Monday, September 26, 2011
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
lane 6 grandbaby
Cuteness, thy name is Siena.
Contact Rokky to get in line to play with her in August!
Contact Rokky to get in line to play with her in August!
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
Girl Power
A relay team of 6 female swimmers successfully swam 30 miles from SF to Farallon Islands on saturday in less than ideal weather conditions. They are the second team ever to attempt and finish this epic swim, and the first ones to accomplish it in first attempt. Check out their video here.
Here is a write up by Cathy Delneo from SERC, one of the relay swimmers.
___________________
On May 22nd, I saw an e-mail to the South End Rowing Club Google Groups from Vito Bialla. Kim Chambers was looking for five women to join her on a relay from the Golden Gate Bridge to the Farallon Islands on June 4th. I thought about it for about a nanosecond, then decided I was in - if they'd have me. I had fantasies of swimming to the islands every time I glimpsed them on the horizon. I'd looked at the map of the relay swims in the day room at the South End and read about the various attempts of relays and solo swimmers. I needed to do this. I got in touch with Kim and was thrilled to hear that she had a place for me on her team. My dream of swimming to the Farallon Islands was about to be a reality.
Telling my family was out of the question. And really, telling ANYONE seemed a little misguided. I mean, I've been bitten by a shark already. And people at the South End really like to give advice. I really didn't want to hear any negative input. I didn't want to hear that people were worried about my motivations, or worried that I might freak out if I saw something in the water. I didn't want my family's tears or drama. So I told very few people and just laid as low as I could, trying to get to the morning of the swim with as little drama as possible.
One week before the swim, Melissa King, Kimberly Chambers, and Laura Vartain Horn, and I met with Vito, Phil Cutti, and SF bar pilot Drew Aune and went for a swim five miles out in the ocean. The brought us five miles out past the gate, we jumped in and swam for an hour. Phil and Drew jumped in with us for the last fifteen minutes. To swim out in the ocean was amazing. The sea was choppy, there were big swells, but I didn't even notice that. I just felt so thrilled at the chance to swim out there. Not along the shore, not in the bay, in the ocean. I felt like I felt the first time I went to the beach as a kid. There were these waves and an amazing amount of motion and this vitality. It was amazing to think that this ocean is out there all the time and we barely even scratch the surface of it. We mainly swim at the edges and in protected places. I was hooked. I knew I had made the right decision.
After that practice swim, things started moving really fast. Kim gathered a full team of six female swimmers – Patti Eckert Baurenfeind, Laura Vartain Horn, Lynn Kubasek, and me. We started communicating about the swim a bit through email and it seemed like it would really happen. Vito had told us that the crew would make the call on Tuesday or Wednesday about whether the conditions would be good enough for our swim. Wednesday came and it was still a go. This swim was going to happen.
On Saturday, June 4th, we met at the Sequel at the San Francisco Yacht Club at 4 am. Vito Bialla was our pilot for the day, Dave Holscher our official observer, and Patrick Horn was the support crew. We loaded up the boat and left for the Golden Gate Bridge. Patti jumped in the water at 4:50 am, into a raging flood. The small blue light on her goggle strap seemed to zip through the water with impossible speed. Within only ten minutes she was nearing Point Bonita. We were headed out to see faster than I could have imagined.
I got ready to swim. Suit, check. Cap, check. Goggles, check. Blinky light, check. I don't remember being nervous, just so excited that I was really doing it, really swimming in this relay. While Patty was swimming I heard Vito say that the bar pilots were having trouble boarding freighters out at the sea bouy. I heard him say something about possibly lowering our expectations a bit, that the weather might prevent us from completing the swim. For me, the chance to swim even one leg of the relay was an amazing opportunity. I hoped we'd go all the way, of course, but felt grateful just to get the chance to swim in the open ocean.
I don't remember much about my first leg. It seemed to go so fast. The conditions at that point were pretty rough – it was raining and grey. Everything looked the same. I felt like I was moving really fast but had no landmarks to gauge my progress. When I got out I heard people saying I'd gone 4.5 miles in one hour! The current was helping us toward our goal.
Laura went in the water and looked strong. She was so consistent. I went below deck at that point. I got dressed in the tiny bathroom, falling into the door and the walls again and again as I struggled with my long underwear. I put on my down parka and collected my sleeping bag. Then I got my recovery drink ready and made my way back to the cabin. I chugged the recovery drink and sat happily in my sleeping bag for about 15 minutes. Suddenly I was sick. Really sick. Running to the rails sick. I stayed that way for the rest of the boat trip.
Meanwhile, the swim continued. Melissa King, Kim Chambers, and Lynn Kubasek got in. Each did some solid swimming, consistently moving us forward toward the islands. It felt like we were flying on that first rotation. Every report of how far we'd traveled seemed impressive. But we knew that the tide would turn soon, and things would slow way down, which they did.
The energy on the boat was great. I was sick as a dog, but couldn't stop smiling. It was hard to open my eyes without feeling more nauseous, but I didn't want to miss out on the fun, either. I remember hearing Kim, Patti, and Melissa shouting and cheering and being able to throw in an occasional, “wooo!”
