Open Water Swimming Connection

5:30 AM, Simonton Lake, Indiana

There is a group of us that meet early in the morning before work to swim in the lake.

I have to admit, the first few times I pulled up to the lake in the dark and slowly eased into the dark water, with only a few distant house lights as guides, it was a bit unnerving. It is as though the water itself is black liquid emptiness.

In a way, this can help you focus on your form. As soon as you get into your breathing rhythm, there are no distractions. Siting is easy as you focus far across the lake to to other side where the green light is next to two larger lights. After a few minutes, you are gliding effortlessly across the empty, quiet calm.

At Simonton Lake, if you swim the perimeter, you will always be able to stop and stand if you want to to. For those of us swimming across the lima bean-shaped lake in a tangent to try to make it to the other side in the shortest distance, there will be no opportunities to stand once under way. It's just as well. Why break your stride once you settle into a pace.

As the dawn slowly comes up, and you are pulling through the clear water, gradually you can start to see your hands underwater, pulling back the bubbles. The light show begins and one by one the houses and trees emerge in your peripheral vision as the birds sing off the sandman.

Our morning swims are just a glorious way to start the day. It's exercise and therapy all in one. And it is never the same. There is always something new to see.

Editor's note: Dr. Keith Bell, Robert Alford, Lynne Smith, Chuck Wiley, David Barra, and Chris Derks. became the first people ever to swim the length of Lake Travis, Texas, approximately 63 miles. Swimming a six-person relay through the night, each swimming 1-hour legs in turn, they completed the Great Travis Trek in 18 hours and 35 minutes. This group was swimming to raise awareness for Swimability, an organization that raises money for the City of Austin Aquatics scholarship fund which pays for swimming lessons for underprivileged children. To donate go to: http://www.greattravistrek.com

We made it through the swim, making it to Mansfield Dam yesterday about noon! We had about a 3 hour delay for heavy lightning after we started Saturday afternoon. Total swim time was about 18hr 45min.

In the beginning, the weather rolled in as we were about to finish the 2nd hour leg. Keith Bell went 1st and Chris Derks was about 7 minutes from finishing the 2nd hour when we decided it was best to pull him and try to seek some shelter. Our safety kayakers marked the spot on the GPS unit and we headed for the boat dock where we'd picked up the pontoon boat that took us upriver from the 46 mile marker to the 54 mile mark where Keith had jumped in.

The water was too low for the 52' support boat we had, and even the pontoon boat couldn't get up the last mile. Keith had to ride up on the back of a jet ski. Anyway, as we were motoring back down river, we were able to contact the other boat and he headed up to meet us, since we were totally exposed on the smaller boat and getting soaked. We transfered people and equipment at about mile 47 and headed back up river to mile 48 where Chris had gotten out. We anchored there and waited out the electrical storms.

After the break, we got back under way about 6:15pm. The decision was made to just have the 3rd swimmer start, rather than have Chris finish the last 7 minutes of his hour. Lynne Smith pulled the 3rd leg, followed by myself, then David Barra, and Robert Alford anchored the 6th. I finished my leg just before sunset, and the clouds broke up for about the last 15 minutes before the sun slipped behind the hills. Then it was pretty dark. There was no moon and the clouds came back to pretty much blot out any star light. It made for an interesting overnight swim.

The bad weather did have one positive effect, it really cut down on the other boat traffic out on the lake. We didn't see many others out overnight. I can tell you my 1:15-2:15 shift was interesting. Like swimming in a sensory deprivation chamber. I did have a glow stick, but couldn't find the pins, so stuck it in the back side of my suit. I found out later that the kayaker couldn't see me at all. Nice. The rain had soaked all the outside seat cushions, so that made trying to find a dry place to stretch out and catch a few winks between shifts difficult. I managed to grab some floor space and sleep about 2 1/2 hours after my 2nd swim.

