January 25, 2015 / by Steve / 1 Comment / Filed under Swim Reports
As I sit here on Sunday morning looking out at the wet snow and biting wind, it’s quite apparent that we sure lucked out again on Saturday!
When I arrived at L1, Marton was already out there chipping away at the ice-encased ladder. But for that obstacle, the entire swim area was about as good as it gets – flat, clear, calm, and sunny. Fortunately, I had remembered to bring out my pickaxe, so we were able to clear off the ladder fairly quickly.
By the time we actually got in the lake, the sun had emerged from behind the cloud bank. So we had a fantastic accompaniment to our swim the entire time we were in the water.
I swam pretty close to the wall and made it out to the 1/4 mile point before turning back. The first couple of minutes were a bit of a challenge thanks to the low level “ice cream headache” I had to endure with my face in the water. But after that, I was quite comfortable throughout the swim.
I made it back to L1 just as Fred and Marton were finishing up changing out of their gear. Again, having the sunshine out (along with very little wind) really made a difference once we got out of the 34F water.
Overall, it was an ideal morning out at the lakefront. And if you didn’t get in a swim, I sure hope you at least got outside!
L1 iced over
[photo credit: Marton]
Clearing the way!
[photo credit: Marton]
Sunrise!
At the halfway point
One last look back
Sunrise Video
January 17, 2015 / by Steve / 1 Comment / Filed under Swim Reports
I parked temporarily in the bus drop off lane at NAB since I didn’t want to enter the lot and get stuck with a $10 tab in the event the swim was a bust (yes, I am notoriously frugal). Fortunately, while L1 was an inaccessible nightmare, we lucked out big time at NAB…
I arrived at L1 about 15 minutes early, and our preferred swim spot was still largely iced over. The south/southwest wind was beginning to clear things up a bit, but the swim area itself was still choked with closely packed ice floes. And even if the area was clear, all the ladders were so iced over that access was darn near impossible.
In other words, even if you did manage to get in (or fall in) the lake by L1, you weren’t getting out unless you swam all the way to Oak Street Beach!
Disappointed but not deterred, I went over to NAB and climbed out past the “ice dunes” to scope out the lakefront there. Much to my delight, the area was free and clear – and even sheltered from the wind! By that time, Marton and Fred had arrived, and we found a decent lake access point at the south end of the beach.
I suited up and tested out the ice layer leading out to the open water. Luckily, it was quite thick and easily supported my weight (we had a safety rope handy just in case I “punched through”). When I eased into the water, it was waist deep – so perfect entry conditions.
The sun was already out in force when we got in the lake, and that made everything much easier. All in all, we did about 1/4 mile distance. However, this was occasionally interrupted up by some spontaneous exploration of some of the larger ice floes.
The great thing about mid-January is that the days are getting noticeably longer and the skies are not as overcast as they are in December and November. Also, despite the colder air and water temperatures, you’re more acclimated to the outside climate – so it’s actually much easier to swim this time of year.
So while Spring doesn’t officially arrive for two more months, we’re already “over the hump” with regards to lake acclimation. Because of this phenomenon, we consider mid to late January to be “Lake Monster Spring.”
The pool is open – get on out to the beach!
L1 swim area still iced over
NAB area free and clear!
Suiting up
Water level shots
Fred on ice
Today’s video compilation
January 3, 2015 / by Steve / 1 Comment / Filed under Swim Reports
The great thing about freezing rain is that it is 32F – the exact same temperature as the lake this time of year. This means we don’t have issues with our goggles fogging up during the swim!
Marton and I met out at L1 at 7:30am earlier today, and L1 was a completely iced over – well past where the buoys normally are during the warmer months. We deliberated going up to Montrose Beach, but we instead decided to check out North Avenue Beach. And lucky for us, NAB was clear!
We were already suited up (I was, at least, since Marton went sans wetsuit), so we quickly got in the lake and waded out to where the depth was chest-level. A slight but sustained wind from the south/southeast gave us a bit of a challenge on the return leg of the swim. However, I was surprised at how comfortable I was in the colder water as compared with some of our swims in December.
It looks as if I am finally acclimating to Old Man Winter!
Ladder 1 iced in
But NAB free and clear!