By the time that Patti got back in for her second leg, the water wasn't moving in our favor anymore. She swam beautifully, strong and smooth. And then it was my turn again. Somehow I knew that when I hit the water I would no longer be seasick so was looking forward to getting off the boat. I hadn't been able to keep any food or drink in my stomach, so I tucked a chocolate Gu in my suit before I jumped in. I fed part-way into my leg and felt a burst of energy. The waves seemed bigger during the second leg, and I was just focusing on covering as much distance as I possibly could. I saw jellyfish well beneath me that seemed to be orange and purple and almost glowing. They weren't big ones, just discs the size of my hand. I realized how much deeper into the water I could see - how clear the water was in comparison with my first swim. When I got back onto the boat I heard from the others that porpoises had been swimming just behind me and had even passed under me while I swam! It seemed like such a good omen.
Then, during Laura's second leg, I heard Dave shout, “A whale!” A large whale had been spotted not far from Laura! Another good sign. At some point I realized that I might feel better if I went out onto the deck and felt the wind. I hopped out in my sleeping bag and wedged myself into place on a bench. I remained there for the rest of the journey, save my final leg.
The women kept swimming. During Lynn's second leg patches of kelp appeared out of nowhere. One held a large jellyfish that looked like a sea nettle. She navigated around them smoothly. When she got back on board the boat, she said that she had been thinking about the kelp she swims along in southern California longingly – and then there it was.
We were getting closer to the islands, and the grey skies had turned sunny. By the time I reentered the water for my third leg, the sky overhead was blue. Despite the sunny skies, the conditions continued to remain treacherous. When we started our third round of swimming, the swells were 15-20 feet and were breaking on the boat and swimmers. And we were facing a bit of a problem. Lynn was really sick. She had come out of the water cold and vomiting after her second leg. We had about 6 miles to cover, and were only progressing a little less than a mile for each hour of swimming due to the tough conditions. We weren't sure if Lynn could safely swim again. We didn't want to have to ask her to swim again because the pressure seemed so great. Everyone ratcheted up their game.
Before I got into the water, Dave told me that he felt I needed to eat more Gu. He knew I hadn't kept down any food or water and was probably running low on fuel. He had seen how my pace picked right up after the Gu in my second swim. He thought one Gu before getting in and then two during the swim was a good idea. I had never tried to consume that much sugar in my life, but realized that if I didn't, I would probably not have the energy necessary to do my best.
During the half hour leading up to my final swim I had another big decision to make. The rules for the Farallons are the same as for the English Channel EXCEPT that the swimmers can wear neoprene caps. I'd never thought I would put one on. I never wear a neoprene cap. NEVER. But that extra warmth might enable me to go just that much faster. Going a tiny bit faster might mean getting just a little closer to the islands. But I also realized that if I wanted to give my best performance for the team, I'd need to lose my pride. I asked Dave, who had been on the first Night Train team to make the crossing, if Darrin Connolly had worn a neoprene cap. Darrin's a swimmer that I respect and admire. I figured if he wore the cap, I could justify it. Dave said yes, that for his last leg, Darrin had a neoprene cap on. I put my hand out and Kim put her cap in it. No question about it, I was going to use every tool I had to get as close to the islands as I could during my swim.
I ate as much Gu as I could without being sick, then jumped into the water. During my swim I stopped twice and had Gu each time. Aside from that, I swam as fast as I could possibly swim. It is impossible to know how my swim truly went. But I perceived that I was sprinting for the entire hour. During that last swim, the water seemed more clear. I felt that I could see things even further below me than in the prior swims. During that last swim I got spooked twice. The first time, I was swimming parallel to the boat but a little behind it because it had turned to face a wave. It felt like something grabbed my foot, almost like a human hand gripping me for a second. I kicked it off, and yelled to the people on the boat. I swam up close to the boat, refocused, and just kept swimming. Not long afterward I saw something grey below me. It seemed big but deep under me. I'm not sure if it was a porpoise or something else, but whatever it was, it was going the same direction as me and didn't seem interested in meeting up. I knew I needed to keep making progress, so I closed my eyes and just told myself to keep swimming. When I reopened them it was gone.
I got out of the water feeling like I'd really done my best. And each of the women after me did the same thing. They just kept digging deep. They remained focused on our goal and continued to move us closer to the island. And it worked. When Kim jumped in for her third and final leg, we were pretty sure she would touch the buoy. How fitting – this crazy, amazing girl who had brought us all together was the one to bring it home. Kim is such a happy swimmer. She yells “woo!” during her swims to express her excitement and keep motivated. She smiles when she breathes. But during her last leg, she looked so determined, so focused. The sun was going down, and she was plowing ahead toward the islands.
As we approached the Farallons, it was hard not to think about shark's teeth. The islands stick up out of the water, all nasty and scraggly. The one island that doesn't look like a shark's tooth looks like a tombstone. There might be a more ominous place on this planet, but I'm not sure I want to see it. The sun disappeared completely, and a tiny sliver of moon was visible in the sky. Everything was dark. We could hear birds crying and seals and sea lions barking. Kim kept swimming, but couldn't see the buoy. She yelled to the boat and Vito turned on the spot light. Birds flew into the light and I wished he'd turn the light back off. What if it attracted animals in the water in the way it drew the birds? I breathed a sigh of relief as the light went off again. Kim yelled for the light a second time. We yelled to keep going straight ahead, she was almost there. The light was turned on as she approached. She kissed her hand and touched the buoy. Then quickly back to the boat. When she was back aboard, we all breathed a sigh of relief. We'd made it safely. Then we started grinning and shouting – we did it!
