LOGISTICS
There are many questions about how to coordinate these four consecutive swims and the various
distant and remote locations. This is only a DRAFT of what I will eventually email to Entrants
and Crew. A FINAL version will occur most likely in March 2014.
May 6th – Tuesday -- NIGHT BEFORE FIRST SWIM:
INFORMAL GET TOGETHER / PARTY
Recommend staying in Mesa for two nights (Tuesday and Wednesday).
1. Hyatt Place - (close to freeway / restaurants / Tempe college town) http://phoenixmesa.place.hyatt.com/en/hotel/home.html?src=agn_smg_hp_ppc_google_ss_pr
opertyspecific_phxzm_hyattplacemesa&fund=hp&keywordtype=brand&mckv=shl1reL0O_d
c|pcrid|12682409456|mtid|3944i9r18968.
2. Marriott in Mesa - http://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/phxmm-phoenix-marriott-mesa/
Weather link: http://www.climate-zone.com/climate/united-states/arizona/phoenix/
MAY 7TH – Wednesday -- SAGUARO LAKE SWIM
http://www.saguarolakemarina.com/index.html
Wednesday Morning - 5:15 a.m. –
Meet to carpool/shuttle to Swim Start or Kayak Start
The Monastary parking lot. http://realfunbar.com/
Swimmers will be shuttled to start (below Mormon Flat dam) and not drive.
Leave vehicles in the Monastary parking lot.
45 minute drive to the area where swimmers hike down to start.
Kayaks to be shuttled to the start from the Saguaro marina.
Hike is fairly steep and not for the light hearted but short (15 minutes).
Water is too shallow in this area to boat swimmers in.
Swimmers hike to the water – swim 500 yds to orange buoy start.
Water temp – 64F – 68F. Near dams could differ.
No swimmers got out of Saguaro due to cold water.
Average Air temp - 78F.
Chance of sunshine 89%
Stay hydrated and sunscreen good idea.
Kayakers will carpool to Saguaro Lake Marina, Keyhole area – 35 minute drive.
Need Tonto Pass to park at the Keyhole Area of the Marina.
http://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/tonto/home/?cid=stelprdb5274504
Follow the pavement until it ends – that’s the Keyhole area.
Kayakers loaded onto pontoon boats.
Shuttle as close as possible to swim start staging area.
Swim start is too shallow for boats – kayakers paddle close to start.
“Wallace Beach” is where swimmers will connect with kayakers.
http://www.precisionmarine.biz/saguaro-pm.html
Saguaro Swim Time Estimated – 3.5 - 6 hours (2012: 2:50 – 4:50 hours)
Cut Off Time is 6 hours. Necessary to transport kayaks to next lake.
It’s approximately 9.5 miles to finish (several GPS’d this as shorter).
Start and Finish are large orange buoy lines protecting dams.
Post SwimLike snacks and beverages provided.
Return to the Monastary parking lot after swim.
Swimmers via shuttle – kayakers via carpool.
You may want to eat at Monastary or rest up for next day.
Return to Mesa hotel.
MAY 8th —Thursday -- CANYON LAKE SWIM
http://www.canyonlakemarina.com/location.htm
Check out of Mesa hotel.
After the Canyon swim we will drive separately to Apache Lake.
Arrange your own transportation for remainder of swims.
Meeting Thursday morning - 5:15 a.m. – The Monastary parking lot.
Drive to Canyon Lake Marina. Tonto Pass necessary to park.
http://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/tonto/home/?cid=stelprdb5274504
Load swimmers / kayakers / kayaks onto pontoon boats.
Boat to area below Horse Mesa Dam – Fish Creek.
Shallow area for boats but in 2012 able to get swimmers fairly close.
Kayakers will stage at beach just past Fish Creek.
http://www.canyonlakemarina.com/location.htm
Canyon Swim Time Estimated: 3.5 – 6 hours. (2012 – 2:41 to 3:48 hours)
Approximately 9 mile swim – wind can help or hurt.
