Lake Michigan Water Temperature

[cjquill]

I know many swimmers in the Chicagoland area have been working out in Lake Michigan already this year. Would someone please be kind enough to post a link to a website that has the current water temperature?

Thanx - happy swimming.

[ViveBene]

On this site temps from buoys are recorded (cloudy days throw readings off):
http://www.coastwatch.msu.edu/twomichigans.html

But 6 a.m. swimmers and 6 p.m. swimmers have been in almost daily since early May (52.5 deg at 6 a.m. on May 7), and some are obsessed with measuring the temp. Today at 6 a.m. it was 63.x. Yesterday it was around 65. Yesterday at 6 p.m. higher. But pretty steadily in mid-60s now.
:)

[cjquill]

This is just what I wanted to know - thank you.

[fatboy]

That's a great link. It works year round.

Here's a link to the Chicago Park district site. The info is more succinct but it only there during summer - Memorial Day to Labor Day. So it will not have info that last week before Big Shoulders.

http://www.chicagoparkdistrict.com/index.cfm/fuseaction/index.cfm/fuseaction/swim_report.home

[cjquill]

Thanks, Frank. This is very useful.

[orca1946]

Is that wetsuit legal temp for a TRI ?

[fatboy]

Today it shows 60 degrees - definitely legal for wetsuits for Triathlon's

Fairly brisk without a wetsuit!

[smontanaro]

I swam in Lake Michigan for the first time around 6am today (Lee Street Beach in Evanston). No way it was only low- to mid-60s. I would guess mid-70s.

Skip

[orca1946]

Maybe the top 8 inches !

[smontanaro]

Well, yeah, it was definitely colder two or three feet down, but I wasn't out there snorkeling...

[ViveBene]

It was warmish today on South Side. Fortunately, I missed all the thermometer-bearers, but I'll probably get another report tonight. I expect it will be over 70 deg.
It was very nice this morning, although there was a secret current keeping me back. Had to dig in and work for it.
:)

[orca1946]

As of Sun with the wind, will this stir up the bottom colder water temps ?

[ViveBene]

As of Sun with the wind, will this stir up the bottom colder water temps ?

Yes, there was some turnover, or colder water pushed south. About 5 deg colder this morning than last night.

[taiwantom]

IL Beach; 7/13/2009; 15:15 to 16:20 Hours; Water- Warm estimated temp. 72F; Condition -Partly Cloudy; Wind SE. 10 Knots; Waves .3 to .7 meters. View of the Loop Area - Priceless!

Tschuss

[ViveBene]

July 15, South Side, 7:30 p.m.: definitely in the 60s.

Lake Mich. water temp can change from day to day and place to place. But it's a great temp for swimming (altho' some of us who started at 52 deg F are beginning to think the water is too hot!).
:)

[smontanaro]

I've been in a few times since my original post. The next time I went to the beach it was too dang cold. I tried several times to get in but just couldn't handle the cold. After that I have been in three more times. Today was definitely the coldest water temps. The previous times I would have rated it "colder than refreshing". Today it was "oh, baby, that's cold!" I only swam about 900 yards today (back and forth between the buoys at Lee Street Beach in Evanston). My longest swim was from the Lee Street breakwater to the Dempster Street breakwater and back. About 0.8 miles according to Google Maps.

I'm not really an open water swimmer. I'd appreciate some suggestions about workout sets for open water. It does get boring quickly when the only thing to break up your swimming is the occasional head lift to check my direction.

Skip

[ViveBene]

Hi Skip,

I think this came up last summer, and some suggestions were to time yourself along beach landmarks; to run on-shore and do some sort of quick workout, then run back in; to steel yourself to a period of sprint swimming from time to time; to use draggy things like tennis shoes that you might not want to take into a pool. I believe the Channel swimmers practice and execute the episodes of sprinting. You could set other kinds of challenges, such as swimming all fly, or using a tempo timer to keep stroking even when you're tired. Or you could do a Saturday morning of Chicago Open Water Swimming clinic with Marcia Cleveland and colleagues at Ohio Street Beach this summer, maybe get some suggestions.

I love OW. Really living!
:)

Thread with info on OW clinic (Jennie Quill is a coach, and a Chris)
Chicago OW Swimming Clinic - U.S. Masters Swimming Discussion Forums

[ViveBene]

7-18-09
7:30 p.m.
Water 66 deg F on South Side

Mmm. It felt like Magic Fingers. Many :applaud: for those doing the Half Ironman in Racine tomorrow.

How was Swim Across America? What's on the other side? :D

[lynnwa]

The water yesterday at Ohio St Beach was nice for the SAA event. It was a fun swim maybe about 65 -67 or so...

[ViveBene]

For those planning to swim Big Shoulders, Lake Michigan water temp can vary greatly, and suddenly. Last weekend it dropped 10 deg F overnight. It is down another 3 deg today. I'd say sub-60.

[orca1946]

Maybe all those suits we can not use for pool swims can be sold to OW people ??!!