Two days later, I still can't get my head around this swim. I saw the islands from the Sunset District again yesterday. They're so far away. And yet we swam there. Six women swam there. And we did it with the help of people I hadn't even known two weeks before. People who just wanted to give us this chance to do something so wonderful, so epic that we could always amaze ourselves just by repeating the factual statement, “I swam a relay to the Farallons with five fierce women.” I am so grateful.
Here is a write up by Cathy Delneo from SERC, one of the relay swimmers.
___________________
On May 22nd, I saw an e-mail to the South End Rowing Club Google Groups from Vito Bialla. Kim Chambers was looking for five women to join her on a relay from the Golden Gate Bridge to the Farallon Islands on June 4th. I thought about it for about a nanosecond, then decided I was in - if they'd have me. I had fantasies of swimming to the islands every time I glimpsed them on the horizon. I'd looked at the map of the relay swims in the day room at the South End and read about the various attempts of relays and solo swimmers. I needed to do this. I got in touch with Kim and was thrilled to hear that she had a place for me on her team. My dream of swimming to the Farallon Islands was about to be a reality.
Telling my family was out of the question. And really, telling ANYONE seemed a little misguided. I mean, I've been bitten by a shark already. And people at the South End really like to give advice. I really didn't want to hear any negative input. I didn't want to hear that people were worried about my motivations, or worried that I might freak out if I saw something in the water. I didn't want my family's tears or drama. So I told very few people and just laid as low as I could, trying to get to the morning of the swim with as little drama as possible.
One week before the swim, Melissa King, Kimberly Chambers, and Laura Vartain Horn, and I met with Vito, Phil Cutti, and SF bar pilot Drew Aune and went for a swim five miles out in the ocean. The brought us five miles out past the gate, we jumped in and swam for an hour. Phil and Drew jumped in with us for the last fifteen minutes. To swim out in the ocean was amazing. The sea was choppy, there were big swells, but I didn't even notice that. I just felt so thrilled at the chance to swim out there. Not along the shore, not in the bay, in the ocean. I felt like I felt the first time I went to the beach as a kid. There were these waves and an amazing amount of motion and this vitality. It was amazing to think that this ocean is out there all the time and we barely even scratch the surface of it. We mainly swim at the edges and in protected places. I was hooked. I knew I had made the right decision.
After that practice swim, things started moving really fast. Kim gathered a full team of six female swimmers – Patti Eckert Baurenfeind, Laura Vartain Horn, Lynn Kubasek, and me. We started communicating about the swim a bit through email and it seemed like it would really happen. Vito had told us that the crew would make the call on Tuesday or Wednesday about whether the conditions would be good enough for our swim. Wednesday came and it was still a go. This swim was going to happen.
On Saturday, June 4th, we met at the Sequel at the San Francisco Yacht Club at 4 am. Vito Bialla was our pilot for the day, Dave Holscher our official observer, and Patrick Horn was the support crew. We loaded up the boat and left for the Golden Gate Bridge. Patti jumped in the water at 4:50 am, into a raging flood. The small blue light on her goggle strap seemed to zip through the water with impossible speed. Within only ten minutes she was nearing Point Bonita. We were headed out to see faster than I could have imagined.
I got ready to swim. Suit, check. Cap, check. Goggles, check. Blinky light, check. I don't remember being nervous, just so excited that I was really doing it, really swimming in this relay. While Patty was swimming I heard Vito say that the bar pilots were having trouble boarding freighters out at the sea bouy. I heard him say something about possibly lowering our expectations a bit, that the weather might prevent us from completing the swim. For me, the chance to swim even one leg of the relay was an amazing opportunity. I hoped we'd go all the way, of course, but felt grateful just to get the chance to swim in the open ocean.
I don't remember much about my first leg. It seemed to go so fast. The conditions at that point were pretty rough – it was raining and grey. Everything looked the same. I felt like I was moving really fast but had no landmarks to gauge my progress. When I got out I heard people saying I'd gone 4.5 miles in one hour! The current was helping us toward our goal.
Laura went in the water and looked strong. She was so consistent. I went below deck at that point. I got dressed in the tiny bathroom, falling into the door and the walls again and again as I struggled with my long underwear. I put on my down parka and collected my sleeping bag. Then I got my recovery drink ready and made my way back to the cabin. I chugged the recovery drink and sat happily in my sleeping bag for about 15 minutes. Suddenly I was sick. Really sick. Running to the rails sick. I stayed that way for the rest of the boat trip.
Meanwhile, the swim continued. Melissa King, Kim Chambers, and Lynn Kubasek got in. Each did some solid swimming, consistently moving us forward toward the islands. It felt like we were flying on that first rotation. Every report of how far we'd traveled seemed impressive. But we knew that the tide would turn soon, and things would slow way down, which they did.