Start below Horse Mesa dam and it was cold last year – 61F.
Canyons are narrow and wind around.
Best to stay to the right of the canyon at start.
Currents at the start can be “counterproductive” but no problem in 2012.
Only a couple of swimmers have been too cold to finish.
Water warms up after first two miles – so will you.
Sun eventually starts to shine into the canyon – mentally helpful.
Early swim to avoid boat traffic.
As you near the end of swim – stay to the right due to boat traffic.
Safest spot to swim in a lake is relatively close to shore.
Near the finish it can become cold again – water flow from the dam.
Finish at Mormon Flat dam – very large orange buoy line.
Despite being a shorter swim it can feel longer due to wind.
Post Canyon Swim Option: Swimmer and Crew Party.
Drive to Apache Lake and check in to hotel.
http://www.apachelake.com/#
Dirt road access to Apache Lake Marina.
Option – stay in Globe, AZ.
RV people should take route through Globe, down through Roosevelt
Lake to get down to Apache Lake – not as steep of a drive.
Swimmers should rest – Apache Lake is a long swim.
May have pontoons that night to cruise around in which can be fun.
MAY 9th -- Friday -- APACHE LAKE
http://www.apachelake.com/
RV hook-ups are available at this lake.
Morning meeting at boat dock west of marina: 6:30 a.m.
Swimmers / Kayakers boat to start.
Start/Finish location TBD depending on wind direction.
If we start at Horse Mesa Dam, it will be a more scenic and dramatic start.
However, the finish would be down a narrow shoot that progressively gets colder
due to water coming from below Roosevelt dam. I am expecting this to be the
route we take.
If we start below Roosevelt dam, we get the cold water out of the way first. The
narrow channel out of the way first. A bit tired to enjoy the scenery near the end
of the swim though.
Apache Swim: We want to get an early start but kayak support will most likely
be driving up from the Mesa area. Like to meet at boat dock at 6:30
a.m. The north side of the lake last year was the most “protected” area
to swim in due to wind and chop. Very few boats on this lake due to
limited access. Very important to stay hydrated. The swim distances
vary (National Forest has measured it at 17 miles – I’ve GPS’d it as low
as 14).
Apache Swim Time Estimated: It took me 8 hours and 35 minutes to swim it in
2012. A USMS national distance champion swam it just under 8 hours.
In 2013, with a favorable wind, the times were between 5:10 and 7:36
hours. I am committed to staying out on the lake with a boat to support
the swimmer as long as the swimmer is safely moving along toward the
finish.
Kayaks can have difficulty staying with swimmers on this lake. Extra
boat support may be needed to shuttle kayakers forward in the event
they fall behind. A very rewarding but challenging swim. As for
training, it is an excellent training swim for any channel crossing in my
opinion. STAY HYDRATED.
Post Apache Swim: I recommend staying the night (Friday night) again at
Apache Lake and then driving the next day up to Roosevelt Lake. I
would expect that most swimmers will be fairly tired after the swim but
there may be a few souls that may meet for dinner at Apache Lake that
night.
MAY 10th – Saturday -- ROOSEVELT LAKE
http://rlmaz.com/
This is a 10K Night Swim which will begin approximately 2:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.
This allows swimmers to enjoy the sunset, see some shooting stars but get out of
the lake before it’s midnight.
Check out of your Apache Lake hotel Saturday afternoon before the Roosevelt
swim. You will not want to drive back to Apache Lake after the Roosevelt swim.
After the Roosevelt swim you may check into a hotel / motel near Roosevelt Lake
(Google it), stay in Globe (nearest town), or drive back to one of the Mesa hotels
which I strongly urge you not to do unless a non-swimmer is driving you.
Swimmers are responsible for “illuminating” themselves but at a minimum:
BRING TEN (10) glow sticks. I will supply power boats, kayaks and kayakers
with glow sticks, headlamps (if they don’t have their own) and visible reflective
vests. The most nerve racking part of SCAR is locating swimmers at night.
