The sun had already risen by the time I arrived at L1. But you wouldn’t have known it from the conditions at 6:00am!
I met up with Nick at the appointed time, and visibility was near zero due to the fog. Nick’s thermometer gave us a 52F water temperature, and we had a southbound sustained wind that made the 58F air temperature seem much colder given the complete absence of sunlight. I deliberated doing only a 1/2 mile swim. But I succumbed to peer pressure, and we took off from L1 towards the beach.
The lake was quite bracing, but it lacked the sharp bite it had last week. So there was never any time that I felt overwhelmingly cold. Plus it was surprisingly clear given the agitated post-storm conditions.
We rendezvoused very briefly at the beach and quickly turned back to prevent ourselves from cooling down. The swim back was directly into a sustained southbound wind and 3-4 foot swells – so we definitely got our workout!
P.S. Thanks to the Chicago Park District for re-painting all the ladders! The bright orange was definitely quite visible on the way back!
Mother Nature threw everything at us this morning, but we still got in a swim!
I met Nick at 6:30am out at L1 amidst a downpour, and we hung out underneath the Chess Pavilion deliberating our options. L1 was a complete mess with 6-8 foot waves and very chaotic chops. The lake came in at 44F, which was actually rather balmy compared to the 40F air temperature. So based on the crappy conditions, we pulled the reserve chute and hightailed it down to Ohio Street Beach.
Fortunately, I was able to nab one of the parking spots just on the other side of the pedestrian tunnel (with an added bonus of free parking until 8:00am!). So we gathered all our essentials and went out to the beach.
While the lake was less hectic out at OSB, we still had 3-5 foot waves to contend with. We also had east/southeast sustained winds of 15mph and zero sunlight. Given these niceties, we decided to to a 1/2 mile each was “dash and splash.”
We trotted up to the 1/2 mile point and got in the drink as quickly as we could. The winds had picked up, and there were some heavier waves for the first 100 meters. But we slogged through to the beach, where we quickly changed and sprinted back to the car.
It took about 15 minutes for us to thaw out, even with the heat blasting on high and a thermos full of hot coffee. But the afterdrop subsided as quickly as it arrived, leaving us both too exhilarated to care about how exhausted we really were!
Throughout the day on Friday, numerous people told, texted, and emailed me about how bad the forecast was looking for Saturday morning. Everything from 20 knot winds, 6 – 9 foot waves, and a small craft advisory.
I’m happy to report that everyone was, for the most part, spot on…
Since we’ve usually lucked out in the early mornings, I decided to throw caution to the wind (pun intended) and head on out to L1 to check things out. Getting there was a bit of a chore, however. I’m still car shopping, so I had to lease the IGo car again, which meant I had to get up earlier and ride my bike out to the site where it is parked. This is typically no big deal, but my bike seat broke on Thursday leaving me with no transportation options other than walking. Fortunately, there is seldom any problem that duct tape cannot address:
I arrived at L1 at 6:50am to a bittersweet scene. The sun was out in full glory (sunrise at 6:07am), but the lake was a total mess. We didn’t have 6 foot waves, but they were cresting at least 4 feet. Plus we had the dreaded washing machine effects going on with the chops.
After getting the official water temperature (45F), I made the executive decision (pretty easy since it was just me) to relocate to Ohio Street Beach where the waves and chops were a bit more subdued. I was already in my swim gear underneath my shirt and sweatpants, so once I got there I quickly shucked off the layers and got ready to swim.
Like earlier in the month, I chose to do a “dash and splash” – a 1/2 mile quick jog out followed by a 1/2 mile swim back to the beach. This time, though, I prepared ahead and wore my Vibrams instead of running barefoot on the cracked concrete. I was also able to swim in them without any problems, so you all should think about getting yourselves a pair of these:
The wind had picked up by the time I started my swim, and the swim area at Ohio Street Beach is much more shallow than L1. Translation – even with the breakwater protection, you still get some very annoying waves and chops at that site.
I got in the water straight east of the Hancock building and started pounding my way south to the beach. My hands and forearms got a bit numb towards the end, but the Vibrams kept my feet surprisingly warm. Fortunately, there was a sustained and increasing north wind that helped propel me to the beach. Just for giggles, I turned around at the beach and did a quick 200 meters into the current and found it to be very, very challenging. So I’m glad I went with the southbound swim plan!
Mike, Marlena, and I met up with Nick at L1 just a few minutes before sunrise. I was worried we were going to miss out on it since it was already getting quite bright out on the horizon. But luckily we made it out to the lakefront with enough time to check out the breathtaking spectacle!
After taking several measurements, we found the lake temperature to be somewhere between 43F – 45F. We had some slight chops in the swim area, but nothing too daunting.