The energy on the boat was great. I was sick as a dog, but couldn't stop smiling. It was hard to open my eyes without feeling more nauseous, but I didn't want to miss out on the fun, either. I remember hearing Kim, Patti, and Melissa shouting and cheering and being able to throw in an occasional, “wooo!”
By the time that Patti got back in for her second leg, the water wasn't moving in our favor anymore. She swam beautifully, strong and smooth. And then it was my turn again. Somehow I knew that when I hit the water I would no longer be seasick so was looking forward to getting off the boat. I hadn't been able to keep any food or drink in my stomach, so I tucked a chocolate Gu in my suit before I jumped in. I fed part-way into my leg and felt a burst of energy. The waves seemed bigger during the second leg, and I was just focusing on covering as much distance as I possibly could. I saw jellyfish well beneath me that seemed to be orange and purple and almost glowing. They weren't big ones, just discs the size of my hand. I realized how much deeper into the water I could see - how clear the water was in comparison with my first swim. When I got back onto the boat I heard from the others that porpoises had been swimming just behind me and had even passed under me while I swam! It seemed like such a good omen.
Then, during Laura's second leg, I heard Dave shout, “A whale!” A large whale had been spotted not far from Laura! Another good sign. At some point I realized that I might feel better if I went out onto the deck and felt the wind. I hopped out in my sleeping bag and wedged myself into place on a bench. I remained there for the rest of the journey, save my final leg.
The women kept swimming. During Lynn's second leg patches of kelp appeared out of nowhere. One held a large jellyfish that looked like a sea nettle. She navigated around them smoothly. When she got back on board the boat, she said that she had been thinking about the kelp she swims along in southern California longingly – and then there it was.
We were getting closer to the islands, and the grey skies had turned sunny. By the time I reentered the water for my third leg, the sky overhead was blue. Despite the sunny skies, the conditions continued to remain treacherous. When we started our third round of swimming, the swells were 15-20 feet and were breaking on the boat and swimmers. And we were facing a bit of a problem. Lynn was really sick. She had come out of the water cold and vomiting after her second leg. We had about 6 miles to cover, and were only progressing a little less than a mile for each hour of swimming due to the tough conditions. We weren't sure if Lynn could safely swim again. We didn't want to have to ask her to swim again because the pressure seemed so great. Everyone ratcheted up their game.
Before I got into the water, Dave told me that he felt I needed to eat more Gu. He knew I hadn't kept down any food or water and was probably running low on fuel. He had seen how my pace picked right up after the Gu in my second swim. He thought one Gu before getting in and then two during the swim was a good idea. I had never tried to consume that much sugar in my life, but realized that if I didn't, I would probably not have the energy necessary to do my best.
During the half hour leading up to my final swim I had another big decision to make. The rules for the Farallons are the same as for the English Channel EXCEPT that the swimmers can wear neoprene caps. I'd never thought I would put one on. I never wear a neoprene cap. NEVER. But that extra warmth might enable me to go just that much faster. Going a tiny bit faster might mean getting just a little closer to the islands. But I also realized that if I wanted to give my best performance for the team, I'd need to lose my pride. I asked Dave, who had been on the first Night Train team to make the crossing, if Darrin Connolly had worn a neoprene cap. Darrin's a swimmer that I respect and admire. I figured if he wore the cap, I could justify it. Dave said yes, that for his last leg, Darrin had a neoprene cap on. I put my hand out and Kim put her cap in it. No question about it, I was going to use every tool I had to get as close to the islands as I could during my swim.
I ate as much Gu as I could without being sick, then jumped into the water. During my swim I stopped twice and had Gu each time. Aside from that, I swam as fast as I could possibly swim. It is impossible to know how my swim truly went. But I perceived that I was sprinting for the entire hour. During that last swim, the water seemed more clear. I felt that I could see things even further below me than in the prior swims. During that last swim I got spooked twice. The first time, I was swimming parallel to the boat but a little behind it because it had turned to face a wave. It felt like something grabbed my foot, almost like a human hand gripping me for a second. I kicked it off, and yelled to the people on the boat. I swam up close to the boat, refocused, and just kept swimming. Not long afterward I saw something grey below me. It seemed big but deep under me. I'm not sure if it was a porpoise or something else, but whatever it was, it was going the same direction as me and didn't seem interested in meeting up. I knew I needed to keep making progress, so I closed my eyes and just told myself to keep swimming. When I reopened them it was gone.
I got out of the water feeling like I'd really done my best. And each of the women after me did the same thing. They just kept digging deep. They remained focused on our goal and continued to move us closer to the island. And it worked. When Kim jumped in for her third and final leg, we were pretty sure she would touch the buoy. How fitting – this crazy, amazing girl who had brought us all together was the one to bring it home. Kim is such a happy swimmer. She yells “woo!” during her swims to express her excitement and keep motivated. She smiles when she breathes. But during her last leg, she looked so determined, so focused. The sun was going down, and she was plowing ahead toward the islands.
