Swim Report – February 12, 2012 – Encased in ice

This time of year is one of extremes out at the lake. The air is often bracingly cold. The sun can be preternaturally bright on a clear day. And if the lake is swimmable at all, it’s usually in that transitional state between liquid and slush.

We got all three this morning.

Nick called me as we were in transit and informed us that the swim area was clear but that the ladders were all iced over. After cursing myself for once again forgetting to pack a hammer, we decided to meet out there regardless and go over other swimming options.

When we arrived, Nick and I went down to the ladder he had managed to clear halfway. Fortunately, during the time it took us to get out there, the sun had loosened up the ice on the lower rungs. So Nick able to kick it all away and thus give us clear access to the lake (hooray!).

We were already suited up, so we donned our hoods and gloves and quickly trotted out to the ladder and got into the drink. Mike and Nick reached the halfway point ahead of me, and I slogged through the floes as fast as I could so as not to keep them waiting. When I arrived there, we all realized that ice had formed on us during the swim and had accumulated on our hoods, gloves, and booties. In short, the lake was slowly and insidiously encasing us in ice.

I took out my camera and snapped a few pictures. When I finished, I tried unsuccessfully to stow my camera down the front of my wetsuit without letting in gushes of icy lake water. As a result, I once again had to finish the second half of the swim with my precious core body heat compromised by a chestful of 32F water (ugh).

I made it back to the ladder a few minutes after Nick and Mike exited and took some additional camera shots. I then sprinted back to the car and began the excruciating ritual of transitioning out of my swim gear in the 18F parking lot.

And did I mention that we also had a sustained east wind just to add to the fun?

We were all quite frozen after the swim, and I had a particularly nasty afterdrop. I bundled up in multiple layers of clothing but still shivered pretty vigorously for about 15 minutes. I believe this was due to the cold water flooding my wetsuit at the halfway point. Needless to say, I will certainly have to come up with a better procedure during our next swim!

Surreal landscape