February 24, 2014 / by Steve / Make A Comment / Filed under Swim Reports
Last week’s warmer air temperatures and high winds proved to be an effective one-two punch against all the ice wedged against the shoreline. By the time the weekend arrived, the lakefront was no longer caught in some Shackeltonian nightmare. So we had plenty of open water available for our swimming pleasure.
Mike and I met up at L1 with Martin and Elina. We got suited up pretty quickly since our hands were starting to really feel the sting of the 12F air temperature. The Ochoa brothers stopped by during their run, and we chatted with them while we geared up. Truth be told, I felt sorry for them since I was about to jump into a lake that was almost three times as warm as what they had to run in!
I kicked away a light glaze of ice off of the bottom rung of L1 and dived down into the water. Just like last week, the swim area was a veritable aquarium. I took several shots and video clips while Martin and Mike got in the lake. Mike had some issues with his wetsuit zipper and had to make a quick exit to fix things. While he stepped out, Martin and I headed south towards the beach.
I made it past the 1/4 mile mark before I ran into a layer of ice chunks hugging the wall. I pressed on, but they got worse the farther south I swam. I turned around and made a wider arc farther out into the lake to get into the ice-free areas. Martin and I started to swim back and had to do a double take when we saw two Chicago police vehicles idling on the lakefront path right by L1. Undeterred, we swam back to the exit point.
Mike joined up with us in the water shortly thereafter, and we heard one of the police officers yell out “Have fun!” before driving away north on the path. I climbed out briskly and began the painful ritual of changing out of my swim gear in our “open air locker room.”
I finished my third cup of hot tea and was very pleasantly surprised to see Lisa and Ted with and their magnification beagle Louis. Seeing familiar faces like theirs out at the lakefront always reminds me of the warmer months. And almost as if on cue, the sun finally peeked out from behind the clouds.
It’s always summer out at L1…
The pool is open!
Ice free at L1
Wardrobe malfunction
Crystal clear
Elina getting shots of the swimmers
Today’s dramatis personae
In-swim video
February 15, 2014 / by Steve / Make A Comment / Filed under Swim Reports
Encouraged by Jeri-Lou’s FB post yesterday reporting that the ice had cleared around L1, Nick, I, and Nick’s father-in-law Jim made the jaunt down to our favorite swim site and met up with Martin who had already arrived by bike. We were excited to see several ice-free patches close to the shore, but we had to do a little work on the ladder to ensure that we could actually get in – and out – of the lake easily!
After chopping away at the ice around the bottom rungs with my trusty pick axe, I managed to clear an entry point. And while there were still some significant ice sheets close to shore, the northbound current was slowly pushing them away from the wall and creating a very convenient swim lane for us.
Martin and I got in first and carved a channel through the remaining ice sheets out to the open water. As luck would have it, the water was perfectly calm and almost surreal in it’s clarity. Plus we had the added benefit of clear skies and very intense sunshine that helped take the edge off of the 12F air temperature.
I stopped at several points during the swim and took several shots and videos of the lake and the skyline. In the meantime, however, Nick had raised the stakes altogether by doing several laps in the lake without his wetsuit. So we just could not let that go unchallenged…
Martin and I got back in the water sporting just our hoods, gloves, and boots – much to the astonishment of some early morning runners on the lakefront path. Truth be told, I bailed out pretty quickly. But even a very short swim in these amazing conditions was an absolutely wondrous experience.
Hope to see some more of you out there come Spring!
The swim lane is open!
Navigating the ice sheets
Nick getting ready
Floating in space
A closer look at the lake bottom
Beneath the ice
Martin finishing the wetsuit part of his swim
Nick drying off in the open air locker room
One last look back at the “aquarium”
In-swim video (with underwater footage)
Ice Monsters in action
February 3, 2014 / by Steve / Make A Comment / Filed under Swim Reports
We were hoping to get in a swim on Sunday out at L1, and the swim area looked pretty promising from a distance. While the rest of the lake was iced over to the shore, there appeared to be a clear swim area close to the side wall near the ladders. However, once we got right to the edge of the lake, it was pretty apparent that the swim area was still one big skating rink.
