneath the cliff for reasons which are quite obvious in the video.
I knew when I stepped outside to shovel the snow earlier this morning that it was going to be a great day for lake swimming. I was expecting the air temperature to be in the 12F range per the overnight forecast. Much to my delight, it was a quite tolerable 24F with no wind at all!
Nick and Mike were already at Tower Beach surveying the swim site. The ice floes and slush layers had drifted away from the shoreline, so we had a narrow swim lane if we went parallel to the shore. We made it to about the 1/4 mile mark before we ran into some impenetrable ice layers. By then, the ice had also moved in towards the shore. So we had to do some zigzagging on the way back to avoid the rougher patches.
Overall, it was a very easy swim other than the occasional ice obstacles. And once again, we were perfectly comfortable in the water with the exception of our fingertips. And even these didn’t get cold until the halfway point.
Happy Groundhog Day (and belated Xmas)!
Winter road
The scene at Tower Beach
At the halfway point
Nick and Mike in the slush!
Playing with the icicles
Happy to be done!
This morning’s video compilation (with a Xmas-like feel)
A snowy owl made a rare appearance at Montrose Beach during the swim on Sunday (the one I missed out on, of course). Fortunately, local photographer Tom Rossiter was there to capture it on film. Check out some of his amazing shots!
As we get ready to brave the forecasted 50F – 53F lake tomorrow, it’s good to know that others are dealing with similar challenges during their swims. Here’s Brian, Lake Monster 118, and his daughter enduring the harsh climate and bone-chilling water temperatures of Hawaii. Per Brian:
Saw your oct 16 post. Check out my swim conditions. 86 air temp. 80 water temp. 1 foot swells. water visability forever.My daughter and me in Maui.
Amanda Hunt, Lake Monster #26, is on her way to the Golden State this weekend to swim the Catalina Channel. Her epic journey begins Monday evening, and we’re all just thrilled to bits that we have such an amazing athlete in our midst. Go Amanda!!!
Nick was out at the lakefront Thursday and Friday and captured some neat images and videos. Per Nick:
I took a picture of a rainbow hitting the water crib on Thursday night right after the rain. I also shot a short video of Oak St beach yesterday morning around 6:45 and even I thought that it was not swimable as the waves were crashing everywhere.
