Tawny graduates from Pier 39
(courtesy of Dr. Diesel (Kim) Hooper, Jane Koegel, and the amazing Tawny Jean)
[from the SouthEnder Spring 2007 newsletter]
Yeah, it was good, once we figured out where E Pier
39 was. Tawny Jean came in black full cap-and-gown
graduation gear, and we serenaded her and her longawaited
matriculation at briefing, and again, for the
curious tourists sake, at the 9AM Pier 39 jump.
There she stood, in the clear morning light, balanced
on the top rail, black gown fluttering in the breeze,
waiting, waiting, waiting for her jump. “jump, Tawny,
jump!” all shouted from the boats below!
Is this one of the famed San Francisco Bay suicides?”
tourists whispered, looking aghast, but watching with
a mixture of fear, anxiety and anticipation. “Is the
Golden Gate fully booked?”, they wondered. “Did she
pass her exams, but can’t make rent?”
Then we in the boats below broke into our second rendition
of Elgar’s “Pomp and Circumstance.” Slowly the
tourists came to realize that this was some arcane, religious
ceremony, practiced only by locals in Baghdadby-
the-Bay. Ah, the wisdom of tourists.
Soon all had jumped that were to jump, with their various
signature flourishes and somatic embellishments,
with gasps of astonishment and half-hearted, frightened
applause from hundreds of onlookers. Two
video cameras recorded every move.
Then all swimmers began churning powerfully thru
the water, arms moving rhythmically, curving over and
down like scimitars moving homeward to the
Promised Land: Julian Green, Darrin Connolly, JP, Joel
Lanz, Dan Reid, Johanna McShane, Jonathon Maier,
Mary Louise Schmalz, Tom Peyote, El Sharko, Diana
Craig, Pedro Puuush, Tawny Jean, Andy Field, Laurel
Like a Tree, Dan Needham, John Finnigan, Stephanie
Gerk, Bill Wygant, Robin Kincade, Norm Davis and
Griff Behnicke, finishing in this order. Griff, new to
the club, won Longest-In-Water at 46:50, and Julian,
training for the Channel won Shortest, rocketing in at
26:25 and nosing out Darrin by 3 seconds.
Pilots were numerous and skilled. Kayaking alongside
were Kathy Bailey, Paul Springer, Ned Viall and John
Walker. In oared boats, Sue Free and Tom Wurm were
in singles, and in doubles were Brenda Austin with
Elizabeth Glass and Dan McLaughlin with Anna
Soujourner. Johnny Diesel, Bob Roper were in zods,
with Joe Butler mentoring and Sue Herder ballasting.
The sauna cooked all back to health, and then it was
down to feast on Wendy Doherty’s breakfast. And
Wendy’s breakfast repast of frittatas was glorious,
earning repeated standing ovations. Helping her in
the kitchen and also earning plaudits were Brenda
Austin, Pat and Betty Kuneen, Suzie Dods and Susan
Petro, with Dan Needham spearheading the clean-up
crew.
Kristine Buckley and Beth Ellis were gracious and disciplined
multi-taskers as receptionists and registrars (for
swimmers and pilots), as well as timers and data
crunchers.
And the rest is history. All in all, a great day for a
swim, and a great swim it was.
Kim Hooper
People deserve very good life time and mortgage loans or student loan would make it much better. Just because freedom depends on money state.
Posted by: Alford23Amber | February 16, 2012 at 07:07 AM