Once you get on the other side of the equinox, things get interesting pretty quickly!
I had to really bundle up on Saturday morning as the air temperature at daybreak came in at a very crisp 45F – a rather drastic change from last week. My understanding is that there were first frosts throughout the upper Midwest, with even light snow in some of the most northern areas of the region.
So for better or worse, summer 2018 has long since absconded the premises and is likely now lounging at a beach somewhere south of the equator!
But as is the case this time of year, the lake is still very resistant to the effects of the chillier morning air. So while we struggle to adapt to the plunging air temperatures, we can find quick relief in a balmy Lake Michigan (at least for now).
The surface temperature came in at a rather devlish 66.6F – identical to the in-swim reading. While this was encouraging, the process of disrobing in the chilly air and climbing down an ice cold ladder gave us pause at times since we still haven’t acclimated to the changing temperatures. But once we got in the water, everything was great.
I went in with my swim jammers, goggles, and neoprene cap, but I got out after a brief while to ditch my cap and just go bareheaded instead. I wasn’t uncomfortable at all, and I wanted to hold on to the minimalism of summer as long as possible. After all, there will be plenty of opportunities to pack on the neoprene in just a month or so.
Sunrise was at 6:40am, and I had to hustle back north for an 8:00am appointment. So I swam to the 1/4 point and turned around – getting in my 1/2 mile but not having to burn extra time walking back from Oak Street Beach.
But for my time commitment, I could have stayed around more and socialized as the post-swim conditions were quite agreeable. The intense and abundant sunshine really tempered the sub-50F air temperature, and I didn’t experience any afterdrop at all.
Those of you who are long time readers know that October is a crucial month. It is during this time that you can begin acclimating to the colder temperatures while still having the benefit of relatively warm water.
So if you stop lake swimming this time of year only to pick it back up in late May or early June, you will have a much more difficult time getting used to it!
Sunrise sequence
Geese conga line
In swim shots
Back home!