As we approached the Farallons, it was hard not to think about shark's teeth. The islands stick up out of the water, all nasty and scraggly. The one island that doesn't look like a shark's tooth looks like a tombstone. There might be a more ominous place on this planet, but I'm not sure I want to see it. The sun disappeared completely, and a tiny sliver of moon was visible in the sky. Everything was dark. We could hear birds crying and seals and sea lions barking. Kim kept swimming, but couldn't see the buoy. She yelled to the boat and Vito turned on the spot light. Birds flew into the light and I wished he'd turn the light back off. What if it attracted animals in the water in the way it drew the birds? I breathed a sigh of relief as the light went off again. Kim yelled for the light a second time. We yelled to keep going straight ahead, she was almost there. The light was turned on as she approached. She kissed her hand and touched the buoy. Then quickly back to the boat. When she was back aboard, we all breathed a sigh of relief. We'd made it safely. Then we started grinning and shouting – we did it!
Two days later, I still can't get my head around this swim. I saw the islands from the Sunset District again yesterday. They're so far away. And yet we swam there. Six women swam there. And we did it with the help of people I hadn't even known two weeks before. People who just wanted to give us this chance to do something so wonderful, so epic that we could always amaze ourselves just by repeating the factual statement, “I swam a relay to the Farallons with five fierce women.” I am so grateful.
Monday, March 28, 2011
Senior Games
Ariel earned a truckload of heavy metals at Bay Area Senior Games past weekend at Stanford. She placed within top 3 in every event she entered!
Friday, March 11, 2011
lane 6 bargain
i called Bobby at Rinconada Masters to register for 1650 fly. Here is how our conversation went:
Bubbles: Is 45 minute cut off hard? Do you pull people out if they are not done?
Bobby: Well, we used to. But lately, there are a lot of 80 and 90 year olds that do the race. They need a few more minutes to finish. So, we relaxed the cut off for them if they are close to being done.
Bubbles: Will you relax the cut off for a 33 year old?
Bobby: hmmm ok, as long as you are close to being done at 45 minutes.
Sigh!
Bubbles: Is 45 minute cut off hard? Do you pull people out if they are not done?
Bobby: Well, we used to. But lately, there are a lot of 80 and 90 year olds that do the race. They need a few more minutes to finish. So, we relaxed the cut off for them if they are close to being done.
Bubbles: Will you relax the cut off for a 33 year old?
Bobby: hmmm ok, as long as you are close to being done at 45 minutes.
Sigh!
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
Friday, January 14, 2011
Monday, December 27, 2010
Friday, December 24, 2010
Winter Alcatraz - Rokky's account
Rokky is saddened that she cannot use the blog but alas, we have no photo to illustrate our very own Flipper’s Extreme Alcatraz Swim. Flippy slid into the water crested with whitecaps under the watchful eye of Leslie of Swim-Art and two kayakers. Joining her were two veteran Alcatraz swimmers, Alan, who was too scared to take photos, and Gary of SERC on his 700+ Alcatraz swim along with a birthday boy of 54 years. Rokky got caught in an eddy due to her legendary navigation (lack of) skill and a bout of seasickness and therefore was pulled back into the boat until we got close to the opening. However, the intrepid Flipper battled the waves for TWO HOURS (yes, two hours it was). Her strength and courage were phenomenal as she honed into the Jeremiah O’Brien with a strong ebb tide at her face. In a nanosecond of faltering, Leslie gave her encouragement by stating that she was doing quite well and Dave, in a kayak, stayed along side until the final triumphant landing on the beach.
So you see, Babes, this was no mere winter Alcatraz swim- this was woman challenging waves, tides, cold and fatigue in her quest to conquer the bay. And that she did with glory.
Unfortunately, dc did not consider this effort as a qualifier for Alcatraz on New Years Day. But as Flipper stated, “I have proven myself worthy”. And, by the way, the veteran Gary told us it was one of his 5 worse starts for an Alcatraz swim.
So as we gather together tomorrow evening to celebrate the winter solstice and a full lunar eclipse, I am sure you will see a happy little dolphin welcoming both the longer days of sunshine as well as brightening the shadow of the moon.
And Rokky will continue in her efforts to overcome navigational challenges and motion sickness.
To thee, Flipper, I salute!
So you see, Babes, this was no mere winter Alcatraz swim- this was woman challenging waves, tides, cold and fatigue in her quest to conquer the bay. And that she did with glory.
Unfortunately, dc did not consider this effort as a qualifier for Alcatraz on New Years Day. But as Flipper stated, “I have proven myself worthy”. And, by the way, the veteran Gary told us it was one of his 5 worse starts for an Alcatraz swim.
So as we gather together tomorrow evening to celebrate the winter solstice and a full lunar eclipse, I am sure you will see a happy little dolphin welcoming both the longer days of sunshine as well as brightening the shadow of the moon.
And Rokky will continue in her efforts to overcome navigational challenges and motion sickness.
To thee, Flipper, I salute!
Winter Alcatraz - Flipper's story
Ride out in small boat hiding from fumes and spray. Bump bump bump. We are going fast. Good. Less chance to get cold.
Can't get tea open. Ask sandy for help. She is already seasick and waves me off. Ok then. No tea. Suck on luna moon. Dry mouth. Gonna be fun.
Alan standing surveying scene. Quiet. Serious. I look at him questioning. White caps he says. I don't get it. We arrive. 3 min to jump. Try to get clothes off. Boat pitching and rolling. How to get in. Wind pants too tight too hard in rocking boat. Note that for next time. Hurry don't be last. I am last.
