six short weeks more

My niece, Sammi, and her mother came out to visit us yesterday. It was sunny and wonderful, so a visit to the Peirce* Island swimming pool was in order. This facility is truly awesome. Built in 1945, the pool is 100 yards long. Can you imagine swimming the length of a football field? At its widest part, it's 33 yards across. At the shallow end, it's 14" deep, and it very slowly tapers to a modest 6' at the other end. The picture at left shows the pool and its location on the narrow strip of island.

During the free swim time, there were about 10 lanes set up in the deep end for laps, and the remaining space was in four big sections. There were nine lifeguards alternately walking the deck, sitting high on umbrella-covered chairs, or blowing whistles to instruct those who dared roughhouse. There was also a good number of swimmers, swimmer-hanger-ons, and sun worshippers.

Grounded without appropriate swimwear, I relaxed in a would-be Adirondack chair (it was plastic, and therefore, not genuine) between a small stand of trees which shaded me nicely and the pool's edge where I could watch Sammi demonstrate her swimming techniques and show off some amazing contortions (she can make her toes touch her ears, just to give you an idea). It was fun to watch and listen to the crowd, and just soak up the general summertime glee that was thick in the air.

The pool is only open until the end of August. So I don't miss out on the fun this year, I'm now tending to my swimwear issue, and will definitely go back soon. And Sammi has volunteered to come back anytime. I'll have to take her up on that offer.

* Really. It's spelled "Peirce." It goes against every grain of my spelling-bee brain to write it that way, but what can I do? And yes, the street on the satellite map picture of the pool is spelled incorrectly! It should be "Peirce!"