#57: Rollingwood Pool

Location: Austin, Texas

Configuration: 6 lanes of 25 yards plus entry nook and wading pool

Fee: Free as visitor to USMS workout

On day 2 in Austin, we rose early to join Leslie at her masters workout a short drive away from where we were staying. The team at Rollingwood Pool at Western Hills Athletic Club has back-to-back morning practices so we stayed for both, adding about 50 percent to the attendance. In other words, even with many of us there, there was plenty of space in the lanes.

The pool is situated in a clearing on the edge of a large, well-landscaped park, and the sun gradually found its way around the trees and into the water as the morning passed. I like nothing more than an early swim in the sun, so this was a real treat. The coaches and team members were friendly and mellow, just what we needed to kick off a swim-packed day.

The wading area stayed covered during our swim, making for a spooky underwater view on that side of the pool. The covers for the main pool are visible on the reel at top left.

Before the first workout, we helped with the pool’s daily unveiling, rolling off the pool covers and releasing clouds of steam. (Helping with the covers is encouraged, however we did notice that some swimmers sat in their cars in the parking lot until this job was done.) Unlike Deep Eddy, which was a brisk 70 degrees or so, this pool was probably in the low 80s, a toasty contrast to the chilly morning air. Also helping to keep us warm was a large heating unit in the ceiling of the locker room.

The feeling of spaciousness from the uncrowded workouts did not carry into the locker room, which was quite tight. There are plans to change this, and in the meantime there is a lobbying effort for an outdoor shower.

We thought we might see the team’s most famous member, but he didn’t turn up. His teammates were still abuzz about how he had recently been prevented from competing in a masters competition due to certain transgressions during his career as a professional cyclist. I used to be a big fan, and in fact my only previous visit to Austin was part of a stalking mission, so I was excited about the prospect of  sharing the pool with him despite his self-inflicted fall from grace. Add this to the long list of reasons to return again.

#56: Deep Eddy Pool

Location: Austin, Texas

Configuration: 12 or so lanes of 33 1/3 yards plus large wading area

Fee: $3

We’ve seen how remarkable the year 1936 was for pools in New York, and it turns out to have been good to Texas, too. The state’s oldest pool, Deep Eddy dates to that same year and owes its existence to the same pot of WPA money. It made me feel right at home during a recent swimcation, when I joined a bunch of  marathon swimmers converging in Austin three weeks ago.

Would I be able to swim the same afternoon we arrived in town, I wondered? Sure, we can always swim, our co-host and tour guide Leslie reassured me. We made our first pilgrimage here shortly before closing that night and came back two other times during the weekend, basking in the cool, spring-fed, unchlorinated water that reminded me in color only of John Jay College Pool.

Deep Eddy takes its name from a deep eddy in the nearby Colorado River–visible in the top of the photo above–which was the local swimming hole before a proper pool was created. It’s a refreshingly cool temperature even during the hot Texan summers thanks to the springwater, which is drained out and replaced a few times per week.

We all loved swimming here. The 33-yard length didn’t feel that much longer than 25 yards, and yet the yardage racked up more quickly. The lap area is deep and spacious, and the staff and other swimmers were all very friendly.

View from the shallow end, with the lap lanes way off yonder.

One of my favorite things here was the locker room, which managed to be both private and open-air. From the showers, you could admire the trees.

Texas is so big that swimmers don’t usually have to share lanes. According to Leslie, people usually queue up for a lane rather than sharing–except in a few specially designated lanes for those in a hurry.

An elaborate mural by the shallow end relates the history of the pool and park.

H&H, photo by Devon.

#55: 92nd Street Y May Center for Health, Fitness & Sport

Photo by 92nd Street Y

Location: Upper East Side, Manhattan

Configuration: 4 lanes of 25 yards

Fee: Free via Fitness Passbook

It used to take a natural disaster to bring me to the 92nd Street Y pool. Only when conditions made it extremely difficult to get to any other pool, such as during an ice storm a few years ago, would I stoop to swimming at this facility mere blocks from my apartment. Despite having two Passbook passes last year, I never paid a visit.

Fortunately, it has received a makeover in appearance, attitude, and even scheduling since my last visit, and I’m happy to be able to count it as my first “new” pool for this project in 2013. It’s not that I’ve slacked off on pool-hopping, it’s just harder to find pools after knocking off 54 low-hanging fruit last year. Had I known about the improvements here, perhaps it, too, would have made the cut in 2012.