Slide in sort off. Boat yaws on top of me. Push off. Swim or be swamped. Wetsuit pulls tight. Ignore it and swim. Get away from boat. Swim. Swim. Swim. Forget everything but that. Swim. Green water. Grey sky. Up. down. Water water everywhere. Water in your face. Water up your nose. Water down your throat. Alcatraz. Gotta love it.
Breathe right and breathe water. Pull. Pull. Breathe left. Only left. No glide. Breathe every stroke. Swim up suck in air before the wave. Wave hits. Ignore it. Focus.
Keep going. Sprint 50 yd. Repeat. Hit some sea weed. Hit some hair stuff. Icky icky. Please don't let it be a dead body.
Swim. Swim swim. Stop and take stock. And repeat. check boat. Check kayak. Wait for pod. No pod. Swim for alans kayak. Repeat above a ton of times. Apppach jeremiah obrien. Hit ebb. Swim 100 strokes hard. Rest. Hey its a sprint session. Aim at bay bridge to keep line on obrien. Repeat. Again and again. Obrien now a 45 degrees to dock. Ebb in full blast. Think. Stop and think. Will I be thwarted again. No answer. Humph. swim. Green water beautiful. Sky seems lighter. At Least no sun in eyes. Swim swim swim.
Get nudged toward ebb by something. Go vertical. Is it a shark. No can't be. Must be blasted seal. Where is that boat?
Oh look ferries are working. Wide around swim. Cool. I have the bay to myself. Incredible. Swim breathe left. Missing breakfast. Just keep going. Hey you are doing great. Riiiight. So near yet so far. Well I am not cold so I guess I will swim some more.
Hey the kayak is going to take you. Keep going. Legs cramping. Right shoulder finished. Need to breathe right. Not allowed by mother nature. Going going going. 50 yd sprints become 25 yds. Still not cold.
Miraculously hit opening. Kayaker hits me with paddle. Apologies. Sure. Can I make it in. Yes just swim I am told. Whatever.
Inside cove. Make for dc. Cannot hold line. Joke around with kayaker. Make for beach at top speed. Such as it is. Standing. Waves little ones. Whoop it up at beach. Kayak guy tells me it was the worst alcatraz he had piloted and that I did well. I am happy happy happy. Get out. Hands and feet frozen. Tourists gawk. Don't care. Consider going back in and swimming around boat launch to club. Bad idea. Not sure would make it. Hurry to dc on land. Not cold. Run into Leslie, get hug and kudos. Get member to let me in gate so don't traipse sand in club house. Grab some dude to get me out of wetsuit since hands don't work. Now cold.
Head upstairs to warmth. Please don't let me collapse on stairs especially after a wetsuit swim. Hit locker room. Grab shower stuff and suck down cliff shot in shower. See sandy. You are so covered in sand she says. She must have come in earlier. Nice job I think of her swim. I got hypothermic she says. Well go back in there I tell her about the sauna.
The end.
So there you go. Not a pool swim.
Can't get tea open. Ask sandy for help. She is already seasick and waves me off. Ok then. No tea. Suck on luna moon. Dry mouth. Gonna be fun.
Alan standing surveying scene. Quiet. Serious. I look at him questioning. White caps he says. I don't get it. We arrive. 3 min to jump. Try to get clothes off. Boat pitching and rolling. How to get in. Wind pants too tight too hard in rocking boat. Note that for next time. Hurry don't be last. I am last.
Slide in sort off. Boat yaws on top of me. Push off. Swim or be swamped. Wetsuit pulls tight. Ignore it and swim. Get away from boat. Swim. Swim. Swim. Forget everything but that. Swim. Green water. Grey sky. Up. down. Water water everywhere. Water in your face. Water up your nose. Water down your throat. Alcatraz. Gotta love it.
Breathe right and breathe water. Pull. Pull. Breathe left. Only left. No glide. Breathe every stroke. Swim up suck in air before the wave. Wave hits. Ignore it. Focus.
Keep going. Sprint 50 yd. Repeat. Hit some sea weed. Hit some hair stuff. Icky icky. Please don't let it be a dead body.
Swim. Swim swim. Stop and take stock. And repeat. check boat. Check kayak. Wait for pod. No pod. Swim for alans kayak. Repeat above a ton of times. Apppach jeremiah obrien. Hit ebb. Swim 100 strokes hard. Rest. Hey its a sprint session. Aim at bay bridge to keep line on obrien. Repeat. Again and again. Obrien now a 45 degrees to dock. Ebb in full blast. Think. Stop and think. Will I be thwarted again. No answer. Humph. swim. Green water beautiful. Sky seems lighter. At Least no sun in eyes. Swim swim swim.
Get nudged toward ebb by something. Go vertical. Is it a shark. No can't be. Must be blasted seal. Where is that boat?
Oh look ferries are working. Wide around swim. Cool. I have the bay to myself. Incredible. Swim breathe left. Missing breakfast. Just keep going. Hey you are doing great. Riiiight. So near yet so far. Well I am not cold so I guess I will swim some more.