Swim Route: We start at a very small boat ramp that is east of the main marina.
We take a small island called Shelter Island (depending on water levels) to our
left and continue to round a peninsula to our left that is called Steamboat Rock.
At this point you head toward the marina and a blinking red light that will be from
the swimmers perspective to the right of the marina. It is a straight shot with a
slight left turn into the dam area at the end of the swim.
Estimated Roosevelt Swim Time: In 2013 it was between 2:25 and 4 hours.
Cut off time is 11 p.m. but negotiable depending on swimmer safety.
Post Roosevelt Swim – Even though the distance is much shorter than the
other swims, there may be times when you just roll over on your back and enjoy
the stars and moon. Many shooting stars to be seen.
QUESTIONS TO DATE:
Hotels: On (Tuesday / Wednesday) I recommend staying in Mesa. On Thursday and Friday I recommend
staying at Apache Lake that way when you wake up Friday you are already at the lake. Apache swim is
close to Roosevelt lake. On May 4th (evening swim) you can either stay in the closest city Globe or drive
back to the Mesa/Phoenix area. There may be people taking RVs.
Transportation: a rental car is a good idea. There is a central meeting spot to shuttle for the first swim so
you don't have to worry about getting vehicle from start to finish. The other swims we meet at the marina
and boat to and from start/finish.
Feedings: I recommend you have the same feeding schedule (mesh bag of feeds for kayaker) as you
would for a channel swim. The swims vary in distance and so the feelings will vary accordingly. A
banquet style feeding pattern is difficult unless you have an experience kayaker familiar with your feeding
habits.
Weather: The water temps are in the range of 65F to 70F primarily. Near the dams the water temp drops
to as low as 61F due to water being released or drawn from water below dam. Two swimmers were too
cold at Canyon lake due to cold water near the start. Air temp - perfect and sunny (78F). Chance of rain 0.1 % I think.
Currents: The vast majority of the swim is no current. Near the dams there can be a current and it can
be challenging. In 2012, at the start of the Canyon swim there was a fair amount of current but everyone
made it. At Apache lake the wind can be expected to be substantial. We will swim in the direction of
least resistance which is why the start/finish is to be decided the morning of our swim.
Kayak support : I urge swimmers to bring along a paddler they are familiar with. I intend to have a kayak
for each swimmer - that way speed and feedings are specific to each swimmer. Swimming in pods is fine
and fun at times but I'm seeking major volunteer support for this swim in terms of kayak/crew. I've
already made a deal with a local kayak company to provide all the kayaks we need - my next step is
recruiting Kayakers. I do not recommend bringing your own kayak unless you are able to get it
transported to each marina. The rentals are “gently tossed” into a U-Haul and lugged around.
Navigation: The swims are very straight forward in terms of direction - hard to get lost if you keep
moving forward. No buoys along the way but Kayakers and motorboat support will navigate for
swimmers. I will say that the first two swims curve through the canyons and can be disorienting but just
keep going forward. I plan on having laminated lake maps for Kayakers. I do encourage people to take a
look around at times because the views of the canyons from the lake can be stunning. Navigating the night
swim at Roosevelt is not difficult. We start from a boat launch, swim around a peninsula on the left as the
sun is setting - once the sun sets a very bright and visible red light is on top of Roosevelt Bridge - aim for
the red light (think of the Yellow Brick Road in the Wizard of OZ)
Apache Lake: I believe the swim can be completed during daylight hours. We will get an early start and
I’m increasing boat support to prevent extended delays. The rental pontoon boats at Apache are
significantly slower than the boats at the other lakes. As long as you want to swim - Support crew will be
there to see you finish the swim. This is the “main course” of the SCAR Swim.
Make it simple: They are beautiful swims and my goal is to make it safe. The hike down to the Saguaro
lake start is not very long (15 minutes) but steep. The swims boil down to suit, cap, goggles, feedings and
a kayaker to assist along the way.
Looking forward to meeting all swimmers and crew.
--Kent