September 8 Big Shoulders

After Tuesday's aborted swim I hoped for east winds. But I wasn't careful what I wished for and actually got those winds Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Yes the Lake warmed up, but up also came the waves. By Saturday morning they were at 7 feet. I don't know what the guys running Big Shoulders were thinking but they should have known that there was no way the Park District would allow the race. But BS didn't announce the cancellation until almost 7 on race day, and then only to those already at the beach.

Unfortunately Jody was out of town and not swimming so I went with Joe. He was kind enough to let me pick up the goodies, a cap, a shirt and a bag, for Jody and me but wanted to get back to the security of his health club to swim. So I had to go along. If it was just Jody and me we probably would have gotten in the water and swum anyway, at least up to Chicago Ave. Inside the breakwater it was just lots of unorganized chop, maybe 3 feet high. Some other BS swimmers I know later reported that they did an mile in the water and it was fine. But they probably swam along the wall. If BS had used their usual course the first leg would be right into the wind and probably a south bound current coming in from the breaks in the breakwater. I'm not sorry I missed that.