Dry Robe season is here!

 Waking up the air in my house felt crisper than it has all fall. I was so close to turning off my alarm, grabbing my 9lb dog, and throwing the covers back over both of us- but I didn't. I got up in the dark, put on my suit, and turned on the electric kettle. I couldn't find my favorite fuzzy pants. Bummer. Thanks to COVID I now have quite the selection of pajama pants, so finding a pair wasn't that hard. While putting on a fleece shirt I paused. Is today the day? Is it Dry Robe day? Yes. Yes, it is. 

Stepping outside I could see my breath hanging in the air. In the car, the thermometer read 45*F. Substantially cooler than Wednesday's 57. The NOAA forecast shows the water just below 58 at 7 am. (https://tidesandcurrents.noaa.gov/ofs/ofs_station.shtml?stname=Vancouver&ofs=cre&stnid=9440083&subdomain=up) 

Paying attention to the air and water temperatures is crucial as the fall progresses into winter because these can change rapidly and swimming when the combined air and water temps are below 100*F requires more planning. Today, combined water and air of 103 puts us just on the edge of needing to station shore support and implement winter rewarming strategies. Personally, this means one or two hot water bottles, a larger thermos of hot water, Yeti hat, fuzzy socks, and this year- Dry Robe. So cozy. 

Now, two hours after getting out I still have that inner glow and settled mind that only cold water swimming provides. Earlier this week I read an article from Outdoor Swimmer magazine about the mental health benefits of cold water. Every year some version of this article floats around the internet and each year I read them, its affirming and empowering to know that people all over the world share similar experiences with cold water swimming and their communities. (https://outdoorswimmer.com/blogs/swim-positive)

Today, a newer addition to our cold water pod swam without her wetsuit for 25 minutes below 58*. I am thankful to be part of her journey. Coldwater smiles are always great to see on folks but are especially meaningful when you get to see them on someone for the first time. So much love for this sport and our Portland community. 

Okay, peace out. Gotta do the school thing. 

💙🙌🏊

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Buoy Repair 101

Image
Pinholes, cracks, abrasions. They're unavoidable and death for swim buoys. Fortunately, they can be patched and stretch out the life of the buoy.  Unfortunately, some holes are harder than others to successfully patch. To illustrate I have patched three different buoys of different construction with holes in different places. I'll follow up at the end and report which buoys are doing the best one month after being patched.  You will need the following things to begin.  1. Dish soap & bathtub or bucket full of water. 2. Rubbing alcohol.  3. Duct tape or masking tape.  4. Aquaseal brand wetsuit cement (Try others, but this is the brand I've used for years to repair gear. It can be purchased at REI, Wal-Mart, or most marine supply stores.) 5. Something to spread it with (I frequently will use cardboard and cut it into scrapers) paper towels.  6. Patience. 7. More patience.  8. If you're messy like me: Craft gloves. Aquaseal gets everywhere and does not come off of ha
Read more

Welcome to 2024

Image
The start of 2024 marks the start of training, and planning, for Catalina Channel- both of which are epic feats in themselves and happen before I hit the water in Doctor's Cove. In talking to folks over the years people are always wowed by the swimming part, but really it's the planning and the crew that are most impressive. So, on my journey to Doctor's Cove, I'm going to bring the whole Internet along for the ride, well maybe not the WHOLE INTERNET just the handful of folks that read my blog. To start things out, this is my spreadsheet: Catalina Training  Yeah, it's a training plan/tracker and you can follow along with what I actually do to get ready for the swim. I'm working on a Spotify playlist too, if you have recommendations for pump-up songs- put them in the comments! This past November I attended Swim Camp Catalina for my birthday and got to know the water there a little bit. I swam with bioluminescence for the first time, a truly mesmerizing experien
Read more

RTAI 9.23.23

Image
Mid channel to Alcatraz  Round Trip Angel Island (RTAI) A month ago now I was walking out of the water (at about the time I'm starting this post) after swimming 7 hours 50 minutes and 9 seconds in the San Francisco Bay. The course was the famous  Round Trip Angel Island , one of the  Toughest Thirteen  according to MSF. Leading up to this swim I was a nervous wreck. This past summer was especially tough. After a successful, but painful,  Portland Bridge Swim  I had to cancel my planned  Three Islands Waldo Lake  route to focus on stroke work with  Intrepid Water  (more later in this post on my work with Shannon at Intrepid Water) and shoulder recovery. I felt undertrained and like I was still mending when my feet hit the water in Aquatic Park at 3AM on September 23. For all those feelings of trepidation, I made it through- in large part to my crew: Sue Phillips, Wendy "Pepper", Vicky Miller, and Sumner Williams; piloted by Tom "Reptile" Linthicum on the Ghostrid
Read more