Pre-swim video clips
January 3, 2015 / by Steve / 4 Comments / Filed under Cool News, Swim Reports
Dave took his sister, Anne, out to our Montrose swim site yesterday were she officially earned her much coveted Ice Monster designation. Way to keep it in the family, Dave!
In-swim selfie
Anne, Ice Monster 16 (congrats!)
January 1, 2015 / by Steve / Make A Comment / Filed under Swim Reports
A belated report since I just got back to Chicago yesterday afternoon, so I’ll make this quick!
I had a chance to meet up with the Nadadores swim group last Sunday while down in South Florida, and boy was it ever an adventure! The water temperature came in at an amazing 76F, and the weather was – of course – as good as it gets. But the idyllic azure Atlantic ocean had some hidden surprises for us…
Before the swim, Diego scouted out the area between the beach and the buoy. While there were some scattered jellyfish farther out, it all looked pretty feasible at first. So we waded out past the breaking waves and started to swim south parallel to the shore.
We were about 10 minutes into the swim when we started to run into denser and denser clusters of jellyfish. I was able to dodge them all thanks to the added buoyancy of the salt water. But we soon arrived at a veritable jellyfish wall that was completely impassible.
We turned around and headed back the same route. However, more and more jellyfish had floated in with the surf and now greeted us in our previously clear swim route. Once again, I managed to contort myself around them and avoid any tentacles, but I didn’t want to press my luck any further.
So in the end, even though it was a short swim, it certainly made up for it in intensity!
A big shout out to Diego and the other Nadadores. I hope to see all of you again soon!
Swim start
Moon jellyfish (sorry for the bad shot – I was moving away pretty quickly when I took it!)
Pre-swim (pre-jellyfish) video
December 20, 2014 / by Steve / 1 Comment / Filed under Swim Reports
Five intrepid swimmers turned out to get in one last swim before the end of autumn. And lucky for us, Ma Nature gave us great conditions!
The lake came in at a crisp 34F – almost the same as the air temperature. And just like last week it was perfectly calm. So it was relatively easy to manage in full neoprene (after the initial shock of the cold water surging into our wetsuits, that is).
We all swam out about 50 meters past the orange post (around the 1/4 mile mark), so we got in a good 1/2 mile in the calm but bracing lake. As usual, the only real areas of discomfort were our fingertips. My Dry Five gloves worked okay during the swim, but I’m starting to think that I may need to get a new pair come January (OWC donation hint).
There were two significant milestones this morning. First, Nick is moving north to Milwaukee and will not be a regular at L1 for a while. Quite a bummer, as we will surely miss him!
Second, by getting in a 1/2 mile swim in sub-35F water, Fred secured a much-coveted Ice Monster number. So he is now #15 in that elite group!
So as you can see, despite all the challenges that come with being on the verge of the Winter solstice, you still have no excuse for not coming out!
Ice Monsters gearing up
Nick’s final L1 descent (for a while at least!)
Heading south!
Post-swim champagne
A surprise visit from Eddie
So long, Nick!
December 13, 2014 / by Steve / Make A Comment / Filed under Swim Reports
The winter power trio (Marton, Fred, and yours truly) met out at L1 at 7:30am to get in a swim while the weather held out. Unlike last week, we had quiet and calm conditions – both inside and outside of the lake.
The air temperature was the real star this morning coming in at a fiery 42F. The lake, quite surprisingly, measured almost 37F – a slight uptick from last week. But best of all, we had no wind and a perfectly flat lake!
Given this fortuitous set of weather conditions, I opted to forego the full suit in favor of just my hood, gloves, booties, jammers, and short sleeve thermo rash guard. I also wore a pair of neoprene shorts – having learned a valuable lesson last year that one must adequately insulate all extremities (you figure it out…).
I won’t mince words. The first two minutes in this set up were pure torture on my uncovered arms and legs. And while the thermo shirt did offer significant protection, it was by no means as insulating to my core as neoprene!
Nevertheless, I pounded through the pain and eventually reached an equilibrium point where the frigid lake no longer bothered me. I went out to the orange post, which is almost exactly 1000 feet from L1 per Google Earth, before heading back. So in total, I got in just under 40% of a mile in these ideal swim conditions.