I was glad the sun was out for my final leg. I jumped in somewhere below the mile 13 channel buoy but before 12. The river channel must really meander back and forth over that area because I remember passing the mile 11 buoy about the middle of my swim and then once back on the boat for about 10 minutes we passed another buoy that I figured must be mile 9 at best. It turned out to be mile 7. Anyway, that certainly made our finish ETA move up quite a bit. I was certain at that point I wouldn't have to get back in for any more, so I just made myself comfortable on the boat and slipped into spectator mode. That, and ate a bunch of the food we had along. It was amazing how low the lake water level was. It's only May, I can't wait until August. The lake may be empty by that time if we don't get more rain. The Pedernales River was almost dry when we passed over it on the way out to the start. I can remember doing training swims up that arm of the lake past the Hwy 71 bridge over which we traveled, and there is no way you could do that today. All the boat docks are sitting on the shore and a little trickle of water seems to make it's way towards the main body of the lake.

Keith did the final leg and swam up and touched the dam just at the edge between the rock/earth part of the dam and the main concrete structure of the dam. It's a good thing we finished early too, because after we unloaded the boat at the park by the dam and got everything loaded into the cars it started raining. And of course, thunderstorms moved in later in the afternoon too.

The Point to LaPointe swim started out two years ago as a local fund raising event for the Bayfield Area Recreation Center. However, judging by the strong interest and attendance this year, I predict that this event will become one of the preeminent open water swim events in the Midwest – if not nationwide.

The swim course itself is spectacular. It’s a point to point 2.07 mile jaunt in Lake Superior from the Bayfield mainland to Madeline Island, the largest of the world famous Apostle Islands. The water is stunningly clear – the most pristine lake water I have ever encountered. And the mighty Lake Superior lives up to its name by providing swimmers with ample challenges in the form of bracing water temperatures and strong currents.

However, it’s the surrounding area of Bayfield and the Apostle Islands that makes this an absolutely magical event. The Point to LaPointe swim takes place in early August when the brief but glorious Lake Superior summer season is in full bloom. And nowhere do people cherish their summer months more heartily than in the far north shores of Wisconsin and Minnesota. It is a land rich in culture and tradition that’s steeped in the ancient history of the Ojibwa migration and has its “contemporary” roots in the fur trade of the 1500’s and in the timber, iron ore, and fishing industries that provided the foundation upon which America was built throughout the 1700’s and 1800’s.

Go there for the swim, and stay there for the true experience of summer at its finest…

There were 120 swimmers this year – a huge jump from last year’s count of 57. Swimmers came from as far away as Long Beach, CA to brave the channel crossing, and they got to experience all facets of Lake Superior’s mercurial personality.

The first wave of competitive swimmers took off at 7:20am under near perfect conditions. With sunny skies and water temperatures hovering around 66F, the first mile was about as ideal as it could get. Halfway through the race, though, a northeast wind arrived and whipped up the waves so much that most of the swimmers had to fight a strong sideways current that literally came out of nowhere. I myself went home with several souvenir mouth/lungfuls of Lake Superior water, but I managed to make it to the swim finish in 1 hour 15 minutes without overshooting the target.

Others, though, had a bit more of a workout…

The community swimmers took off at 7:40am and experienced the brunt of the current for most of the swim. Many found themselves drifting southwest of the finish area only to have to backtrack along the coast with the guidance of a kayaker. Still, they all gutted it out, and the last swimmer exited the water at just over 3 hours – which makes me exhausted just thinking about it!

Saturday, April 18, 2009

Travel home day. Simeon does not prefer to hug, but I always like to try, anyway. He usually capitulates, and grunts something in some ancient tongue while slapping my back too hard and squeezing my hand until all my knuckles crack.

My experience with the Air Sunshine desk at the BVI airport was interesting. The woman behind the counter told me that my 12:30 flight was now leaving at 11:30. “OK”. I said. And we would be stopping at Virgin Gorda. OK. And she did not have change for my $20 bill for the $5 airport fee. OK. And she could not find her pen to write me a receipt for the $5 charge that she did not have change for, anyway. Fine. Off to the waiting area. Same woman leads us outside at 11:25. Wait here. OK. 12:00 I wake up, having fallen asleep propped against a concrete pier in a Dramamine induced lala land. 12:30 we board the tiny plane, do not stop at Virgin Gorda, and make it to San Juan with no further incident.

