Bill Welzien Update - July 2006 Goal:  To swim around the island of Key West each month for 12 consecutive months.   Date: Tuesday, July 11th, 2006 Start time: 7:53AM Weather:  Through the night it sounded like we were in a war zone.  It was the most dramatic electrical storm I experienced in a long, long time.  I lay in bed wondering what the weather would be like in the morning.  I was hoping that the sky would purge itself of all its electricity so I could do my swim.  There are only two things that concern me in an endurance swim down here and they are lightning and severe winds, in that order. When Julie, my 16 year old daughter and kayaker for this swim, and I left home at 6:50 AM it was still raining and as we drove into Key West, from our home on Sugarloaf Key (MM17) we were driving right into a sky that was slate gray and filled with thunder and lightning.  I had serious reservations about the swim.  I didn’t want to start with the notion that a few miles into the swim we would have to scrub the mission.  Logistically we would be far from our vehicle with a kayak and me with only my competition suit on and goggles in my hand.  If we had to exit on a military base that would make it all the more complicated. Time was pressing on.  The air was so still.  There wasn’t a ripple on the water.  The rain had stopped but the sky was still dark and ominous. It was 7:40 and the kayak was still tied on my car’s roof.  My original starting time was 7:50.  I knew I didn’t have much wiggle room regarding the starting time.  If I went later I would miss the tides.  I told Julie we needed to get the kayak off the vehicle and load it up with our provisions.  If I decided not to swim, due to the weather, we could take our time and pack up, but now we need to move to be ready.  I suggested we pray first.  She started and then I prayed.  We prayed for safely, for wisdom and for the storm to move away. We dragged the kayak to the shore of Bertha Street Beach and I went back to my car and drove it to the Bridal Path (free parking) and scurried back to the beach, the kayak and Julie.  It was now 7:53AM and I said, “Let’s go!”  And with that we committed. Water Conditions: At the start the water was quite calm but there were patches of a type of seaweed floating on the surface, some in massive clumps.  I think it is called sargasm.  It is a rough scratchy weed with small green berries in it.  I don’t enjoy swimming through it but it is not dangerous, just annoying.  Apparently the storm had loosened it from the ocean’s bottom and caused it to drift toward shore.   I am guessing that the water temperature was 74 degrees.  It seemed to me the rain, and we have had enormous amounts lately, caused the water to cool somewhat. As we entered into Key West Harbor there was good chop to the water.  Julie had some kayak experience.  On June 10th she kayaked with my son-in-law Terence for Paul Grassie in the 30th Annual Swim Around Key West.  This was her first solo kayak around the island.  She stayed near enough to me and was good about getting my drink to me when I need it.  As I periodically looked up at the sky I continued to pray that the storm clouds would go far in another direction.  I like overcast but, as I explained earlier, electrical makes me very nervous.  The water conditions were overall quite good.  The first half of the island has water deep enough for easy swimming, in actual fact it is the last three miles that are the most challenging.  In some area in the final few miles the water is less than a foot deep.  Navigating in such shallows is not only difficult but fatiguing. Nutrition/ Performance:  I used a Hammer product called Perpetuum.  It comes as a powder to be mixed with water and provides me with hydration, calories in the form of carbohydrates and some protein and electrolytes.  I had a quart before I began the swim with a Clif Bar and then drank a total of almost three quarts over the near six hour swim.  About six miles into the swim I ate a quarter of a Clif Bar and a couple of electrolyte capsules.  I didn’t have set times to nourish myself but I knew I didn’t want to feel hungry or thirsty.  I thought, if I keep my body fueled it should continue to perform for me.  That philosophy seemed to work well.  My body felt so good.  This surprised me because I don’t feel like I properly trained for this swim.  In the past I was more rigorous in piling miles upon miles in preparation for this 12.5 mile swim.  The longest I had done was six miles in preparation for the 3 person relay I was to swim on June 10th (which I never did due to an squall and thunder and lightning storm that intruded upon our 30th Annual Swim- my leg end before it started when we exited the water for safety seven miles into the course). After the Annual Swim the longest swim I did was a 6 mile swim in my canal behind the house.  Despite what I consider a lack of proper training I felt so good throughout the entire time.  I must admit to while having a preoccupation with lightning during this swim I also found myself monitoring my body, almost to the point of micromanaging it.  But while I thought something negative may happen, it didn’t.  Keep in mind that that the reason I didn’t swim in the Annual Swim and had been doing less miles was because of should surgery I had on March 16th.  I had a bone spur removed form the top of my left shoulder and a tendon that goes into my bicep reattached at the shoulder bone.  The Surgeon gave me permission to reenter the water on May 1st.  My shoulder at this moment is not fully pain free but I must confess when I am swimming it feels good and it feels strong. Problems:  The Lord blessed us in the weather department.  By the last few miles the sky was clearing and I relaxed big time.   We did have an encounter with a Coast Guard in a boat patrolling the Key West Harbor.  We had passed Mallory Square in fact we were just passed the Pier House Resort when he got our attention.  He told me that we were in a shipping lane with heaving boating traffic and he told Julie and me that we had to get out.  He said the swim around Key West was a few weeks ago.  I pointed out that we were almost through the Harbor and soon we would be in the Fleming Cut.  I also pointed out that I had a kayak and a dive flag for safely.  Thankfully, he told me to move somewhat closer to shore and to be careful and with that he left.  Hence, what could have been the end of our swim was nicely resolved. Next Swim:  Wednesday, August 9th at 8:00AM.  High tide is at 10:39 in the Key West Harbor.