As usual this time of year, we didn’t dither around after getting out of the water. I changed into my winter clothes as quickly as possible and trotted back to my car to crank up the heat. Fortunately, I was able to find a spot on the first street west of L1 – so I managed to save $10 as well!
Morning skyline
December beach party!
Pre-swim video
December 7, 2014 / by Steve / Make A Comment / Filed under Swim Reports
Fred, Marton, and I met out at L1 and got in some lake time on this blustery December morning. The air temp was a crisp 37F with a constant east wind that nipped at our fingers whenever we took off our gloves. Given the roiling lake conditions, I wasn’t able to get a thermometer reading by the ladder. But I’m estimating it was around 35F.
We suited up right away and got in the lake as quickly as possible. It was really hard to get into any kind of swim rhythm since we had both strong waves and “washing machine” chops that were ricocheting off of the side wall. But we did manage to get in a little over 1/4 mile – although certainly not in any straight line!
All in all, another great day at the beach!
Sunrise
December skyline
A belligerent lake
Pre-swim video
November 22, 2014 / by Steve / 2 Comments / Filed under Swim Reports
A hardcore crew of seven swimmers met out at L1 for our first unofficial winter swim this morning. I say unofficial because winter technically doesn’t begin for another 29 days. But if you were out there today, you would have had a hard time convincing anyone it was anywhere near autumn!
After a ridiculously frigid week, Ma Nature gave us a break today with a balmy 35F air temperature. However, this did very little to assuage the impact of the bone chilling 37F lake.
We all got in the water as quickly and efficiency as possible, but it was still a real shock right from the start. I had on my full winter gear this time, and I managed to get in a half mile before my fingers started to get numb. Not a big deal – more annoying than anything.
The only real glitch, though, was a leak in the right lens of my goggle which ensured that one eye was always soaking in ice water – not fun at all. But I figured out that the edge of my the lens was overlapping my swim cap. After several tries, I finally fixed it and could go back to enjoying the swim.
Thanks to all the extra layers of neoprene, I didn’t really have an afterdrop to contend with once I got out of the water. So as much as I try to be stubborn and go sans wetsuit for as long as possible, I have to confess a renewed appreciation for being able to swim in calm and comfort!
As always, it was another amazing morning out at L1. Good luck to Emily and Andy as they relocate to Denver – and hopefully start another OWC (Open Water Colorado)!
Foggy morning
Cold start
Water-level shots
Post-swim recovery
Today’s video!
November 15, 2014 / by Steve / Make A Comment / Filed under Swim Reports
The hourly forecast for today showed clear and sunny skies from 7:00am to 9:00am – and for once the meteorologists were spot on!
Five of us gathered out at L1 at 7:30am. The sun had risen 30 minutes prior, but I wanted to make sure it was in full blaze once we entered the water given the outside weather conditions.
Despite the abundant sunshine, we had to contend with a 21F air temperature and a lake that read 42.7F. The latter was the surface temp – I’m estimating that the in-swim water was around 40F tops!
I went with almost full body neoprene – a wetsuit top along with gloves, cap, and foot covers – with only my lower legs and neck exposed. It was a bit of a painful first five minutes, but I was able to acclimate by that point thanks to the perfectly calm water and absence of any wind.
Since I felt like I was “cheating” with all that neoprene, I decided to swim the full out-and-back mile this time. While it was certainly doable, I was completely spent by the time I returned to L1. I haven’t been swimming that distance regularly – so I was a bit out of shape! Plus, even with the extra layers, the cold really sank into one’s bones.
Post-swim was a real challenge. Since I was moving really slowly, I opted to keep on my wetsuit top and jammers and just put on layer after layer in an effort to stave off the inevitable afterdrop. And that turned out to be the best idea since it hit me with full force once I got back to my car!
Once I started the engine, I cranked the heat to full blast and rode out the worst part of the shivering. All in all, it was a good half hour until I “broke through” to the calm at the end of the storm (ugh).
But even with this temporary discomfort, it was well worth getting out to the beach on one of our very rare sunny mornings this time of year!
Long shadows
Crazy sunshine
Our own private skating rink!
Pre-swim scene
This morning’s video