I arrive in my driveway at 1:00 a.m., having stepped off Promenade 14 hours earlier. Kiss the kids, Cortney, then stare at the ceiling for an hour thinking about what a great trip this was. Have I found my calling?

How is swimming in the Tennessee River you ask? Dam(ed) good I’ll say. Thanks to the TVA and their power generating stations, the river is now a series of lakes connected by few miles of winding scenic riverbanks with pools of slow moving water between them. In Chattanooga, the river banks are lined with herons, duck nests, fishermen, running/bike paths, parks and floating restaurants (including the Delta Queen). Without the benefit of boat travel, you would generally miss much of the beauty along the river.

Thanks to the Chattanooga Rat Race organizers, you can now enjoy the benefits of river travel without the cost, hassle and inconvenience of boat ownership. For a small fee (proceeds going toward a good cause) you can sightsee and swim this lovely section of the Tennessee River at the same time. While rare, you may even have the opportunity to dodge a river barge while it travels through the area as well. Where else can you have that opportunity?

The shotgun start for the 4.5-mile swim begins at the bottom of a boat ramp just below the Chattanooga Lock and Dam (Creating Chickamauga Lake). The bottom is a bit rocky but it doesn’t last long as you begin your tangent to the apex of the first bend in the river. Kayak support ensures that you do not veer too far in any direction, but while towing is not permitted, course sighting is. No fear of dragging your feet (or other appendage) on the bottom for the next 3+ miles until you reach the end of the 3rd green on the golf course above. [Close to the start of the 1.2-mile event] As you watch from the surface, a big sandbar will suddenly come up from below. It is only with this perspective that you will note the aiding current of the river. The sand bar lasts just long enough for you to realize that the finish is within sight.

As you sight down river you see all four bridges connecting one side of The Scenic City to the other. The second (one of the longest pedestrian-only bridges in the world) stands as your finish line. Swimming through the shadow of the first bridge is somewhat eerie but it prompts the urge for that “sprint to the finish” since people now line the river bank watching you arrive. As you catch your breath and lounge in the river you will be treated to a unique (water level) view of the fabled Mississippi Delta Queen paddleboat.

Once out it’s a quick rinse in the park fountain, change in the adjacent restrooms and into an enclosed pavilion for delicious and well deserved post-race food and drink. Unique awards with local flavor are always popular for those who need additional motivation to take-it-out-hard. In the alternative, take your time and enjoy all that the river has to offer along the way.

Simeon got the Promenade moving early to get us from St. John to Peter Island for our morning swim in Great Harbor. There is a fantastic stretch of coral here, although I am concerned about some algae-like growth on the bottom. Overdevelopment of Peter Island? Global warming? Too many yachts emptying their tanks in or near Great Bay? Naturally occurring anomaly? Maybe some critter will think it tastes great, and devour it one of these years.

I am still impressed by the fortitude this group has. Even after all of this swimming, most put in about 2 miles this morning, playing on some water toys at the Oceans 7 Club for a at the ½ way point. Fitzy led a hike on Peter Island, Hank sweated out another run, and some of us tried free diving again. It gets addictive, seeing how deep you can go.

In trips past, I have always had our last swim across The Bight (a large bay) on Norman Island to Willy T’s, a floating bar. This time I decided to lead the group (actually, Fitzy led) along the Norman Island Caves, then along the shore to Willy T’s to avoid any conflicts with drunken dinghy captains. It worked well; the caves were fun to swim into, and we all wound up at Willy T’s for a few rounds of Painkillers. I spoke with Al, the owner of Willy T’s for awhile, he remembered meeting me during my 06’ trip with Hodding Carter, he sent me off with a bottle of paint thinner, I mean Willy T’s rum.

