"Secret" Graduation Photo of Bob Miller In Officer Candidate School (OCS) Revealed

OK, OK. This could be a hoax BUT it sure looks like Bob Miller. And since Bob was in the Coast Guard and was an officer, this could be the genuine article. Does anyone remember what OCS uniforms looked like 40 years ago? Where they really this "Buck Rogerish"? And if that is Bob -- is that Patty? And why is she so short? Maybe it's Bob's boots -- hard to tell in this picture!

Huntington Master's Swim Team T-Shirt Now Worn 'Round-The-World

Yes, that is the now infamous Huntington Masters Swim Team T-Shirt Tom is wearing atop that happy camel. When pressed to divulge his and Judy's location where this photo was taken, all Tom would say was that they were "about 50 or 60 miles from the Pakistan border". He failed to mention which side of the border they were on! We''ll leave that speculation for another day, another time, another story in the continuing adventure of agent Tom... ooops, we may have revealed too much already!

Does working out really help you lose weight — or keep it off?

Weighing the Evidence on Exercise
By GRETCHEN REYNOLDS
Published: April 12, 2010 in the New York Times

CLICK HERE to go to the article! and find out if working out really helps you lose weight — and/or keep it off? And, is there a difference between men and women working out and losing weight. Sometimes, life isn't fair!

TRI / Masters Swim Meet: April 18, 2010, Huntington YMCA

Sunday, 7:30AM, April 18, 2010, Norton Pool, Huntington YMCA, Huntington, NY and the 5th Annual Tri / Masters Swim Meet and clash of the ORANGE vs the GREEN is about to get underway...

First, the Refs, Timers, Starters and assorted Coaches stop to debate the rules.

Then, there is time for warmups and practice starts -- with a little last minute "block-start" coaching from Sal (who actually looks a bit awe struck by this fancy multicolor bathing suit!).

OK... that's a good practice start. Now all you have to do is repeat this under real race conditions -- like people on the block next to you, butterflies in you stomach and Arthur handling the starting gun!

OK, OK. Let me practice this one more time. Gun Goes Off... Start Watch. Swimmer swims race, Stop Watch. Hey, maybe that's why they call it a "Stop Watch"

The races are over and the results are posted. ORANGE Team: 119 Points. GREEN Team: 93 Points. ORANGE Team wins the 2010 dual meet. Will GREEN come back in 2011? Maybe!

The Huntington YMCA is Offering a YOUTH TRIATHLON TRAINING PROGRAM for Kids Ages 12 to 14!

This innovative 9 week program is designed to introduce boys and girls ages 12-14 to the sport of triathlon. It will be held at the Huntington YMCA, 60 Main Street, Huntington, NY 11743. Top triathletes and coaches will provide instruction on basic swimming, cycling and running techniques, bicycle safety and maintenance, transition and nutrition. The program will conclude with an Indoor Triathlon.

Minimum eligibility requirement: Participants must be able to swim one lap of the pool (25 Yards). NOTE: There is No fee for the program and No membership is necessary HOWEVER, Registration is required as Space is limited.

Head Coach: Nancy Lipira. Additional adult volunteers always welcome please contact Nancy.

For more information contact Tina Graziose, Huntington YMCA Health Enhancement Director at 631 421-4242 ext: 133

Results of March 21, 2010 Masters Swim Meet at C.W. Post (Short Course Yards)

Rob Todd:
200 free 1st 2:13.17
50 br 3rd 39.23
100 br 3rd 1:16.78
100 IM 1st 1:09.66

Rob Martell:
50 br 1st 31.33
100 br 1st 1:10.36

Ken Longo:
50 fr 1st 25.45
50 bk 1st 28.87
100 bk DQ*

*Now, here's the story on Ken's DQ as related by Ken himself on April 7, 2010: "I jumped the gun, looking for that tenth-of-a-second edge. Instead of an edge, I got DQ'd!" After the DQ which happened even BEFORE the starters gun went off... Ken hopped out of the pool so the DQ in the 100 Back was also a DNF.

Ken decided since he was DQ'd not to swim the 100 but to save himself for the other two races. And, based on his times above, that was a pretty good decision! Our congratulations to all 3 Huntington area swimmers for their results at this CW Post meet.

Saturday Morning Work On the YMCA Driveway

The new water pipe is in and now it's time to fix the driveway. So, the Y wasted no time and on a bright, blue, sunny Saturday morning, (April 3, 2010), the equipment was working so fast that they seemed near to crashing together... but it was actually a planned move to remove all the old asphalt roadway in preparation for the new one to come! Yes... starting next week, (we hope), no more long walk, no more dirt encrusted sneakers!

Have a great Easter and we'll see you in the pool on Monday . (The Y is closed for Easter Sunday.)

You Can't Park Here Today!

April 2, 2010: Huntington YMCA Parking Lot Driveway, Huntington, NY.

Unless you arrived on a Dirt-Bike this morning you found it impossible to park in the Y parking lot but BOTH pools were running full blast and so were the swimmers who walked their way to the pool.

Dig We Must for a better Y!

Harry Slutter's Art Reception: March 28, 2010, Northport NY

The reception is over... but the art remains! So if you missed the "official" reception today be sure not to miss Harry's terrific photos. They will be on view till April 15th at The Northport Tasting Room and Wine Cellar in the heart of Northport Village.

The happy artist in front of one very dramatic photo!

Everyone agreed, "This is by far, the number one photo show of the year!"

Here's just a peek at some of the artwork you'll see... so Go, Go, Go! You have until April 15, 2010 to make the trip to Northport -- it really is a village close by!

Jump For Joy... The Y Has Scheduled an EXTRA Hour of Pool Time Two Saturdays in April

THROW OFF YOUR WORKDAY DUDS AND JUMP FOR JOY!

