DISCLAIMER: Open-water swimming is inherently dangerous. Open-water swimmers risk drowning, hypothermia, hyperthermia, heart attacks, panic attacks, cramping, jelly fish stings, fish bites, boat or jet-ski collisions, collisions with floating or submerged objects (including other swimmers), and other calamities that can be injurious, disabling or fatal! The "West Neck Pod" is an informal association of open-water swimmers who swim "outside the lines" with no lifeguard protection, it has no formal membership, organizational structure or legal identity, and its participants, including the author of this blog, make no representations and assume no liability with respect to its group open-water swims. All swimmers who participate in West Neck Pod group open-water swims do so at their own risk. Be careful out there!

Sunday, September 11, 2011

A memorable swim on a never-to-be-forgotten day...

9-8-11 Heart above Empire State Bldg
This morning's blue sky and brilliant sunshine was itself a tribute to the memory of that terrible day, whose 10th anniversary we commemorated today....The dozen or so swimmers gathered on the beach at West Neck stood together for a long moment of silence, as we remembered those who were lost, honored those who survived, and thanked those who continue to serve and put themselves in harm's way. Rabbi ("The Rabbit") Steve Moskowitz (our resident Man of God) said a few well chosen words of hope and healing, and then we eased ourselves into the Salt for a cleansing, clearing Causeway swim.  Rob Todd had thoughtfully provided us with a brand-new floating Pod Sandal Station (thanks Rob!), so our feet were happy even if our hearts were not....We headed out to the Sailboat mooring against a rip-roaring incoming tide, which had us clinging to the mooring for dear life as we waited for our fellow swimmers to arrive, lest we be instantly flushed all the way back to the beach! Carole, Kathy and Joan decided to forgo swimming for an easy ride back, heads cushioned on their orange flotation buoys as they kicked along lazily while the tide whisked them beachward, prompting Nancy Lipira to threaten to revoke their Pod membership cards and take away their buoys...!
Rob Todd's new Pod Sandal Station
When we returned to the beach, it was still the 10th anniversary of September 11th, a day that will always feel like it happened "only yesterday," but in the Salt, and in the fellowship of the Pod, there is comfort and healing and peace....


 

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