The Case of the Purloined Paddle

Published on 25 September 2025 at 00:16

September 21st, 2025

 

Hello Kal Lake Swimmers:
 
Night Swim, Lake Swim, Pool Swim, we all swim!
 
We started with a sumptuous meal at Kara's, her phabulous pulled pork bunwiches augmented by delights from several contributors. Bellies full, we headed over to Sovereign Park and waddled down to the beach in the gathering gloom (Like the Moody Blues). There we donned our glowsticks and other light emitting adornments while the kayakers, Kurt and Danielle, headed out to their stations and the three paddleboarders readied to accompany the swimmers. 
 
After a careful head count, and a picky light check, we entered the 21 degree water together, thankful for the warm evening and calm conditions. Led by Sean (aka Mr Magoo) we rounded the first mark (ie Kurt's kayak) when he suddenly cried out "My Paddle!". Ever looking to gain an advantage, Phred had brazenly philched it right off the deck in broad darkness! A posse set out after Phred who, when surrounded by the visage of glowering glowsticks, reluctantly relinquished the purloined paddle, thereby saving Kurt from the almost certain fate of drifting helplessly in the darkness down to Oyama.
 
After swimming around Danielle (Kayak #2) we headed for the bright light set on shore. Once there, several swimmers looked at their watches that read less than 400 metres distance and, feeling gypped, set out to do another lap. This was all good but made the task of counting returnees a bit more complicated. Upon seeing a glowstick on the lake bottom a careful check was made to ensure that there was no swimmer attached to it. The number of returnees did match in the end.
 
After the swim we retired to the upper parking lot to enjoy some Bailey's flavoured with hot chocolate, with some swimmers content with naked hot chocolate adorned only with marshmallows. 
 
Everyone had a great time and all the first-time denizens of the dark indicated that they want to do it again next year. 

The next morning we had seven of us show up at the lake for the penultimate Sunday Swim. Counting Kylie and Robynne who had departed for Cosens Beach much earlier, we were actually nine this morning. I think that the water temperature was 19 or 20 degrees but am not sure as the waves tossed the thermometer up onto the beach. I imagine that several of you were enjoying the calmer surroundings of the pool at the same time. 

 

While the rain stayed away, we were so thankful the windstorm hadn't arrived 12 hours earlier. After slogging our way out to the Point, we were content to stop there, although Tim and Darin swam around the corner cuz they liked bouncing in the waves. We literally surfed on the way back to the beach.

 

We will do one more lake swim next week Sunday at 8:00. Tim, Kylie and Monty have indicated that they will come out on Tuesday at 5:30 pm if anyone wants to join them.

 

For those of you who are registered masters, you are welcome to join me at a dryland demonstration session on Tuesday morning at 6:30 at the Rec Centre weight room above the pool.  

 

Cheers,

Mike

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