My 99th Swim Around Key West Puts 100 On The Horizon

Photo Courtesy: Bill Welzien

By Bill Welzien.

Swim Miss #100 is calling to me. She is saying, “Reach out and touch me! Catch me if you can!” Well, no matter how you dice it or slice it, the fact is you can’t get to her unless you go through #99. I am happy, (ecstatic?) to say, swim #99 is in my rear view mirror. Now, I look forward!

My plan was to have grabbed 100 by the end of 2017. What happened? It took three attempts to secure Swim #94. The first two attempts were aborted due to weather related challenges. I finally nabbed #94 on Labor Day, September 4, 2017.

Days later we were hit with Hurricane Irma. On Sunday, September 10 we took a direct hit. No matter, I was back in the brine for swim #95 on October 18^th. I had two successful swims in November (2 and 18) and then my final swim of 2017 was December 4^th. So, I finished 2017 with my #98 career swim.

When I wrapped up 2017 my shoulders were shot. They were so sore. My wife and I took a cruise and I swam for 5 minutes at a beach in Nassau and decided I was not going to swim for six weeks. I stuck to that plan.

Why so sore? Upon returning from our Irma evacuation I was using tools that I wasn’t use to using. Chainsaws, machetes, wheelbarrows full of branches, etc. Add to that the fact that I was not able to swim. My canal was full of trees, branches and a couple sunken boats. I swam those last four swims without proper training. It is amazing I pulled them off. With rest my weary shoulders began to repair. Still, I decided to see a sports doctor. I thought maybe I had damaged them or developed arthritis. After x-rays and a good exam he said they looked good, no damage.

I am not one who likes to stretch. However, I am now whistling a new tune. I have shoulder stretches which I employ regularly, even daily. I gradually rehabbed my shoulders. They feel very good now. In addition to chiropractic adjustment, deep tissue massage, DMSO gel and magnesium oil, I also made much use of my Sundance hot tub. I don’t take any drugs, not even ibuprofen. I did and still do take New Chapter Zyflamend (an herbal anti-inflammatory) also turmeric, boswellia serrate and ginger. I look for any natural inflammatory I can find. I also continue to use my 12lbs. dumb bells for upper body three times each week. Add to all that copious amounts of prayer!

I originally intended to Swim #99 on April 16 or 17. The 16^th was the new moon. April 17 was my 68^th birthday.

But as I looked at the weather the wind was up. My daughter Jane (19) volunteered to kayak as my support but I did not want to put her out there with 18-20mph winds. Thursday, April 19 looked great as the wind was to lay down. Then I learned that President Trump was to fly into Key West. The plan was to barricade South Roosevelt to prohibit parking. That is the beach road along the Atlantic. When I learned that I could face unknown and unusual logistical challenges, like parking and launching the kayak we decided to wait until Friday, April 20^th. Also I didn’t fancy the thought of dodging secret service sharpshooter bullets as I swam passed the Navy Base.

So, Friday was the day. Each day we postpone we must move the start time up about another 40 minutes. So, on April 20^th we were looking at a 10:30am starting time. That is my latest start time ever. Our formula is to start from the west end of Smathers Beach between 2.5 to 3 hours before the high tide in the Key West Harbor.

On Thursday, I mixed my Hammer Nutritional Perpetuem into 6 sport bottles. I got my suit and goggles set out. I set out my SolRx Matte Zinc SPF 50 Waterblock and SolRx lip balm. I had some Body Glide for under my arms. The late start meant I would be in the heat of the day! I grabbed my swim pennant #99 to fly on the kayak. Jane had some sport bars and a gallon of water. I put our kayak on the top of my van.

Thankfully, I had a great night’s sleep and we took off that Friday morning to the start area of the swim. We prayed in the van and then again before we entered the water. The water on the Atlantic side was lake like, nice and smooth. The wind was out of the north at about 6-8 mph. We were on the south side of the Island and would be heading west. All was set and we headed out for our in water start at the westernmost end of Smathers Beach.

I started my 920 XT Garmin watch right at 10:32am. I must say that I felt good. My shoulders were moving. I aimed at the tip of White Street Pier. As I rounded that I looked at the Radar Ball and Radar Dishes at the point of the Navy Base. Those dishes were indicators for mile 2. I got past them at 1:04:33 on my stopwatch.