Kerry made a great dinner and slide show for us, then we had a night sail (motor) back to Road Harbor, as we had to get Amy off for an early flight. I put on my dancing bathing suit and played some dance tunes, and a few guests joined in.

Jam packed day. Wake up at Sandy Cay, swim to Jost Van Dyke, and hike to the bubbly pool. This is a frothy, fizzy part of the island where waves crash over a succession of boulders, filling a pool with clear water. I take a mental picture every time I'm there, as well as a few real ones, for later use in Maine in the middle of the winter.

Afternoon: several guests spent some time at Foxy's, others napped. Some of us did some free diving with deckhand/divemaster Simeon. Then a nice sail to Great Thatch Island. Tom went scuba diving and several of us went for a hike to some 18th century dutch ruins. Deckhand Brent led the hike, maybe "led" is being too kind, as we stumbled through brambles and cactus trying to find our destination. We did manage to get there; lots of really old bottles, a small graveyard, i'm really into that stuff. We brought back a bottle that had "R. Copper & co, Portobello". I believe this was likely a beer bottle from the portobello section of London. More research required.

Quick motor to St. John's Waterlemon Cay. I picked out a swim route that would end up at a nice little cay. I played it up by talking about how nice the starfish were at the finish of the swim; I had seen them there 6 months ago. What I forgot is that starfish move around, duh. Still, a nice swim, margaritas back on board, dinner of chicken and pasta, dark and stormys to wash it down, early to bed for most.

I really really like this group of SwimVacationers. They're easy going, but keep challenging themselves in the water. Only one day left. Urg.

I haven't talked much about this boat. Each time I come down here, I am reminded about how perfectly it suits our needs on SwimVacation. Promenade is a 65 foot long, 35 foot wide trimaran, built in England specifically for Caribbean cruising in the early 70's. It's roomy enough so that the 15 people aboard right now live quite comfortably. It has a lot more charm than newer boats, with lots of real wood and custom built furniture and cabinets. There are 5 guest cabins, 3 crew cabins, 5 bathrooms, a full kitchen, a big saloon, trampolines for napping, a huge cockpit with awning. The platform on the stern is ideal for us to swim from and for getting on and off the dinghy. She sails so smooth, especially on a spinnaker run. The spinnaker is so big I have never gotten a picture of it from top to bottom.

Just as importantly, Promenade's crew is amazing. Kerry and Bazza, who have owned and operated her for seven years (is that accurate Kerry?), are amazing people to work with. Kerry comes out of the kitchen with amazing meals and comes out of the water with amazing photos. Bazza knows the BVI like the back of his hand, and can sail the boat with his eyes closed while giving you a history lesson and soldering some piece of electronics, all at the same time. Simeon and Brent are our deckhands this week. They silently keep the boat clean, put the sails up and down, make drinks, get supplies, entertain the guests, a million other things, and help me keep guests safe while swimming.

Everything clicked today. we had a 2.2 or so mile swim in muskmelon bay off Guana island, then got pulled around the bay at high speeds on a variety of inflatable toys. a spinnaker run to sandy cay off Little Jost van Dyke, another swim of perhaps a mile, steak dinner, then a stroke analysis clinic in the saloon. I keep it really low key; anyone that pretends to know all the answers about swimming is full of beans. There's such an opportunity to improve your stroke down here; you float better, and you're swimming twice a day.

Could there be only 2 full days remaining? Ouch.

Hi. My name is Ashley Ellis and last year I competed in my first open water race ~ The La Jolla Rough Water Swim. This event takes place in beautiful southern California. The water clarity is fantastic as the La Jolla Cove is known for snorkelers and divers ~ most likely seeing seals, unique fish and even a leopard shark! I highly recommend this race for people not only locally but people who want to experience a fantastic city. La Jolla is only minutes from San Diego and Del Mar. Being the home of thousands of Tri-athletes and other elite athletes you will find people constantly enjoying the amazing weather and environment. I recommend planning your trip for a long three day weekend. On Friday night you will find TONS of people swimming in the cove while on Saturday take a hike in Torrey Pines. Also depending on the date of the race you might be lucky enough to see a Horse Race at the Del Mar Race Tracks. You will find TONS of great restaurants too all along the coast.