Yesterday morning’s motivation was a pre-spring nor’easter that dumped a few inches of slushy snow overnight. I couldn’t bear to make my usual early morning bike trek to Riverbank, so I hoofed it to Lexington Avenue for a dip here. Am I glad I did! First off, everyone was friendly at this early hour–staff and patrons, many of them of a certain age–a pleasant contrast to the other pool near my apartment that I hardly ever swim at. The lifeguard in particular was kindly proactive in balancing out the lanes and warning swimmers of impending collisions, a helpful step given the wide disparity in swim speeds and styles among the four lanes. I got in a reasonably long workout, dodging swimmers here and there, followed by a poolside hot tub soak, in itself reason enough to visit. Other points in this pool’s favor include its bright lighting and the spacious, well-provisioned locker rooms and lounge. It feels like someone who actually knew what she was doing worked on the space, a sadly uncommon experience in a locker room. If only the pool could be enlarged! Pay attention to the schedule when planning to your visit so you go at a time with maximum lane space.

This is a good place to practice FINA-regulation turns, because instead of a gutter at the end of the pool there is a flat, attractively tiled wall extending more than a foot out of the water. The pool claims to be “the first commercial indoor pool in New York State to be primarily disinfected by ozone.” To be honest, I couldn’t tell the difference, unless it contributed to a slight cloudiness in the water. Another quirk is the misalignment between lane lines on the top–for four lanes–and markings on the bottom for five.

The Y’s cultural stature also deserves mention. This venerable institution, a YM-YWHA, was established in the late 1800s and now provides world-renowned programming for all ages in diverse realms such as arts, culture, Jewish life and education, as well as health and fitness. The first building on the site opened in 1900, and an annex with a small(er) pool was added in 1911. The “new” building with the current pool opened in 1930. Although clearly not young, it is well maintained, just like many of its members.

Swimming My Age

Look, kids, we made Swimmer! This picture from our early morning Fourth of July swim at Riverbank’s outdoor pool accompanies an article about age-related swim quests in the January-February issue of the USMS magazine. The other main subject is a gentleman who set out to swim in all 50 states as he approached 50. Hmmmm. . .

I like the title of the article, “Swim Your Age,” and think it works especially well with this picture showing friends ages 26 to 50 all doing the age-appropriate activity of swimming on the nation’s birthday.

My only quibble with the piece is that it got my age wrong! At the time it was written in the late fall, I was up to 53 pools and still just 40 years young, but it says I’m 41. That was a bit of a shock to read when it came in the mail, a few days before I marked that milestone.

Read the full article here.

2012 in Review

A year ago today, I began counting pools with a swim at Riverbank State Park’s indoor pool, the same place I found myself this morning. I was pretty sure that I’d be able to meet my goal of 40 pools, but I didn’t necessarily expect to average slightly better than a pool a week, or to become nearly as obsessed with blogging stats as I am with pool stats.

Interestingly enough, that very first pool turned out to be the most popular post, followed by Manhattan Plaza in second and the Asser Levy indoor pool in third. With one being a massive state outcropping, another a highly covetable Theater District-flavored private club, and the third possessing more old-world charm than lane space, these pools couldn’t be more different from one another, or better indicators of the variety of swim options available to local pool tourists.

Down in the dregs of the popularity contest, meanwhile, is the Vanderbilt YMCA East Pool. I’m going to attribute that lowly ranking to it being a relatively recent post published at a time of year when most people aren’t focused on swimming, and not as a slight against that perfectly adequate, well-run pool.

Computers from 103 countries found their way to 40 Pools. Traffic peaked in July soon after the city’s outdoor pools opened. We’ll see if we can top that record next summer.

For more stats, check out the 2012 annual report prepared by the WordPress.com helper monkeys.

Author, Author!

I got the most amazing present courtesy of this blog’s number-one fan*: a book of the first 40 pools! The layout and cover were designed by a talented graphic designer who skillfully incorporated the blog’s visual theme, and it’s so shimmery that it looks like you could dive in. Instead, you can page through electronically or get your very own copy at blurb.com.

Perusing the book brings back memories of wonderful pools and wonderful friends, old and new. It’s fun to see how the project took shape throughout the year, bringing me to pools far and near, more exciting and diverse than I would have thought possible.

It’s really neat to have a tangible souvenir from the project, too. I used to work on books and always felt such pride when they came out, whether my name was buried in the acknowledgments or not listed at all. That feeling is multitudes greater with my name on the cover, never mind that there are only two copies in existence.

I couldn’t bring myself to stop at just 40 pools and don’t plan to stop at 54. Here’s to more pools and friends, old and new, and unexpected pleasures in 2013!

*Number-one status earned by being the blog’s first subscriber and maintained on many a swim. Thanks, Hug!