Next, I swam past Patio Beach and Fort Zachary Taylor. All is calm, all is well! Then, as I rounded Fort Zachary Taylor and I got smacked with wind and waves as soon as I hit the Key West Harbor. With the wind out of the north it was blowing straight through the Harbor. Jane stuck right with me. We swam past the Carnival Sensation cruise ship. There a was good chop. I always love swimming past Mallory Square and then the Ocean Key House. Just past the Ocean Key is mile 4. Next, is the Fleming Cut. It is hard to see the end of the Coast Guard pier that leads to the Fleming Cut. Finding it, I headed in and found that In the Cut the chop was subdued.

At the Fleming Bridge we are at mile 5. I always desire to get under that bridge no later than two hours and fifteen minutes into the swim. The current was working in my favor but it was not killer. I got under at two and a half. While my time wasn’t a knockout I was happily swimming at what I thought decent tempo and feeling good. I had Jane give me a bottle of my drink at that point. The bottle is tethered to a piece of cord. Jane tosses me the bottle holding the other end (so we don’t lose it). I drank down the whole bottle and tossed the empty back and within a minute I was back swimming.

Next, I made my way out toward the mooring field. I aim at the leftmost foliage which I can see, in the distance on Sigsbee (Dredgers Island). As I approach Sigsbee I am at mile 6. The wind was hitting me now at the left shoulder. This was a spirited swim. I make my way around Sigsbee. I knew as I got around Sigsbee the wind would become less and less. In fact, it would be at my back as I swim under the Cow Key Bridge and headed to the Atlantic. As I got around Sigsbee I called to Jane for another bottle of drink.

The Cow Key Bridge is mile 9 but sadly at about mile 8 my GPS watch stopped giving me my splits. I find this frustrating. I like to see what my pace is. My stop watch keeps clocking but I get no proper splits! To my surprise it came back on about a mile later but then stopped again. All my stats are skewed once the GPS fails.

I got under the Cow Key Bridge at about 5 hours into the event. As I got under the bridge I called for another bottle of drink.

I have about 90 minutes left from that second bridge. Ideally, I love to finish at 6 hours. That was not even a dream at this point! My new goal became to finish under 6:30.

One of the most difficult aspects of this swim around Key West is swimming out of the Cow Key and into the Atlantic. As you get close to the Ocean and make that turn the water is the most shallow of the entire swim. I find that I need to do some creative stroking. Leaving the Cow Key and entering the Atlantic is mile 10. My muscles have been moving in the same direction for 5 plus hours and now I have to do weird stroking to get through the shallows.

At one point my hip hit the bottom. I just keep moving and praying that I will find swimmable water very soon. It eventually comes. And when it does I am swimming the last 2 miles to my finish. The majority of these last 2 miles is shallow. Some areas shallower than others.

As I get back into the Atlantic I eyeball the seawall on the shore (on my right) and head west. The water was very calm along the Ocean side. That sea wall ends where Smathers Beach begins. That indicates my last half mile is before me. There are 10 poles that keep boat traffic out of the swim area for beach goers. I keep on the outside of those poles and make my way to the last of those poles. The last of those poles was the first when I started. I am happy to say that all along those poles the water gets deeper and is very swimmable. With great joy and much thanksgiving to my God I made my way to that westernmost pole. I hit the stop button on the watch after I touched the pole. My finish time was 6:25:37.

I gave Jane a high five. She did a great job! Now, I have completed a career total of 99 swims around Key West. As I made my way back to the beach my daughter Abigail and grandson Archie were there to greet Jane and me. I am always happy to take the victory photo! Now, we pack up and head back home! Another beautiful experience!!

My plan is to swim my #100 on May 19, 2018. The start time will be 10:15.

Swim #99 swum on Friday, April 20, 2018

Kayaker: Jane Welzien

Start Time: 10:32am

Air Temperature: 79 degrees at the start

Wind: 8-10 mph out of the North

Sunny.

Water Temperature: 79-80 degrees

Bill Welzien

4/27/18

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