[davesebastian]

The water temp during City Fun Swim at Ohio Street Beach on Aug 4 was downright frigid. I hate cold water. But I made it through.

The turn at Churn Corner was so cold I started shaking.

Everyone keep your fingers crossed for warmer temps for Big Shoulders.

[ViveBene]

8-21-09

55 degrees F at 6:30 a.m. where I swim, which has less protection than the site of Big Shoulders swim.

[Killer]

Hi Dave I havent heard from you in awhile, are you swimming Big Shoulders?
Tom Hintz

[Bobinator]

How long can a 5'5" person who weights 115 safely be submerged in 55 degree water? I'm just curious......

[ViveBene]

How long can a 5'5" person who weights 115 safely be submerged in 55 degree water? I'm just curious......

Hi Bobinator,

The "playpen" where Big Shoulders is swum has a breakwater and is somewhat more protected than where I do daily OW swims, so the water temp is unlikely to be as low as 55, but I definitely *would not* count on it being as high as 70 degrees; even in normal years (and this has been a cool year, in respect to both air temp and water temp) the lake has started cooling in early September.

Many people will be swimming the triangular course, once around for 2.5k and twice around for 5k, so you'll never feel alone. After a few minutes to adjust physiologically, the cold becomes less of a factor. BTW, mirrored or shaded goggles are almost a necessity, as you'll be swimming toward an early morning sun if the day is fair. If you are in town a day early, you can swim part of the course in advance.

Hope this helps!

:)

[Bobinator]

Thanks Vive Bene!
I have done Big Shoulders 5K the past 3 years with the water 68 degrees last year. I was fine in 68 degrees once I got going.
I think 55 degrees would be another story. It's going to take me around 1:25 to swim the 5K and if the water is below 60 I probably just couldn't make it.
What is the first sign I would notice if I was going in to hypothermia? (just in case I need to know) :confused:

[orca1946]

Chilly if you are in a boat , let alone next to a boat in the water!

[ViveBene]

I'll describe some of my experience with cold water swimming.

At 55 degrees F and colder, I have a sensation of breathlessness for a few minutes. This is normal. It does not mean I am having a cardiac event or PE. I stroke steadily to keep heart rate up (so digits don't freeze right off), but do not push things. The breathing settles down; the rest of me adapts physiologically to the cold. It takes time and cannot be rushed.

Next I focus on getting my face into the water. Nothing like an ice cream headache all over! Because you are exposing a nerve that controls something vital with a face plant into cold water, many cold water swimmers start on their backs for the first few minutes. I make little dips while breaststroking and take as long as is necessary to get my head fully submerged. Then I check my ears. I have not yet used earplugs in cold water, but many do, and they help keep you warm. Double caps help, too.

By around 7 minutes I know whether I am good for a long swim or should summon the ice breakers. YMMV.

:)

[ViveBene]

Saturday, Aug. 29
Ohio St. Beach (Big Shoulders venue)
8 a.m. water temp: 63 deg F

[Bobinator]

BRRRRR! I'm sitting here trying to decide how much colder 63 degrees would feel than 68. I really don't know what 5 degrees feels like.
Maybe it's not that big of a deal. :confused:

[ViveBene]

BRRRRR! I'm sitting here trying to decide how much colder 63 degrees would feel than 68. I really don't know what 5 degrees feels like.
Maybe it's not that big of a deal. :confused:

Hard to say, but I'll venture it's more than trifling, less than a deal-breaker (a little discomfort, yes). Consolation: there will be lots of ppl swimming with you.

Here is a site with buoy measurements: http://www.coastwatch.msu.edu/michigan/m5.html

Overcast renders the buoys unreadable or unreliable, and the exact temp at the venue may not be accurately reflected because it is a somewhat protected space.

If you can find a news report of the water temp on the day before the swim, that might help you decide. (Check wind direction as well.) Or perhaps someone who attends the pre-swim and pizza party could post the water temp Friday night.

[MBL4]

63! you can definitely feel the difference. Hope for a warm streak

[Bobinator]

[quote=ViveBene;192379]Hard to say, but I'll venture it's more than trifling, less than a deal-breaker (a little discomfort, yes). Consolation: there will be lots of ppl swimming with you.

It will be nice to have all those people out there, however I don't think they have enough boats to rescue all of us if we all start having problems.
I wonder if it would help to gain 10 pounds or so for the race! I guess if you could gain sub-cutaneusly sp? it would work. All my fat would probably go to one spot. lol!!!!!!!!!!!

[ViveBene]

We had glorious fun bobbing in the lake today. It was about 67 - WAY too hot!! - and billowing. We'd get into a trough and look up at a mountain range of waves bearing down on us. And we thought of those poor tris. The Chicago Triathlon was this morning. Ca. 8500 ppl. Gaah!

Wear some fins - nobody cares - and HU!

:D

Maybe you'll spot that grocery cart. Could make it a geocaching swim.