November 2, 2014 / by Steve / 1 Comment / Filed under Lake Monsters, Swim Reports
The saints sure were with us in the lake this morning!
Five of us met out at L1 at 7:30am and looked out at very dire swimming conditions. The waves and chops had subsided very little from the night before, and they were cresting at around 12-14 feet. In addition, we had 15mph sustained winds along with a 40F air temperature. After much deliberation, we decided to do a limited swim in the area just around L1 – and even that proved to be a massive challenge!
Because of these unprecedented conditions, I went with a full wetsuit to preserve heat and maintain buoyancy. And with the official water temperature coming in at 49.2F, that proved to be the wise thing to do!
Getting in by L1 was tricky since you had to time the swells or otherwise risk getting slammed back. But the real challenge, however, was exiting the lake.
Even with just swimming around the L1 area, we were forced to get out at L3 several times due to the high volume waves pushing us south and not allowing us to get close enough to L1 or L2 to make an effective exit. Given all this chaos, I got out of the lake and retrieved my rescue buoy before getting back in. This was a welcome addition back out in the lake, and it helped us conserve our energy and better time our exits.
We all managed to get out intact – although a bit cold and battered. And we received a well-deserved chastisement from some highly respectable CPD officers who were very concerned about our well being given the fact that the conditions were so bad that even the police boats could not navigate the lake.
So the next time we get these conditions, we will definitely not be “giving it a shot.”
Daybreak
Pre-swim
In the drink
Left to right – Marton and new Lake Monsters Andrew (339) and John (340)
October 25, 2014 / by Steve / 1 Comment / Filed under Lake Monsters, Swim Reports
As I have repeatedly opined in the past, the October sunrises – and accompanying swims – are often some of the best of the year…
A quite sizable crew of intrepid swimmers met up at L1 at 7:00am. Fortunately, the lakefront was nothing like last week! Conversely, we had mirror flat water, 62F air temperature, super clear skies, and no wind at all – about as good as it gets.
The initial lake temperature reading came in at 56.2F (surface). However, the in swim reading was a bit more crisp at 55.4F. Still, with the overabundance of sunshine and calm lake conditions, it was a pretty easy out-and-back to the beach.
Since it’s a perfect day outside, I’m keeping this report short so I can enjoy it. And if you’re thinking about possibly getting in one last swim of the year, I would definitely check out the lakefront today!
First shot of the morning crew
Daybreak
Late October sunrise
Swim start!
Post-swim sunshine
Autumn leaves
New Lake Monsters [left to right] – Tracy (335), Margaret (336), Judit (337), Ali (338) – congrats!
Pre-swim selfie!
Sunrise video
October 18, 2014 / by Steve / 2 Comments / Filed under Lake Monsters, Swim Reports
I caught up with Nick on the walk out to L1 from Clark Street, and we knew we were in for a very different kind of swim this morning. A strong and steady wind was already hitting us while we were still 1/4 mile from the lakefront – not a good sign! And when we got to L1, it was a ferocious scene.
The aforementioned wind had created some rather massive swells – anywhere from 6 to 8 feet tall – and they had completely saturated the L1 area all the way to the bike path. We thought last week’s swim was bad, but this one was WAY worse.
Despite the raging lake, the cutting wind, and the total absence of sunshine, we had quite a few people show up. Given the circumstances, however, I strongly encouraged everyone to consider opting out if they had even the slightest of reservations about getting in the water. As it was, only a few of us got in, and most of just just swam around the L1 area where we more than got a workout in the chaotic lake.
The lake temperature came in at a surprisingly comfortable 57F. But given the strong, sustained winds and the lack of any sunshine, I opted to don my neoprene top for the first time this year – and I was glad I did! The extra buoyancy made a big difference in the water, and I didn’t lose much heat at all while in swim.
Also, a funny side story to recount – Jason and I swam out to the 1/8 mile mark and met up with Obed who had found a running shoe in the water. I didn’t think anything of it, although it did look passingly familiar. As it turns out, it was MY shoe that had been washed into the lake by a rogue wave about 15 minutes earlier! But for Obed’s vigilance, I would have had to have walked back to my car barefoot!
Kudos to all who came out on such a yucky morning. We definitely got to see Ma Nature in one of her more tempestuous moods!
Angry lakefront
Step into liquid
The view at water level
Lake Monsters in their element
Retrieving my shoe!
Tenuous approach and exit
Looking back
Haiko, Lake Monster 334
Today’s video footage:
October 12, 2014 / by Steve / Make A Comment / Filed under Lake Monsters, Swim Reports
Nine of us made it out to L1 just before sunrise. The lake temperature came in at 58F (surface) with a 56.7F reading taken in swim. In a pleasant contrast to last week, we had a rather tolerable 49F air temperature. But the lake itself was a bit of a mess.
We had some heavy chops and 2-4 foot swells to contend with throughout the swim. But even though we had to do a more rigorous workout this morning, it was well worth the effort given yet another spectacular October sunrise.
Congrats to all the Chicago marathoners!
Dawn colors
Sunrise
Waning moon
Taking the plunge
At the beach
Michael, Lake Monster 333 (congrats!)
Sunrise Video
October 4, 2014 / by Steve / Make A Comment / Filed under Lake Monsters, Swim Reports
Ma Nature threw us a curve ball with a 38F air temperature reading at 6:45am. Fortunately for us, the lake temperature came in at a fiery 61.8F. So getting in the water was easy. Getting out, however, was a painfully cold ordeal!
Ten of us met out at L1 just before sunrise. We waited a bit for the sun to peek out over the cloud bank. But none of us wanted to hang out very long in the frigid air. So we got suited up and hustled into the lake just as the sun was starting to emerge.
