The Tale of the Rest Period
The picture you are contractually obligated to take 
What are these weird things growing in boiling water? 
Yes, someone was out there trying to touch the buffalo 
A very, very friendly bird
Open Water Swimming Manual (Lynne Cox)
I spent the trip out to Yellowstone and the first day profitably – reading Lynne Cox’s “Open Water Swimming Manual” and taking notes. And creating a list of to-do’s based upon her recommendations.
I’m glad I read it, but I’m taking what sounds good and leaving the rest. I would have liked more references – She states, for instance, that you cannot be heat and cold adapted at the same time. There is data that you can be. And it was very personal and subjective… in my subjective opinion. There were also some occasional internal contradictions and the need for some copy-editing.
That being said, it gave me some ideas about food, reminded me that I will need to plan this significantly more that my usual show-up-and-wing-it style (something Kelvin and I have in common) and had several (hopefully good) suggestions about how to do so. The most enviable thing about Lynne is her network. The hardest thing for me right now is knowing who to trust and whose advice to follow – and I have no such network to draw upon. Alas for the death of Charles. But I will move building a network up my priority ladder.
One of the best things the book did for me was to shatter some old conceptions. I have a confession to make. I could never understand why anyone would volunteer to be a support kayaker. My (mostly subconscious) reasoning was that the most fun to be had is in the water, why on earth would anyone want to give up a chance at an open water swim and be one of those shmucks in a boat? I assumed they were better people than I am and that I would never join their ranks.
Reading this book made me realize two things – I need to support someone else in the water so that I can walk a mile in their shoes and know what it’s like for them when they are supporting me. AND that being in the community and part of the network and getting that kind of experience probably motivates those who kayak as well.
Rational self-interest is an interesting topic. Heinlein says that we always choose to do that which will be the least painful for ourselves. I think he simplifies the issue, ignoring how complicated it is to know what might give us the least pain, whilst also ignoring long-term vs. short-term gratification (and a lot of messed up human psychology). Doing things for others (sitting in a kayak for hours getting sunburned) is certainly less painful than feeling like one is a cad… but our potential for self-justification is immense and likely takes care of a lot of nasty cad-like feelings. Something Heinlein also mentions.
As a young parent, most of my time over the last decade was spent doing things for other people. And many professions can claim the same over an entire career. When wondering what to do with one’s life and how to spend one’s time, certainly serving others is an option that tends not to be questionable – to society or to ourselves. Evolution. I wonder how cats feel about the matter.
Yellowstone
Musings aside; the rest of the Yellowstone trip – my foot was aggravated by all of the slow walking and standing, I had a wicked set of (tentatively diagnosed as) bug bites on my abdomen that required a trip to the med clinic (and $200 of my hard-earned dollars – oy), and I was hot and tired and dehydrated. But hopefully my shoulder is getting a rest – I’ll find out on Monday. And as far as tests of mental endurance, I’d put this right up there. I’d way rather swim twelve miles. Really feeling the need to insert a grinning face there. Curse this modern world that has rendered me incapable of writing without emoji! Is that the plural of emoji? Must look it up when once again connected to the internet and the world.
[Oct 14, 2019 Commentary – Merriam-Webster says I’m good with emoji or emojis]
Notes from Lynne Cox’s Book “Open Water Swimming Manual”
- Desitin for sunscreen and chafing??
- Aquaphor? (Lynne Cox book)
- Goggles with uv protection
- Peanut butter packets- get some Justine’s and some of the ones I liked
- Laura Cox was asst men’s swimming and polo coach at W&L!!!
- Www.americanswimmingassociation.com – calendar of open water races
- England:
- Www.brightonsc.co.uk
- Www.bldsa.org.uk
- Rice pudding or similar
- Oats and fruit
- Mango
- Sweet potato
- Oatmeal raisin cookies (they float)
- Warm apple juice (other warm drinks)
- Warm mashed foods mmmmmmmmm
- May not need salty water when swimming in ocean
- Milk base, cheese and chocolate can be bad in salt water
- Peanut butter jelly time!
- Avocado and Avocadogurt!
- Cherries – taste good with salt. Too acidic?
- Pizza à la SEALS
- ** Avoid creatine supplements (seals- overheating)
- Surfline – wave forecasting
- US lifeguarding assoc. training manual
- **Compass app for watch
- Thanks to Charles van der Horst- I wouldn’t have a boat without him leading me to Loretta. And to Bescher for suggesting him
- Kayakers p. 148
- Ask Johnny’s bil about p. 158… excessive planning? Casualty drills?
- Spring vs neap – I’m freakin out again! Who is right? Lynne Cox says you’ve gotta be fast for a spring
- P. 168 – risk assessment chart great tool for event planning
- Create checklist for swims. Be Go for launch
- USCG does local weather advisories- check it out
- Read chapter 12 again after reading Loretta’s book
- US Navy Dive manual p. 214 first aid and dangerous marine life
- Lasers? P. 234
- Do my boats have a dry stack? (Diesel fumes emitted into the air)
- SEAL recommendation – seasickness medication starting 12 hours before and every 12 hours through out (support crew) per md recommend
- – let the crew know what meds you’re on