Last year I competed in the 1 mile where this year I plan to tackle the Gatorman. These races feature some of the best open water racers where as a spectator you will enjoy watching the race from the CLIFFS.

This morning we woke up at Mountain Point at the north end of Virgin Gorda. our morning routine consists of 2 breakfasts. the first one is continental; most of us have pb and J on toast, coffee, some fruit. then we swim. then we have breakfast again, this time made to order, lots of eggs, bacon, etc.

We started our first swim with a buoy turning clinic. this is an important skill in open water competition, and my assistant guide Fitzy does a nice job explaining/demonstrating. after the clinic, we all did a buoy turn at the same time, and it got rough; lots of jostling, all fun. the swim brought us over some of the best coral around, then to a white sand beach, then we completed the triangle back to the Promenade.

Mid-morning - back in the water to explore the Moon Pool. it's a cave with no roof that you can only enter by swimming underwater 4 feet down, then about 8 feet through a large hole in the rock, then up into the cave. Got some good photos here. some of us explored a really narrow cave nearby, the surge made a thunderous boom at the end of the cave, very dark, very loud, very exciting.

Afternoon - sailed with the spinnaker up to The Dogs, a group of uninhabited islands northeast of Tortola. I had never been here before, but quickly saw a good route for a swim. It turned out to be a little bumpy, so we swam as a tight group along the shore, snaked through a reef, then onto, you guessed it, a white sand beach. Everyone seemed quite proud of their efforts, rightly. We celebrated at Michael Beans Happy Aaarrrgghh at Marina Cay, feasted on mahi mahi, and went to bed.

This morning I kind of screwed up our swim for the second time, heading us into the wind and the sun, making for slow going (1 hour for the 1.2 or so miles) and tough navigation. but by the time we reached Cooper Island, everyone was exhilarated, to the point where 4 of us swam back (35 minutes) sun and wind at our backs.

Kerry made great hot breakfasts to order, several guests commented on the delicious omelets. Mid morning for many was spent exploring Salt Island, collecting ancient sea glass, napping was popular today (i took one too).

A quick sail to The Baths on Virgin Gorda, where we explored the natural grottos formed from massive boulders. Then we took some stroke videos for later analysis. our evening swim was an out-and-back through these great rock/coral formations. I had a great time with guest Tom; we swam like sports cars through Rome through narrow crevasses, feeling fast and maneuverable. ended at a white sand beach, saw a cute turtle in a coral garden on the way back.

Kerry made some 5 or so liquor "cool aids" that went nicely with a great sunset before presenting an excellent chicken dinner. I made a big dark and stormy for myself after dinner, then checked out the amazing starry sky with deckhand B and Fitzy. I might sleep better tonight; I'm quite sure my guests will, the group is jelling nicely.

Sunday, April 12, 2009
Big First Day

Snippets might work best.....
3:00 a.m. - wide awake after dreams about SwimVacation responsibilities.
7:30 am. - this hotel (Hilton Caribe) is posh. take a fancy rainshower.
9:25 a.m. - San Juan Airport - Cape Air terminal - even though flight is supposed to leave in 5 minutes, no
signs of life at the counter, which is typical, here. Finally, a woman appears, mumbles something, and 6
of us make out way to the tarmac. Pilot walks past us going the other way, cursing something about "the
wrong plane". We hang and watch our luggage get switched from one plane to another.
10 a.m. awesome flight over PR, Vieques, St. Thomas, St. John - I can tell from up here the winds are light.
The turquoise waters are really clear. Good signs.
11a.m. It's only a mile to the marina from the airport. should i walk? too hot, roads too narrow. take a cab.
11:30 a.m. meet with Promenade owners mostly about the next charter (SwimVacation is rolling!)