Because of the clear skies and abundant sunshine, I was torn between going with a wetsuit or doing a shorter swim sans wetsuit. My dilemma was that I didn’t want to swim to the beach and then find myself completely frozen and unable to continue in the water. The best case in that scenario would be a long, cold walk back.
So after much deliberation, I decided to do a quick 1/2 mile jog to Oak Street Beach, and then start my swim from there. That way it was a point-to-point 1/2 mile with the incentive of getting closer and closer to the finishing point with each stroke!
Surprisingly, this tactic worked quite well. I got to do a quick barefoot run workout and was already in the aerobic zone by the time I reached the beach. The key was to get in right away with very little hesitation – not an easy task.
Overall, I felt fairly comfortable during the swim. My hands and feet were numb clubs by the time I crossed paths with the others at the 1/4 mile point. But I made it back to L1 relatively unscathed and immediately bundled up.
So for better or worse, it may be time to put the wetsuit in storage until autumn!
I’m making this quick since I’m just about to leave for L1 right now. And I’d strongly recommend you get out there ASAP as well!
Dave sent me an urgent text message with some images of the swim site from a short while ago (see below). It turns out we had a rare temperature inversion take place at our favorite swim site this morning, and it’s given us some unseasonably warm air and lake temperatures.
When it comes to trying to predict the lake conditions, I always defer to Dave’s quote, “You get what you get when you get there.” And once in a rare while, you get something so perplexing out there that you just have to “give it a shot” – as I like to say – and completely throw away your swim plan.
And that was yesterday!
When we arrived at L1, it might as well have been late November. The air temperature came in at a crisp 43F with overcast skies and a constant north wind cutting through us like a machete. The lake itself was complete chaos with both heavy chops and 4-5 foot swells that were intensifying as we stood out there. Nevertheless, we donned our gear and descended into the oblivion.
My hands were already numb as I climbed down into the mess. We had taken several measurements of the lake temperature, and the final verdict was somewhere in the 44F – 45F range, which was a significant drop from last week. This was most likely due to the agitated lake churning up the colder lower layers. Regardless, it did not present us with ideal swimming conditions.
We all stopped on numerous occasions to catch our breath and to get our bearings, and none of us could really get a regular swim groove going in the chaotic water. The combination “washing machine” chops plus heavier swells just didn’t allow for anything other than a “shipwreck survivor” style of swimming. As a result, everyone completely ditched his or her a swim plan and bailed out early at some point.
Bottom line, it was a great day for inner tubing but a ridiculously futile one for swimming. But still fun nonetheless!
Bill and Laurie, Lake Monsters #164 and #165 (congrats!)
Nick, Mike, and I made it out to L1 for a brisk early Spring swim on a very foggy morning. The lake temperature came in at 46F with the air temperature around 51F. The water, however, was as clear as an aquarium. So the lake has definitely turned over!
After the out-and-back to the beach, we did a 1/4 mile swim in just our swimsuits – much to the astonishment of all the bundled up runners (actually, Mike did 1/2 mile). Fun stuff!
Nick and I trekked over to L1 about a half hour before sunrise. It was still dark enough to see the crescent moon, and there was a layer of fog out in the horizon that made the water crib look like an enchanted castle. We waited around for the sunrise at precisely 6:58am (which was an amazing show itself) and got geared up shortly thereafter for our first out-and-back swim to Oak Street Beach of 2012.
The water came in at a tepid 46F, so I went with my fullsuit, neoprene cap, and goggles. My hands and feet were a bit chilly throughout the swim, but the sun helped take the edge off of things. And by the time we hit the beach, I was quite acclimated to the water. In fact, after we got back, I was able to do a 1/8 mile swim sans wetsuit quite comfortably.
Bottom line, if you slept in, you missed yet another amazing morning out at the greatest swimming spot on the planet!
The one good thing about losing an hour this weekend was that we got to catch more of the sunrise on our way out to the beach. And it was a fantastic one!
Dave, Nick, Mike and I met out at Tower Beach at 7:30am. And despite the weatherman’s dire predictions for overcast skies, the lake conditions were ideal for swimming. We had clear skies, abundant sunshine, and calm waters with the lake temperature coming in at a toasty 43F!
The four of us did an out-an-back swim parallel to the shore (about 1 mile total). A slight breeze picked up at the end of our swim, but we were practically out of the water at that point. Dave and I hung out in the lake for a few more minutes without our dive hoods, and it felt great to be able to dunk my head in the water without getting a screamer of an ice cream headache. Spring is coming early this year!
I decided to take advantage of the sunny, 60F weather and went out to Lighthouse Beach for a quick dip. There is NO WAY that the lake temp is below 40F! The lake is definitely warming up. Get on out to the beach!