The lake was almost completely flat and uniformly warm throughout the swim. The sun came out in full just before we hit Oak Street Beach and accompanied us for part of the way back. However, by the time we returned to L1, we had to contend with a drizzly cloud cover that eradicated any evidence of our short window of sunshine.
As noted above, the real challenge of today’s swim was not the lake, but rather the air temperature upon exiting the water. We had to towel off and don warm layers really quickly in the winter-like air. And this proved to be quite a chore since our hands were painfully numb as soon as we got out of the lake.
Still, we had another amazing swim and got to experience the only sunshine of the day – and it was as spectacular as always!
Calm waters
Warming up in the lake!
Lake Monsters migrating south
The sun finally comes out!
Bright and sunny morning at the beach!
A squadron of geese providing directions back to L1
Beth, Lake Monster 331 and Brit, Lake Monster 332 (congrats!)
Pre-swim video:
September 8, 2014 / by Steve / 2 Comments / Filed under Lake Monsters, Swim Reports
We had a great turnout at 6:15am, and those who showed up got to experience one of the best sunrises of the year! The lake came in at a balmy 66F with almost perfectly flat conditions.
I’ll keep this report real brief and just let the images speak for themselves. And yes, you did miss out…
Sunrise shots
Swim start
In swim
At the beach
Maria, Lake Monster 329 (congrats!)
Fred, Lake Monster 330 (congrats!)
Swimmers were here…
September 1, 2014 / by Steve / Make A Comment / Filed under Lake Monsters, Swim Reports
Due to holiday weekend laziness, I am only just posting this today (Labor Day). I’m going to keep this brief since I’m heading back to the beach soon to get in one last swim of the weekend!
According to the weather forecast, Saturday morning was supposed to be touch and go with a likely chance of either rain or full on thunderstorms. Fortunately for us, we got neither while we were out at the lake. So instead of an L1 disaster, we got a 74.4F lake and relatively flat swimming conditions that made for a pretty easy out and back to Oak Street Beach.
We didn’t really get much of a sunrise during the swim since we had a wall of clouds to the east obscuring everything on the horizon. But the sun did peek out soon after we finished – just in time to enjoy it for a short while before heading out.
Once again, another fantastic morning out at the lake!
Lake Monsters pre-swim
Heading south
A quick pause at Oak Street Beach
Jared, Lake Monster 327 (congrats!)
Peter, Lake Monster 328 (didn’t get your L1 pic – sorry!)
Video of the swim start that you missed out on
August 24, 2014 / by Steve / Make A Comment / Filed under Lake Monsters, Swim Reports
It’s been a while since we had this much fog at a meetup (June 22 to be specific). But even without the sunshine, the lake was quite comfortable with the nice and toasty 74F water temperature!
Around twelve swimmers made it out for the 6:00am start time – including some new swimmers as well as some Lake Monsters we haven’t seen for a while – and we had fantastic swim conditions. In addition to a very warm lake, we had near flat swimming conditions that allowed for a very quick swim to and from the beach. And despite the limited visibility of the beach and skyline, it was quite easy to follow the wall and stay on course.
After we finished, we socialized a bit more and checked out all the “supergroups” of runners now invading the lakefront path. Thank goodness we don’t have to deal with that level of congestion in the water!
Congrats to all the new Lake Monsters!
“Sunrise”
Lake Monsters gathering
Swim start
At Oak Street Beach
Hanging out post swim!
Terry, Lake Monster 322
David, Lake Monster 323
Jennifer, Lake Monster 324
Jen and Ken, Lake Monsters 325 and 326
Selfie out by the buoy!
Video at Oak Street Beach
August 16, 2014 / by Steve / 1 Comment / Filed under Lake Monsters, Swim Reports
Even though sunrise is closer to 6:00am these days, I kept the meetup time at 5:45am so we could avoid the Air Show crowds and chaos. In the past, the city has shut down the L1 swim area for the event, so we wanted to make sure we could get in a swim while it was still allowed!
Twelve of us made it out to L1 for the pre-sunrise swim – including three new Lake Monsters. And we pretty much had ideal swim conditions with the 71.4F lake temp and almost perfectly flat water. So we suited up right away and started our swim to Oak Street Beach.
Given the calm waters (quite a contrast to last week!), it was a fast out-and-back swim – even with the extra time spent socializing at the beach. So when we returned to L1, the lakefront was still fairly empty of the anticipated crowds.
All that changed in a matter of hours, though. But by then we were long gone!
Pre-dawn skyline
Everybody in the lake!
Sunrise!
At the beach
Half moon
Swimmers heading north
Home again!
Post-swim
Sara, Lake Monster 319
Jose, Lake Monster 320
Ketty, Lake Monster 321
Today’s video compilation:
August 11, 2014 / by Steve / Make A Comment / Filed under Lake Monsters, Swim Reports
My first official swim back at L1 was a real slap in the face – quite literally at times!
With sunrise coming at closer to 6:00am these days, we got to sleep in a bit before hightailing it out to L1. Seven of us made it out, and we were greeted with an angry lake sporting 4-6 foot waves and very vigorous chops. We also had to navigate several large patches of seaweed throughout the swim. Needless to say, this all presented quite a challenge for everyone!
The one saving grace, though, was the lake temperature which came in at a very pleasant 73F. But even that wasn’t enough to keep us in the water for any extended length of time!
Sunrise
Swimmers in an angry lake
“Hell’s Corner”
Seaweed ball at Oak Street Beach
Sam, Lake Monster 318 (congrats!)