Hey the kayak is going to take you. Keep going. Legs cramping. Right shoulder finished. Need to breathe right. Not allowed by mother nature. Going going going. 50 yd sprints become 25 yds. Still not cold.
Miraculously hit opening. Kayaker hits me with paddle. Apologies. Sure. Can I make it in. Yes just swim I am told. Whatever.
Inside cove. Make for dc. Cannot hold line. Joke around with kayaker. Make for beach at top speed. Such as it is. Standing. Waves little ones. Whoop it up at beach. Kayak guy tells me it was the worst alcatraz he had piloted and that I did well. I am happy happy happy. Get out. Hands and feet frozen. Tourists gawk. Don't care. Consider going back in and swimming around boat launch to club. Bad idea. Not sure would make it. Hurry to dc on land. Not cold. Run into Leslie, get hug and kudos. Get member to let me in gate so don't traipse sand in club house. Grab some dude to get me out of wetsuit since hands don't work. Now cold.
Head upstairs to warmth. Please don't let me collapse on stairs especially after a wetsuit swim. Hit locker room. Grab shower stuff and suck down cliff shot in shower. See sandy. You are so covered in sand she says. She must have come in earlier. Nice job I think of her swim. I got hypothermic she says. Well go back in there I tell her about the sauna.
The end.
So there you go. Not a pool swim.
Friday, December 10, 2010
Friday, November 5, 2010
Friday, October 8, 2010
Sunday, August 15, 2010
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
Suzie and Ranie
This week has been very eventful for friends of lane 6. Ranie successfully swam the Strait of Gibraltar from Spain to Morocco, a distance of 8 to 13 nautical miles. She swam in super rough water, with dolphins escorting her part of the distance. Check out her story here.
And Suzie Dods swam 21 miles from LA to Catalina in 19 hours yesterday.
With both these women turning 50 this year, it looks like life begins at 50!
And Suzie Dods swam 21 miles from LA to Catalina in 19 hours yesterday.
With both these women turning 50 this year, it looks like life begins at 50!
Monday, May 31, 2010
No Moon Swim?
Hello Lane 6 Babes--I have threatened in the past to expose the true goings on of those infamously decadent Moonlight Swims and now you will hear all about it.
Last night, Sunday, brought around the first available evening closest to the latest full moon and the lunatics gathered at the Dolphin Club. Surprisingly there were few Dolphins present for the swim. But the Menlo Masters crowd held the day.
It was a beautiful evening with warm water (about 55) and a very slight current. It was flat with not too much wind. There were few clouds and no fog! The view was incredible!
We had some old regulars there, Sergei and Matthew, Flipper and Tiny Seal. Matthew's wife, MC, also joined us from Montreal and took a virgin plunge into the bay with much enthusiasm! We had a new Dolphin Club member, Ashley, who showed us some excellent swimming. Also joining were a couple of other Dolphins, Athena and a young guy whose name I cannot remember! And we were so very happy to be joined by Loretta whom we are working hard on to join us for a swim but who watched the fun with much interest and helped us celebrate our wonderful after swim dinner! And joining us as well from Bangalore was (forgive me on this name....) Depatangan.
When we arrived at the club we were all a bit confused because there was a birthday in progress and we were not sure whether the swim had occurred without us! But no, it was simply the birthday with no takers for the moonlight swim. Upstairs Gretch was chairing a photo judging contest for her Ecology class and was joined by Robin and Colin and the DC Log editor. It was great to see Gretch and she also joined our dinner. We were so happy to have her with us and catch up on her adventures!
Now the swim is a special sort of thing that despite all reports does NOT have a course designed by me nor do I provide any kind of safety!! The swimmers are on their own and typically "pod-up" and strike out as their hearts desire! Requisite costume includes glowsticks worn as ears in the style of Disney or around the neck native style. Bracelets are definitely in vogue both in the water and after the swim! Wetsuits are optional. Hot hats are definitely necessary!
A few of the girls struck out to the flag, Ashley, Flipper, Athena and MC. And then the gents, the Seal followed along a little while and took a more leisurely route that focused on the fun of the moment and chasing moonbeams closer to the boat launches. The gals overtook the flag without much ado and made a quick sprint for the return.
On the way back we rallied about halfway and made for the beach in a raucous crowd of swimming. NO, there were no other signs of wildlife in the water as any wise bay life had beat feet for quieter pastures.
Now the real highlight of these evenings is NOT the swimming though that is quite a nice little rush that will set your heart thumping. The real heart of the evening is the culinary adventure! And what a show stopper this was! Interestingly, not one meat dish was there. It was completely a vegan faire!
We had a wonderful curry and rice dish from the Seal, fab Tempeh and other vegan samplings from MC and Matthew, wine, a bit of a quinoa salad courtesy of Whole Foods, sliced fruit, potato salad, muffins, puppy chow (yummy!) and other delectible treats!We held our feast upstairs around the big old wooden table, savoring every morsel and chatting late into the night until we were essentially kicked out by Fred!! The time flew by so quickly no one had any idea that our late evening dinner had become a midnight banquet!!
For anyone who has not enjoyed the Moonlight Swim I encourage you to try it out if not for the swimming then definitely for the eating and the company. This evening was such a pleasant one and enjoyed so much by all that we look forward to the next with much anticipation!! And I do not know about anyone else but I am looking into my cookbooks already for inspiration for the next one!
