Memorial Day Weekend: Back in the Swim!

Perhaps the initially dismal weather forecast accounted for the surprising dearth of boats on the water, but the mooring fields at Lloyd Neck Bath Club and Lloyd Harbor Beach which bookend West Neck Beach were both virtually empty throughout this Memorial Day weekend. The stone jetty flanking the far end of "New Beach" was plainly visible -- and beckoning in the distance -- and with virtually no boat traffic, an outgoing tide assuring a swift return, and "Chairwoman of the Board" Cammy to protect us and guide us safely to our destination, more than a dozen swimmers set out Sunday morning in the direction of New Beach (Scott, Kathy, Rob Ripp, Rob Todd, "newbie" Rob McCarthy, Tom Sherman, Karen, Bonnie, Marc, "Tattoo" Paul, Armand, Ken Longo, Liz and I). Those who completed the roughly 1.25-mile roundtrip (including late arrivals Gae and Annmarie) were greeted on their return by the day's first rays of sunshine, which finally burned off the granite clouds that had shrouded Long Island for days...   

Monday, Memorial Day, dawned bright and sunny, and the biggest crowd of the weekend -- 20 swimmers -- assembled at West Neck Beach for the 8:00 swim in picture-perfect conditions. The infamous "North Buoy" and "South Buoy" had mysteriously reappeared overnight, and each had their share of visitors as the assembled swimmers split roughly in half, with one group heading north to the Sailboat and the other south to New Beach. Margot, Joan, Sue Robinson, Susan McCane and her daughter, Paul Coster, and Tommy Capobianco made their Memorial Day debuts, bringing the total number of Memorial Day Weekend swimmers to nearly three dozen -- not counting the myriad swimmers -- wetsuited or otherwise -- who swam "outside the lines" throughout the long weekend.... 

Weekday morning swims resume this week, with group swims planned (weather permitting) for Wednesday (May 30th) at 5:45 and 6:30 (in the water!), and thereafter as posted on the Blog and Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/WestNeckPod).  Be careful out there -- don't forget your "Safe Swimmer" orange flotation buoys (available at http://www.ishof.org/safety/ssd.htm) and "West Neck Pod" brightly colored swim caps to help make you visible to boaters and other watercraft...!

See you in the Salt! 

(More Memorial Day Weekend photos available at https://picasaweb.google.com/101213847005616295077/MemorialDayWeekend2012?authuser=0&feat=directlink)

We're Back...!

Blue skies, flat, calm, 65-degree water, and a total of 17 swimmers converged to make this morning's 8:00 group swim a memorable opening of the Memorial Day weekend and the 2012 open-water swimming season! Scott, Brett, Eric, Marco, Gae, Ken, Marc, Larry, Kathy, Carole, Joe, Rob Ripp, Sharon, Joye, and I, later joined in the water by Rob Martell and Christine, happily suited up in front of the now fully staffed lifeguard station, where bathrooms and showers are now open and working, and above which the flag is once again proudly flying.  Even the Sailboat is back in the water, and a full dozen of today's swimmers paid homage to our good friend by making the 1.5 mile round trip --even those for whom today's was the first swim of the season!  Of course, that sets the bar pretty high for the rest of the season, so Pod members can expect to find longer distances (did I hear "5 miles"?), trips to foreign beaches (CIBBOWS, we're coming!), and nightime swims on the menu for 2012...!  For tomorrow, see you in the Salt at 8:00!

Winding Down the 2012 Pre-Season...!

With Memorial Day weekend and the official start of the 2012 open-water swimming season just a week away, nearly a dozen swimmers wended their way to West Neck Beach this weekend to experience the still-edgy end of the pre-season in 62-degree water....Joining me in the Salt on Saturday were the long-absent-and-feared dead Ken Longo, along with Joye Brown, Don Bond, and stalwart Marc Leahy, and even the evanescent Rob Martell made a cameo appearance on shore! Sunday's crew included Marc Leahy (of course!), Rob Ripp, Joan Addabo, Mike Smith, Tom Sherman, and the "other Ken" (whose last name I don't know!).  Most of us, fighting a brisk incoming tide, ventured only as far as the "white rock," but Marc and Rob (wearing only a "shorty" wetsuit) pressed on to high-five the still-empty mooring ball, where hopefully we'll find the Sailboat when we all return on Memorial Day weekend!  Group swims are scheduled for 8:00 a.m. on Saturday, Sunday and Monday (Memorial Day).  See you in the Salt!

Look familiar?

Don Bond makes his way to the water

Joye and Marc

Is it...? Could it be...?

The first wave of swimmers heading north

Don and Marc chatting it up at "The White Rock Cafe"

Tom Sherman at the White Rock

Joan Addabo at theWhite Rock

Back from "The Sailboat" (Rob in his "shorty" is as cold as he looks!)

Paul Coster's wife Lisa and daughter Rachel were there to
greet us on the Beach (Rachel will be joining us in
the Salt when school is over...!)