Now the fun part. New friends, old friends. 6 guests show up by noon. we have lunch, motor to beef island, quick swim. Back to marina to pick up remaining 3 guests. Now everyone is here, This is a list of all 15 souls onboard -

Kerry - owner, admiral, cook
Bazza - Captain, historian, fisherman,
Brent - Canadian Deckhand, Disco Dancer
Simeon - Scottish Deckhand, freediver
Hopper - Me
Fitzy - My assistant

Swimmer Guests:
Bill - PA
Hank - SC
Carol -SC
Amy - Switzerland
Traci -FL
Tom - NYC
Samantha - NYC
Yvonne - AK
Reneee - AK

I really enjoy overhearing the getting-to-know-you conversations. Hank built a 40' steel sailboat. Yvonne rides a snow/mt bike hundreds of miles in 20 below temps for fun. Traci is undergoing an inspiring reinvention. Renee ultramarathons. I'll get to know them all much better over the week.

Sail across the channel

Our first swim: Salt Island: Manhead rock to the wreck of the Rhone. Thought I had everything figured out until I realized we were swimming into the sun, making for some tough navigating, but we made it in about 40 to 50 mins.

This invigorated the jet-lagged crew, and we settled into painkillers then seared tuna, Oreo cheesecake. More conversation. A fun group brewing. Sleep.

We’re just a few days from the start of our next SwimVacation trip to the British Virgin Islands. We’ll have 9 guests; swimmers from such far-flung places as Alaska, Switzerland, and New York City. I have plans for us to swim in some new places – around Sandy Cay near Jost Van Dyke, perhaps from Dead Chest Island to Deadmen’s Bay on Peter Island (much less dangerous than it sounds, unless you’re a non-swimming pirate from the 18th century), and the waters between Ginger and Cooper Islands, an endlessly blue experience.

This is the start of SwimVacation’s April 2009 pass-around trip blog. I say pass-around, because I hope to pass the laptop around the boat and have SwimVacation guests and guides all participate. Failing that, you’ll be stuck with me.

I just finished my packing list. I have copied it here in its entirety. I think it shines a light on what SwimVacation is all about.

To bring:
1) Passport
2) Bathing suit for swimming
3) Bathing suit for dancing (keep checking back and you may get to see this in action)
4) Money
5) SwiMP3 player
6) Shorts, t-shirts, sweatshirt
7) 6 pairs of Goggles, all different styles, for sharing
IPod Touch
9) Go Phone
10) 2 prs Sunglasses
11) SwimVacation banner to display on the boat
12) Swim Caps – day-glo orange and green
13) Paperwork: guests itineraries, etc.
14) Ironman watch (I only wear a watch on swimvacation)
15) A hat
16) Underwater camera
17) A Monofin, which turns people into mermaids and mermen.
1 Contact lenses
19) General toiletries: toothbrush, etc.
20) Sunblock
21) Ibuprofen
22) Dramamine

All this stuff will fit in a carry-on, except the monofin, which I am still not sure about lugging along. Simeon the Scottish Deck Hand would really like to try it out while free diving, so I’ll likely attempt to bring it. It’s on loan from FINIS, a swimming stuff maker.

