Full Moon Swim, Friday July 15, 2011

RSVP here: I’m coming to the Full Moon Swim July 15!

For those of you who made it to either of the Full Moon swims last year, you will recall what a great time we had. Well, it’s that time again. Those of you who have not, here is a quick overview/preview.
Friday the 15th is for real a full moon, there are werewolves know to swim on these nights. The moon should be just clearing the horizon along the back wall (over the point) as we are swimming towards the far wall.

As we have in the past, before our swim, we do a quick beach clean up, it’s a help to the park staff, who will have to work a little longer day for us.

For more background information refer to these previous posts: Full-moon-Deux 2009 and Full Moon Swim Recap

Here’s the tentative “schedule”
Friday July, 15th
6:30 PM get together and Hosted Buffet at the beach!
7:15 PM start beach cleanup walk
7:30 PM set out light sticks at rockpile or point or both (TBD)
8:00 – 8:15 PM Full head count of all that are swimming, additional sign in
on the beach
8:30 PM Swim start
9:30 PM Last person out of the water and accounted for
10:00 PM Park gates locked, you’re spending the night if you ain’t
out by then.

How dark will it be?
Moon rise 8:46 PM
Sunset: 8:32 PM
Civil Twilight ends (horizon still visible) : 8:59 PM
Nautical Twilight ends (getting dark): 9:36 PM
Astronomical twilight ends (okay it’s dark now for sure): 10:18 PM

Keep in mind we will have glow stick markers showing the point, rock pile and return to the beach as well as kayaks and everyone will have a glow bracelet. It should be a colorful event. When we start the swim, it will still be light enough to see the far wall, (the point and rockpile). On the return leg to the beach, the buildings have lights on them and are easy to spot. We’ll have kayaks in the water to track swimmers in the water. One kayak will set out the light sticks and follow the last folks in. There will be TWO escorted swims, one to the rockpile and back (1600 yards) and the second, that group will continue onto the point before returning to the beach for about a 2400 yard swim.

To mark the occasion, we’ll have Full Moon Swim caps available ($5) or free if you are bringing food or providing logistics help with the kayaks, etc.

The night swims are really fun and different. The evening should be incredibly pleasant, the water warm, and glass smooth. This will be the earliest Full Moon swim we’ve done in the season, in the past they’ve been in mid August, it won’t be quite as dark, but should be as fun as those in the past.

Anyone not a member yet is welcome to sign up earlier in the evening, though please let me know if you are interested ahead of time at: sign_up@shadowcliffsorcas.com