Great swim

Yesterday I went for my annual swim in Lake Michigan. It was a clear, sunny day, and the temperature was 82 degrees when I entered the water. Humidity was a comfortable 52 percent, and the winds were light. The water temperature was only 71 degrees so it was quite a shock as I waded in at Foster Beach. Because of consistent southwest winds this summer, upwelling has brought cold water from the deep of Lake Michigan to Chicago's beaches.

As the icy water lapped at my thighs, I began to think there was no way I could submerge myself. Then I reminded myself that this was still August in Chicago and perhaps the only chance to enjoy our Great Lake. And that at certain points in my life I cracked ice to go swimming.

I decided to go for a dolphin dive rather than a Nestea plunge. It was wonderful. I did a few breaststroke circles in the shallows before returning to the beach.