Clear skies and a calm sea greeted sixty-six sleepy swimmers as they awoke to prepare for the 8th Annual Bonaire Eco Swim. Ambling towards Captain Don’s for their race number markings, participants happily swilled java and water and exchanged warm, slightly nervous greetings. People from all over the world—Venezuela, Canada, as well as Alaska, California, New York, and many places in-between—gathered together in an air of anticipation and bonhomie for the 10k, 5k, 3k and 1k races. The stellar water—famous for its amazing clarity, and beauty—waited in its 82F splendor. The colors ranged from a brilliant turquoise to rich cobalt, known locally as “the deep blue”.
Not without a touch of awe swimmers jumped in for the water start, just as the clouds kindly rolled in just in time to shade the fair-skinned swimmers. Boat support, generously provided the Bonaire Marine Park and Captain Don’s, were already in place, as were the dedicated kayak support team. The air was a comfortable 83F as the countdown began. As swimmers started off towards their respective buoys, the race was occasionally interrupted by excited shouts of “turtle!” drawing swimmers off-course for a closer look. Sea turtles, giant blue parrotfish, great barracuda, and moray eels were some of the many exotic (at least to the non-locals) species that were encountered during the event. Bonaire, famous for it’s exceptional sea life and coral reefs, also thankfully has very little in the way of nasty critters, making for an idyllic swim.
Jimmy Wellborn, winner of the 10k swim, was rewarded with a frosty Polar as soon as his hand left the finish buoy. As swimmers left the dock, they gathered at Rumrunners for icy refreshment and to await the award ceremony. Afterwards, an impromptu dance party broke out, spurred on by the Venezuelans. Cave tours, a huge school of dolphin, groups swims (one to Klein Bonaire), eagle rays, a sunset snorkel aboard the very special Siamese junk Samur, octopus, seahorses, the famous flamingos—these were all part of the swimmers’ experience of Bonaire. Shared laughter while watching for the green flash at sunset cemented many an old and new friendship, as swimmers vowed to return to paradise next year. And maybe stay a bit longer next time….

Polar Bear Swim? No big deal! It’s not like we need to chop a hole in the ice, come on, we live in sub-tropical Texas; how bad could it be? Besides, there was an option. For the faint of heart the “Plunge” was a mere 200 meters. And the “Double Crossing” is less than a mile; just around the big orange buoy and back. Not nearly as bad as that 5K when you had to take it on faith that there was a buoy and just follow the other swimmers and aim for the water tower on the horizon. In this swim there was the buoy, big as life, and not too far away. No big deal. Besides, I’ve done, there was New Year’s Day in ’76 when the set was 76 x 100s.

But back to the Polar Bear Swim. On this race day, the temperature was an uncharacteristic 46 degrees and there was a blustery wind. No problem; it would give me a chance to pull out my old college sweats; you know the old fleece kind that they retired in the 70s. And besides, the water couldn’t be that cold. But then, as I stood on the dock in my Speedo (I know, nobody wears Speedos anymore, but I am an old guy!), waiting to jump in the water, I heard our Iron Man coach, Keith Bell, mumble, “I’m not so sure about this.” If old Iron Man Keith is unsure, I know that I am not! Turns out that, with the lake being very low that year, the water had cooled considerably, down to 53 degrees. Whoa!

But, in we went. I gotta admit that in all my 5 decades of swimming I do not ever remember being panicky in the water but this time I was - it literally took my breath away. This was the point at which several of our compadres opted for the “Plunge”. And this became my first open water race in which I didn’t even mind those swimmers who felt the need to cheat on the starting line – if someone would just blow the damn horn so we could start.

Then we were off and it didn’t take long to feel at least somewhat comfortable. And there began that lovely burn in my arms and legs as I stroked the water. Ok, I was around the buoy, and although I don’t do this to “win” anymore, (sure I don’t!) there were two swimmers within striking distance I just be able to catch. (I couldn’t catch them which led me to remember that I sometimes change my goals several times in a race like this.) It didn’t help at all when I discovered that the two in front of me, whom-I-did-not-catch, were women about half my age. Oh well, no need to be sexist, they were faster than I – AND they were half my age.

Finally, there was the triumph of having once again challenged my body and myself and succeeded. As I walked to the bank the water didn’t feel all that cold and they air, well, it was still that cold, but everyone was smiling and, I think we all knew that we had “won”!

Now in the old days it might have been beers on the beach to celebrate, but this day, and at this age, we were very content with, and grateful, for hot chocolate. And we did what swimmers do with a race just completed; we talked a little, lied a little and bragged a bit too.

Not a bad way to begin the New Year!