Disappointed but not deterred, we relocated up to MSW in the hopes that the west/southwest wind had blown the ice layer out at that site. Upon arrival there, we were quite elated to see a vast expanse of calm and clear water about 15 feet past the ladders. But we still had to contend with iced over ladders and a thicker-than-expected ice layer hugging the entire shoreline.
We scoped out several possible entry points and eventually decided on one that looked the most promising. With the help of my trusty pick axe, I was able to clear away enough the ice from the ladder to ensure that we could get in and out easily. I then suited up and climbed down into the lake to work on the intransigent ice layer.
For the first couple of feet, it was easy to smash through it with my gloved hands. However, the ice sheet was thicker and stronger past that point, and I had to climb on top of it and use my body weight to break through it. Fortunately, this only took a few minutes.
Nick decided to do a quick dip sans wetsuit close to the ladder, while I went out for a more extended one out past the ice layer. We both agreed that the water at MSW was the clearest we had ever seen it. I did about 1/8 mile and could easily have swam much more, but we were already short on time after squandering a good 30 minutes at L1.
Still, despite only getting in brief swim, it was nevertheless a very pleasant one. With the calm waters and abundant sunshine, even the 14F air temperature was quite tolerable. So we are definitely acclimated to winter at this point!
P.S. Big thanks to Elina for showing up on such a brutally cold morning to photograph our follies and exploits!
L1 and the skyline
Tools of the trade
Nick scoping out the swim area
Nick and Elina at the MSW site
Video at L1:
January 14, 2014 / by Steve / 1 Comment / Filed under Swim Reports
Martin and I met down at MSW at 9:00am, and the swim area was an absolute nightmare. The south winds had pushed all the ice floes against the wall, and the ladders were all iced over and completely inaccessible.
On a long-shot bet, we decided to relocate to L1 to check out that swim site. The good news was that the L1 swim area was completely clear. The bad news was that L1 itself was completely encased in ice as well.
Given this very frustrating dilemma, there was only one thing to do – break out the hammer(s) and get to work!
I started at the top of the ladder and managed to clear the top half of L1. By that time, the sun had intensified and the ice was starting to get slushier. I was soon able to clear a path to the edge of the wall so I could begin clearing the ice between the rungs going down to the water level. It was very slow going, but things started to really progress once the both of us were on the job.
Finally, after more than 20 minutes of hammering, Martin and I managed to clear off enough ice so we could safely enter and exit the lake (success!). We were already pretty heated up from all the hammering, so getting in the lake was actually quite a relief!
All in all, we swam halfway to Oak Street Beach before turning back – about 1/2 mile total. Even in the distance, we could tell that Oak Street Beach itself was not accessible due to ice. So L1 was really the only way in or out of the lake.
Below are the pics and video clips. Wish you all had been out there with us!
The mess at the Montrose South Wall
The mess at L1
Martin working on clearing the rungs
Success!
Victory laps
Post-swim Ice Monster recovery area
Video compilation
December 26, 2013 / by Steve / 1 Comment / Filed under Swim Reports
For the first winter swim of 2013, I decided to hightail it on down to the south wall at Montrose Beach. And that turned out to be the best possible spot given a very vigorous east wind that made most of the lakefront unswimmable.
The lake temp came in identical to the air temp – both at a brisk 33F. Fortunately, the ladders were clear of ice, so getting in and out was no challenge at all.
It was just me initially, so I climbed down into the water and started swimming east with the current. Shortly after, Martin showed up and joined me in the lake.
We swam westward into the current for about 1/4 mile before heading back. Although we had some decent sized swells, they were pretty easy to navigate since we were nowhere near the shore area where they were breaking.