On Saturday, April 3, 2010, (Albicocco Pool), and Saturday, April 10, 2010, (Albicocco Pool) the Huntington YMCA has scheduled an ADDITIONAL Hour of Lap Swimming from 6:00 to 7:00AM.

On both days, Lap Swimming will continue in the Norton Pool from 7:00 to 9:00AM. So get to bed early on Friday night and get ready to swim, swim, swim. How many yards can you swim in three hours? One caveat... the Y's printed "pink" schedule sheet says "This schedule is subject to change." You may want to check with the Y before you get up early!

Results of the March 7, 2010 Spring Fling Masters Swim Meet at Eisenhower - SCY

Rob Martell:
50 breast 31.98 1st

100 breast 1:10.99 1st

Rob Todd:
50 free 26.52 2nd
100 free 57.92 4th
200 IM 2:35.83 2nd

Ken Longo:
50 free 25.30 1st
50 back 28.78 1st
100 back 1:03.06 1st

Storm Clouds Over The Lifeguard Stand: Robert Moses State Park, Summer 2009

Even though this picture looks like something out of a Cecil B DeMille Movie, ("The Ten Commandments" comes to mind when Moses parted the Red Sea), it is actually a picture that Sal passed along to us last summer and I "lost".

But March 1, 2010 is a great day to have found it. We're all a bit sick of snow and cold and storms and are probably yearning for the "Good Old Summertime". Well, we can get storms in the summertime too as this picture of the sky, the Atlantic, and a lonely-looking lifeguard stand, (and lifeguard), at Robert Moses State Park reminds us.

Thanks Sal... its a dandy.

Note, you should be able to see a larger version of the picture just by "clicking" on it.

Lifeguard On Duty

Below is a RE-CREATION of the famous Jim Carrey / Will Ferrell "Lifeguard On Duty" Skit that was originally performed on Saturday Night Live. The original skit sometimes turns up on YouTube but, for legal reasons, they have to take it off as soon as they spot it. So here is Jonathan Grant's award-winning recreation of Jim Carrey's famous SNL skit. Enjoy! And, oh yes, any likeness to Lifeguards now on duty at the Y is pure coincidence... even more important: Y Lifeguards DO NOT take training cues from this lifeguard!

Pictures From Vail, Colorado

Harry might have gotten his "butt-kicked" on his recent ski trip to Vail but he did come up with some nifty photos. And, snow is just water in another form -- though I like mine at around 80 degrees, I know there are a bunch of you who do enjoy the colder form!

Near white-out conditions have some of these pictures just disappearing on the white background of the Huntington Masters Swim Team Blog!

Opening Reception: Harry Slutter Photography on Sunday March 14, 2010 2-5PM

"One of the wonderful things about photography is the ability to freeze moments: little fractions of time. Within these moments beauty is revealed, memories are created." Come see some of the "moments" that Harry has captured -- the Opening Reception is on Sunday March 14, 2010 2-5PM at the Northport Tasting Room and Wine Cellar at 70 Main Street in Northport, NY.

Results of Valentines' Day Masters Meet at CW Post on Sunday, February 7, 2010

Rob Martell:

50 free 5th 32.42

50 breast 1st 32.75

100 breast 1st 1:13.73

Rob Todd:

100 free 3rd 1:00.68

400 IM 1st 5:49.69

50 fly 1st 29.57

Ken Longo:

50 back 1st 30.87

50 free 1st 26.09

West Neck Beach During a February Snow Storm: Not So Good For Swimming BUT The Cross Country Skiing Was Great!

We weren't swimming but, at least the seagulls were still flying -- see photo above. Our thanks to Carol Moore for these pictures of a West Neck Beach that we don't normally see during our Open Water Swims.

Along with the pictures, Carol wrote the following for The Water Log (or should it now be called The Snow Log?):

"In case anyone was wondering, the water temperature at West Neck Beach today was 38 degrees (stopped to take these pictures after cross-country skiing today at Caumsett....the next best thing to open-water swimming!) Hope everyone's enjoying/surviving the snow!"

Yeah, these outfits don't look like wet suits... but they're perfect for cross-country skiing.

And you thought it was cold getting changed here in September... our "change area" looks really cold today... even a full wetsuit wouldn't help for very long! West Neck Beach, we'll see you in the summer (spring if we're lucky!).

Run Start and Swim Start Video from the 2010 Indoor Tri

More Pics: Indoor Tri at the Huntington YMCA: February 7, 2010

During Sign-In and Mark-Up, it is not supposed to look like you're getting a Flu Shot! Honest, those magic markers don't hurt.

Above: Stretch before the start of the run portion of the 2010 Indoor Tri.

Below: Coach Bob listens very carefully to one of the swimmers questions. Did he answer the question? I'm not sure but nobody got lost in the pool so that's a good thing.

Above: Heat 3 or 4, (we're starting to lose track by this point), awaits their turn at the 15 minute swim in the warm-up lanes.

Below: Those runners legs are really moving!

Hey, is somebody throwing a rock at that swimmer in the green cap or is that just a really powerful kick?

Indoor Tri at the Huntington YMCA: February 7, 2010

It was a bright, sunny morning in Huntington New York and if you like your Tri conditions windy with a temp of around 18 degrees, (FORGET about the wind chill factor!), Huntington, on Sunday morning, February 7th was the ideal location for an OUTDOOR Triathlon. However, most people were smart enough to opt for the Y's Second Annual Indoor Triathlon. Here are a few pictures of this well-received event to benefit the YMCA.

Some, were smart enough to bring along their own personal cheering section!

Yeah, that is quite a happy smile -- I'll let you guess if it was BEFORE or AFTER the 15-minute swim leg.