September 8, 2019 Ocean Swim

Eleven 18th Street Podders swam in the ocean this morning which, I believe set  the second best turn-out for swimmers (I just reviewed the July 4, 2018 pic below where 13 of us swam).  Tim and Brian got an early start around 7 am.  The rest of us entered the ocean around 7:20 am after a 3-5 minute interval to gawk at the ever increasing height of the surf.  A Lifeguard Truck pulled up but rather than issuing a warning, just told us the current was flowing south.   Then the 9 of us managed to get beyond the high surf with an occasional bounce or two.  Fortunately or unfortunately, Mother Teresa (now a Saint) joined us for the first time in 10 years.  The water was certainly warm in some spots and frigid in others.  Other than Teresa worrying about the swim back from 26th Street (actually we drifted south to 25th Street) to the beach at 18th Street, swimming back to the sand through the heavy surf was without incident.  Gerry was the only one to either dare to or was able to body surf in.  Randy was the observant one to note that the Red Tide is beginning to set in.  Chuck later observed the band of red tide later from his house.

From Left- Gerry, Paige, Tom, Julie, Randy, Don and Teresa.   Not pictured- Chuck who took the picture, Jim who was getting ready to sing in the church choir, and Tim and Brian, who already had completed swimming.