Signing Off at 50

After my illness last spring, I gratefully affixed this “I Survived COVID-19” sticker from Lisa Lisa to my water bottle. When older and wiser swim pal Kathleen saw it a few months later at Riverbank, she deadpanned, “So far.” It took me a while to appreciate her perspective, but she was absolutely right. We are in the “so far” phase of whatever is happening, and we continue to face many unknowns.

Despite much recent introspection about highs, lows, and hassles, I don’t know what I feel about swimming right now, or maybe I just don’t feel. But as 40 Pools turns 10 – and I turn 50 — I’ve decided to release myself from this project. I’d be pleased to continue pool tourism with friends, and I’ll leave this blog up assuming Word Press cooperates, but I won’t feel compelled to post if I am fortunate enough to log pool #108 and beyond.

The Roaring Forties

The 40 Pools Project has had a good run, if I do say so myself — educational, healthy, challenging, FUN! Since starting this effort a decade ago, I’ve:

• visited 107 pools on three continents;
• published 192 posts including some awesome guest entries further expanding the blog’s geography;
• covered some iconic non-pool swim spots such as Aquatic Park (San Francisco), Manly Beach (Sydney), and Barton Springs (Austin);
• opined on swim-related books, exhibits, and even a film and a play;
• had my 15 minutes of fame in the New York Times;
• swum nearly 8 million yards; and
• best of all, made and reinforced numerous aquatic friendships.

From my bubble of privilege, I’ve also touched on issues from the broader world including environmental challenges, racism, and the Covid-19 pandemic. Meanwhile, out in that same world, blogging has come to feel old-fashioned, the cool kids prefer platforms like Instagram and TikTok, and I can barely navigate Word Press’s latest interface. Changes in my own life include a new job, new cat, new bike, new relationship, new nephews, new eldercare responsibilities, new degree, and, is it just me or is it getting hot in here?

Brighter Times Ahead?

We have a lot of tools at our disposal to keep on surviving, and to keep on swimming, even though maintaining a consistent routine has gotten harder. Fact is, there were issues aplenty in the Before Times. To name a few challenges stemming from pathetic underinvestment in social infrastructure: John Jay’s reconstruction kept – and is keeping – it closed years longer than expected; Riverbank was unreliable (my last indoor swim attempt there in 2020, on Monday, March 16, was thwarted not by pandemic but by mechanical problems); and a plan for a new Lasker pool means a plan for a few years without any Lasker pool.

Bye for now, Lasker (photo from November 2021).

Channeling some optimism, on the other hand, I can point to instances of progress. Riverbank recently got many of the repairs it needed. The Plus Pool is creeping closer to realization in the East River. At CCNY, where I work and eagerly anticipate to being able to swim before I retire, I’ve seen the dust and heard the sounds from the pool renovation in progress – although I agree with whoever scribbled “No it’s not” under the “Coming Soon!” headline in the poster.

CCNY’s “Coming Soon!” sign shows a rendering of the renovated pool — and some well-deserved skepticism if you look closely in the header.

John Jay’s renovations were completed nearly two and a half years ago, so one hopes it will actually reopen some day. Meanwhile, my team has sourced new training options on the Lower East Side and in Crown Heights, Brooklyn. I hope to check these out sometime and to make use of my NYC Rec membership in the months ahead, especially if the recently reopened St. Mary’s pool adds lap swim sessions.

My team’s leaders toured John Jay’s beautiful renovations in early fall 2019, and yet the pool has remained closed. (Photo courtesy TNYA.)

An Invitation

I’d planned to mark this milestone birthday at Riverbank with some of the same folks who inaugurated this project 10 years ago. However, we are amidst what I can only hope is Peak Omicron, and it feels foolhardy to encourage friends to cram into in a pool lane for 50 reps of anything. Instead, I’m shooting for a belated birthday swim in 50 days, on February 27. You’re invited. Message me if you want to join in.

Thanks for reading. Happy swimming.

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