40 Pools, the book: suitable for a coffee table near you.

#54: London Terrace Pool

Location: Chelsea, Manhattan

Configuration: 5 lanes of 25 yards

Fee: $13 with guest of resident, payable by check only

Fees to Date: $221.87

If ever there were a pool worth parading around 23rd Street in your Speedo in order to gain access, this is the one. Before I get to the true story of just such an incident, it’ll help to understand the pool’s history and the attributes that make it such a nice place to swim.

London Terrace, a mammoth apartment complex filling a city block in Chelsea, came into existence at the onset of the Great Depression and soon found itself in default, despite the nearly 1,700 units filling up quickly. A little foreclosure problem got resolved by separating the ownership and finances of the four corner buildings from the 10 interior ones. The latter now comprise London Terrace Gardens, a rental complex, whereas the London Terrace Towers eventually turned co-op. The pool, which can be found at the southwestern corner of West 23rd Street and 10th Avenue, resides in the Towers and is run by the co-op.

Originally configured for six lanes and with three diving boards as seen in the vintage photo at left, the pool quickly became a beloved amenity for residents and also frequently hosted high-profile competitions such as the 1939 World’s Fair tryouts. Gertrude Ederle and Johnny Weismuller are said to have worked out here.

Starting in the 1939 and continuing at least through the 1960s, the influential Women’s Swimming Association made the pool its home base. This organization, which provided encouragement and support to Ederle and scores of other ground-breaking female athletes, used the pool for training and teaching.

It’s easy to imagine these pioneering swimmers finding inspiration here–the gently arched ceiling, cathedral windows, exquisite tiling, and classy locker rooms–just as today’s visitors do at this well-kept facility. The locker rooms alone are a treat, with old-school lighting, signage, and lounge chairs. It’s enough to make me want to don a fitted dress and hat and kick back, 1930s style.

The pool is every bit as lovely as you’d expect in such a grand setting. My host was an old friend and Towers resident, Gary, an excellent tour guide with the Wikipedia entry about the place to his credit. Among other tidbits: the pool generally goes unused on Wednesdays, and despite being underutilized it cannot be open to the public because it is only accessible by stairs and thus does not meet ADA requirements. The last usage agreement between Towers and Gardens is going to expire soon, so Gary anticipates tense negotiations over the pool in the new year.

This brings us to the Speedo-clad protesters in 1992. Threatened with loss of pool access or a stiff hike in fees, Gardens residents filed a lawsuit and mobilized in a quintessentially New York protest. “Swim free or die,” they chanted in their flip-flops, snorkels, and swim suits as they swarmed the Towers lobby and invaded the pool. A rent strike followed. In what could be claimed as a victory for both sides, Gardens residents retained their pool access with a steep hike in the service fee paid to the Towers.

Gary and I visited at night two Thursdays ago and had the pool nearly to ourselves. Swimming takes a little getting used to due to the lack of backstroke flags and the misalignment of lane lines and markings on the bottom, which are configured for five and six lanes, respectively. I’d visited during the day a couple times previously and had enjoyed the courtyard views from the large windows by the deep end. The nighttime turned out to be equally pleasant, thanks in no small part to the bright interior lighting. With a lane to myself and refreshingly cool water, I could have swum a long time were it not for holiday obligations.

Gary hadn’t swum recently due to an injury but is now recovered. He said he’d be happy to have company and motivation on future swims, so I’ll keep my checkbook handy when I visit Chelsea and look forward to future brushes with the ghosts of swimming luminaries in this historic pool.

Post-Sandy State of the Pools

Asser Levy outdoor pool in late October. Photo by Lisa Lisa.

Hurricane Sandy surged into town more than a month ago, upending life throughout the region in countless ways. New reports about its effects continue to pour forth, even as business is back to normal in some parts of the city. In the suburbs and parks, the high winds toppled trees willy-nilly, crushing whatever was in their path. In much of New York City, though, seawater reaching heights nearly 15 feet above normal was the biggest problem–the same seawater that is usually such a comfort and pleasant escape.

For those of us lucky enough to escape the most direct wrath of the storm, everyday concerns like where to swim became complicated despite feeling trivial compared to the many more serious problems. With the reopening of Chelsea Piers today and the Polar Bears starting their season tomorrow, here’s a report on what the storm meant for some local pools and beaches.

Mass transit was one of the first casualties, closing on Sunday evening and thus forcing the closure of gyms whose staff rely on transit to get to and from their jobs. Even if they weren’t damaged by the storm, most facilities did not reopen until at least Thursday, when some trains were running again. Riverbank State Park’s indoor pool was in this category, although its outdoor track remains closed ostensibly due to wind damage to one of the light towers.

