Evanston, September 19

This morning early I am back at the beach with Joe and Ken. Parking is a bit tough that early but we found places for our three cars -- we were going our separate ways after the swim. It was light enough but the sun was not actually up when we got in the water. A predicted light rainshower had gone north leaving only some patchy high clouds in the sky, the wind was still blowing from the south west, but as yesterday the area appeared a bit choppy but waveless. The air was about 71 degrees. Unlike yesterday the water temperature was only 65, a bit nippy to get in, none of us use wetsuits, but quite comfortable once we were on our way. Soon after we got under way Joe, the least experienced of us, became uncomfortable with our route to the far corner of the wall, waved goodby and returned to, presumably, swim by the beach. Ken and I continued on to the wall. As we swam the sun came up out of the water. This is always a moving experience as one realizes that one is the last person for the next 90 million miles to the sun. After touching the wall, to make it official, if not quite legal, we swam back all the way to the near wall. Swimming upwind was rougher, it never ceases to amaze me how different the surface appears to be depending on the direction one is swimming. We figured that by now Joe had gone to work but were surprised to see a swimmer with Joe's unique stroke swimming towards us from the direction of the wall. Joe had attempted to swim out and meet us coming back, but had not found us due to the fact that we were much further out than him. The washrooms are closed now during the week, but the shower is still on so Joe and Ken showered as best they could and then went to work. I went home for breakfast. A great late season swim!