I got out as soon as my fingertips started to get uncomfortably cold. After I changed out of my neoprene, I went back to the lakefront just in time to see Martin do a quick swim without a wetsuit. Kudos to him, but I’ll wait until next time!
Swim entry point – complete with my morning coffee
Martin arrives!
In-swim shot
Foggy vista
Blue skies – for an instant
Martin in the lake for an encore
Back on dry land
Swim video clips!
December 15, 2013 / by Steve / Make A Comment / Filed under Swim Reports
We’ve officially hit the “slush zone” out at the lakefront. The lake temp came in at a crisp 32F/33F – far warmer than the 17F air temperature. And it’s still not even winter yet!
Anyway, after debating the best way to navigate the Arctic-like ice masses on the shoreline, Nick, Mike, and I were able to get in a 1/4 mile swim before having to turn back.
Once again, the only factors limiting our time out there were the cold on our fingertips and the pack ice that we ran into (literally) at the half way point. Otherwise, we could have been out there for hours!
Deliberating the entry point
The gateway
Nick and Mike at the swim start
At the half way point – and in the giant Slurpee!
A casualty of the ice!
Today’s video compilation
December 13, 2013 / by Steve / 1 Comment / Filed under Lake Monsters, Swim Reports
Dave and Mike met up with new Lake/Ice Monster Helen earlier today out at Tower Beach. Helen first gave it a whirl in her wetsuit, but then decided to forego the neoprene altogether for a 5 minute swim – which probably felt like an eternity in the 33F lake!
Regardless, since you got in a swim in the sub-35F zone, you’ve earned your Ice Monster stripes, Helen!
Helen, Lake Monster 283 and Ice Monster 13 (congrats!)
Dodging the ice
Helen and Dave post-swim
Swim video
December 1, 2013 / by Steve / Make A Comment / Filed under Swim Reports
Dave and I met out at Tower Beach this morning for my first sub-40F swim of the year. The lake temp came in at a crisp 38F, and the weatherman lied to us about the calm conditions – it was pretty choppy! Nevertheless, we got in a quick swim, and I got to test out my new gloves. Fortunately, they held out this time!
Tower Beach
Dave post-swim
Yours truly with the “winter crate”
This morning’s video:
November 3, 2013 / by Steve / Make A Comment / Filed under Swim Reports
Five of us met out at the lakefront for our first swim of November. The air temp was a biting 36F, but we had clear skies and no wind – a good sign. We were all expecting the water temperature to come in at around 48F, but instead it produced an amazing 51F.
As with last week, I decided to do only a 1/2 mile. The entry at Oak Street Beach was as bracing as ever, but I had the sun on my right the entire slog back to L1.
None of us dawdled much after getting out of the water. We packed on layers and drank lots of hot beverages while running in place and shaking out our arms and legs in a futile attempt to stave off the afterdrop.
But it was all worth it, as you can see by the pics!
November sunrise
Long shadows
Post-swim
Another bright and clear autumn morning!
Pre-swim video:
October 27, 2013 / by Steve / Make A Comment / Filed under Lake Monsters, Swim Reports
We’re still above 50F in the lake, folks! The air temperature, though, was a different story at a rather arctic 35F…
A resilient group of Lake Monsters met out at L1 at around 7:15am – just in time to catch a dazzling sunrise. I want sans wetsuit this time and decided to only do a 1/2 mile from the beach back to L1.
The 50.5F lake was a bit of a shock at first, but I was fine after about two minutes. I did cheat a little with some petroleum jelly slathered rather liberally on my neck and torso, but it most certainly did take the edge off of the cold during the swim.
After the swim, there was the predictable afterdrop which creeped in after about 10 minutes. But I had some strong coffee – and some intense sunshine – that managed to keep that beast at bay for the most part.
Hope to see more of you out at the lake soon!
Fall colors
Sunrise!
Lake Monsters pre-swim
Mike and Jane, Lake Monsters 281 and 282 (way to go!)
Sunrise video!