So come one, come all. A fine evening beside the water cannot be beat!
Last night, Sunday, brought around the first available evening closest to the latest full moon and the lunatics gathered at the Dolphin Club. Surprisingly there were few Dolphins present for the swim. But the Menlo Masters crowd held the day.
It was a beautiful evening with warm water (about 55) and a very slight current. It was flat with not too much wind. There were few clouds and no fog! The view was incredible!
We had some old regulars there, Sergei and Matthew, Flipper and Tiny Seal. Matthew's wife, MC, also joined us from Montreal and took a virgin plunge into the bay with much enthusiasm! We had a new Dolphin Club member, Ashley, who showed us some excellent swimming. Also joining were a couple of other Dolphins, Athena and a young guy whose name I cannot remember! And we were so very happy to be joined by Loretta whom we are working hard on to join us for a swim but who watched the fun with much interest and helped us celebrate our wonderful after swim dinner! And joining us as well from Bangalore was (forgive me on this name....) Depatangan.
When we arrived at the club we were all a bit confused because there was a birthday in progress and we were not sure whether the swim had occurred without us! But no, it was simply the birthday with no takers for the moonlight swim. Upstairs Gretch was chairing a photo judging contest for her Ecology class and was joined by Robin and Colin and the DC Log editor. It was great to see Gretch and she also joined our dinner. We were so happy to have her with us and catch up on her adventures!
Now the swim is a special sort of thing that despite all reports does NOT have a course designed by me nor do I provide any kind of safety!! The swimmers are on their own and typically "pod-up" and strike out as their hearts desire! Requisite costume includes glowsticks worn as ears in the style of Disney or around the neck native style. Bracelets are definitely in vogue both in the water and after the swim! Wetsuits are optional. Hot hats are definitely necessary!
A few of the girls struck out to the flag, Ashley, Flipper, Athena and MC. And then the gents, the Seal followed along a little while and took a more leisurely route that focused on the fun of the moment and chasing moonbeams closer to the boat launches. The gals overtook the flag without much ado and made a quick sprint for the return.
On the way back we rallied about halfway and made for the beach in a raucous crowd of swimming. NO, there were no other signs of wildlife in the water as any wise bay life had beat feet for quieter pastures.
Now the real highlight of these evenings is NOT the swimming though that is quite a nice little rush that will set your heart thumping. The real heart of the evening is the culinary adventure! And what a show stopper this was! Interestingly, not one meat dish was there. It was completely a vegan faire!
We had a wonderful curry and rice dish from the Seal, fab Tempeh and other vegan samplings from MC and Matthew, wine, a bit of a quinoa salad courtesy of Whole Foods, sliced fruit, potato salad, muffins, puppy chow (yummy!) and other delectible treats!We held our feast upstairs around the big old wooden table, savoring every morsel and chatting late into the night until we were essentially kicked out by Fred!! The time flew by so quickly no one had any idea that our late evening dinner had become a midnight banquet!!
For anyone who has not enjoyed the Moonlight Swim I encourage you to try it out if not for the swimming then definitely for the eating and the company. This evening was such a pleasant one and enjoyed so much by all that we look forward to the next with much anticipation!! And I do not know about anyone else but I am looking into my cookbooks already for inspiration for the next one!
So come one, come all. A fine evening beside the water cannot be beat!
Friday, May 21, 2010
Sunday, May 16, 2010
Parkside Fun
Hello Lane 6 and friends--Today's grey skies did nothing to dampen the spirits of those who swam the Parkside mile in San Mateo. As usual it was a well run, early season swim and had what will surely be remembered as some of the warmest water we will see this year. There was no chop, no wind and only minor currents to speak of. The buoys were generally visible though due to positioning the yellow buoys provided some confusion near the end. And the coffee was hot Starbucks, free and there were wonderful complimentary snacks.
Menlo competitors were Flipper, Rocky, Jana Matena and Sandy Dutro, while the Seal served as ground crew and official photographer. Flipper and Rocky both improved upon last year's times by a good margin and were quite pleased. Jana and Sandy D. took first in their age groups so that was very happy for Menlo and a great way for them to start their open water season! Go Menlo!
The swim started with a water start and required squishing along the muddy bottom to get out there. It was pretty uneventful to the first and second buoys. The challenge of course was the long stretch along the length of the lagoon. For the slower swimmers there was a tug to the center by what was probably an ebb and so the third buoy was one that had to be watched for.
About halfway to the far end of the lagoon the age group future olympians came plowing by and gratefully did not swim over us.
The last 2 buoys at the far end were really not too difficult to sight or find but coming back to the finish there was a slight head on current so that was a bit difficult. And interestingly the finish buoy seemed actually very close to the mid way yellow buoy so that required some extra sighting.
I found the swim to be pretty uneventful except that my goggles leaked and fogged so badly that at the end I could not see. I talked to a 76 year old swimmer after the race who does not wear goggles at all and I wonder if that might be an option when the goggles fog up! Her sight seemed fine!
Anyway it was a fun morning and a great way to start the Masters open water season. Hope to see everyone at Santa Cruz for sure if not sooner!
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