Most CUNY campuses stayed closed through Thursday, with those that hadn’t lost power reopening at the end of the week, including John Jay and City College pools. Baruch was without power all week, and even when it returned the pool’s heater didn’t work, so the pool was out of commission another two weeks. It was chilly when it reopened but is now back to normal. NYU and its pools were also closed and without power for a week, and I don’t know if they experienced other complications.

Asphalt Green‘s member locker became temporarily one with the East River, and as usual the Battery Park City outpost’s completion is delayed. Roosevelt Island’s pool took a beating with the rest of the island and finally reopened on November 26. Chelsea Piers was also hit very hard and just came back online today. In the intervening month, the McBurney Y and my team welcomed their swimmers.

City rec centers also suffered. That’s Asser Levy’s outdoor pool in the photo at the top of this post, nearly filled with water again–saltwater–long after it was drained for the season. It remains to be revealed whether this caused problems here or at other low-lying outdoor pools such as Ham Fish and Red Hook. Asser Levy’s indoor pool is still closed due to damage to the rec center, likewise the Tony Dapolito pool and rec center and a number of others throughout the five boroughs.

Photo by Hsi-Ling. [More pictures by Capri]

Meanwhile, the receding floodwater left Brighton Beach covered in debris of all shapes and sizes, including boardwalk planks, decks ripped from homes, refrigerators, and telephone poles–much of it with nails poking out. CIBBOWS and Polar Bears helped consolidate the debris into piles for easier pick-up by the Parks Department. The Polar Bears canceled their entire November schedule due to damage at their home base–the Aquarium–and worries about what’s in the water, so they will be doing their first dip of the fall tomorrow. (One of the few other times they canceled a swim in recent memory was their prescient protest against climate change in 2007.) The Shorefront Y became and remains a FEMA Disaster Recovery Center, meaning it is up and running and welcoming community members who need assistance.

In short, the pools all suffered, but the extent of damage was widely uneven. Those that reopened within a few days saw new customers: pool refugees. Those that took harder hits are now facing difficult questions relating to their formerly prized or at least benign waterfront locations. The story will continue to play out in the coming months and years.

Not a Pool: Tomales Bay

Now here’s something to be thankful for: sunny sky and calm water in the mid-50s at this beautiful, top-secret Tomales Bay location. Some locals clued me in to this place the day before Thanksgiving, and I returned with my family on Thanksgiving for a morning dip.

Tomales Bay spans the San Andreas Fault, so if someday I have the chance to swim across the bay, I’d be swimming from the Pacific continental plate to the North American one. How cool would that be?!

#53: UC Berkeley Hearst Memorial Gymnasium North Pool

Location: Berkeley, California

Configuration: 33 1/3 yards x 4 double-wide lanes

Fee: Included with RSF day pass purchased for Spieker Pool

Fees to Date: $208.87

I wish I had an underwater video camera in order to share with you the experience of swimming in the Hearst Gym North Pool. Envision a Roman bath to get in the spirit. Imagine following an inlaid-marble black like along the bottom and coming up to an all-black marble wall in the deep end. As you breathe from this elevated vantage point, admire the classical statuary to one side and to the other the campus Campanile, which chimes every hour and is the closest thing to a pace clock at this beauty. My pictures don’t do it justice, so take a look at the photos here and here for more views.

The North Pool is the largest of three pools at this gym, which was built in the 1920s for Cal’s women and now plays host to most PE classes. Like Spieker, this pool had no backstroke flags and warmish water, but here the grand setting distracted me from these quibbles.

Knowing the pool’s history makes it even more interesting. For example: Until this pool turned co-ed in the late 1970s, the school issued “one-piece flapper-style swimsuits” to all bathers and kept the pool clean by having the suits boiled between uses! (Two photos of the swimsuits in action appear in this document.) Subsequent to my visit, I learned that the building has an women-only clothing-optional sundeck adjoining yet another pool–something to look forward to during a future visit.

Bernard Maybeck and Julia Morgan share credit for the design of this building, which was intended to adjoin an arts complex for which the pool decks would doubles as terraces and outdoor promenades. Morgan is of particular interest to pool tourists, having also created pools at the Berkeley City Club and Hearst Castle.

The Bay Area has a number of other pools that are 100 feet, aka 33 1/3 yards. I haven’t yet figured out why this is the case and welcome theories or explanations.

In addition to Spieker and Hearst, Cal has two other pools on campus, but one is closed for the winter and I didn’t have time for the other. There are plenty of reasons that I’m looking forward to returning to this part of California.