Alright, listen up, y’all. Gonna tell ya ’bout this swim thing, the “Swim to the Moon” they call it. Sounds fancy, but it’s just folks swimmin’ in a lake, far as I can tell. Happens in Michigan, place called Hell, which is a funny name if ya ask me. They do it every year, looks like, and this year it’s in August, 2024.
So, what’s this Swim to the Moon all about?
Well, it ain’t nothin’ too complicated. People get in the water and swim. They got different swims, ya know? Some swim a long ways, like five miles, that’s the “Full Moon”, they call it. Others just do a mile or so. There’s even a real short one, just a little over a mile, they call that the “Quarter Moon”. They also got a 15K swim to celebrate 15 years, it happens on Sunday. Seems like a lot of swimmin’ to me, but hey, to each their own.
- Full Moon: That’s the big one, 10K or about 5 miles. Only for the real strong swimmers, I reckon.
- Half Moon: This one’s 5K, so about 3 miles. Still a good long swim.
- Quarter Moon: Just 1.2 miles. More my speed, if I was gonna swim, which I ain’t.
- 2.4 Mile swim: This one is longer than the quarter but shorter than the half.
- 1 Mile Swim: Shorter one.
- 15K swim: A special one to celebrate 15 years, and it takes place on Sunday.
They do it in a lake, Halfmoon Lake they call it. Starts at the beach there, and they swim to another beach on the other side. They say it’s pretty, that lake, but I ain’t seen it myself. They got races all mornin’, startin’ early, like 6:30 in the mornin’. You gotta get there even earlier if you wanna sign up, ‘fore 6:00 am.
This ain’t no team thing, mind you. Every man, or woman, for themselves. If you got a bunch of friends who wanna swim, you all gotta sign up separate. It’s a big deal, they say. Lots of folks come out to watch, or maybe to swim themselves. They got food and stuff, I hear, makes a whole day of it.
Now, I ain’t no swimmer, myself. Prefer to keep my feet on dry land, thank you very much. But if you like swimmin’, and you’re lookin’ for somethin’ to do in August, this might be just the ticket. It’s in Pinckney Recreation Area, in a town called Gregory. It’s a two day event, Saturday and Sunday, August 17 and 18, 2024. They got different swims on different days, so you gotta check the schedule if you wanna go.
Thinkin’ about goin’? Here’s the lowdown:
First off, you gotta sign up. They got a website and all, but I wouldn’t know nothin’ ’bout that. You youngsters are good at that computer stuff. Find it yourself. Then, you gotta get yourself to Hell…Michigan, that is. Don’t be scared, it ain’t the real Hell, just a town with a funny name. Once you’re there, find Halfmoon Lake. Can’t miss it, I reckon, all them folks in swimmin’ suits.
Remember, it starts early. Get there ‘fore the sun if you wanna watch the long swims. And bring a hat, it gets hot out there in August. And some sunscreen, unless you wanna look like a lobster. And plenty of water, swimmin’ makes you thirsty.
So that’s the Swim to the Moon. Sounds like a lot of fuss to me, but folks seem to like it. Maybe it’s the fresh air, maybe it’s the exercise, maybe it’s just the chance to get out of the house. Whatever it is, it’s a big thing in Michigan, and now you know all about it.
So go on and register if you want. This old lady is just gonna sit on the porch swing and drink lemonade.
One last thing, they also had the same event last year, and they seem to have plan for next year, 2025, too. So if you missed it this year, you can go next year.
Tags: [Swim to the Moon, Open Water Swim, Michigan, Halfmoon Lake, Swimming Race, August, Pinckney Recreation Area, Gregory, Hell Michigan, Full Moon, Half Moon, Quarter Moon]