I don’t know if we should technically call this an “award”.  Perhaps it is more of a consolation/booby prize. Anyway, the “I got Ducked at Lucky’s Lake Swim” stickers are in.  Based on the numbers we have already passed out, there are a heck of a lot of folks that have gotten “ducked” at Lucky’s Lake Swim.  Newbies may ask what the heck is getting “ducked” the short answer is “you will  know when it happens”.  The long answer is when Duck decides to swim up your back and peck on your head this is being “ducked” (we will also give you a sticker if he bites your toes).  I want to make it clear that it is not having Duck beat you to the other side, he has already done this to 99% of our swimmers.  So if you do get “ducked” in the future come on over to the wall of fame and pick up your sticker.

The I got ducked stickers are in! If you have been “ducked” then stop by the wall of fame and pick up your sticker from Lucky, I did have two come up and asked how they could earn their sticker. I explained if the duck attacks them when swimming they get the sticker. They responded “oh, is says “ducked” and seemed somewhat embarrassed, then left.

Jay, Mark and Mike have all been “ducked” at Lucky’s Lake Swim

Congrats to Kurt, who just scored his 200K club shirt.

Brice Gvurisko our newest 100K club member.

Harry, Maria, and Nancy just bought “The Immune” (The novel won the 2012 International book awards for Sci-Fi). For all the books sold at Lucky’s home or office he donates the proceeds to the  YMCA Aquatic Center Scholarship Fund. Enjoy the read! Congrats also to Maria who completed her 1st Ironman!

Good news on the Brain eating amoeba front.  The Medical world now have a survivor (previous fatality rate was 99%). Twelve year old Kali Hardig who contracted the ameba at a water park in Arkansas has just survived “and looks good” with the help of an new investigational drug. SEE VIDEO As much media as the “brain eating amoeba” gets you would think that it happens all the time, but the reality is it is extremely rare.  Put in another way your risk of dying of an automobile accident riding over to Lucky’s Lake swim is 60 times more likely than the risk of dying from amoeba contracted during the swim . . . sorry cyclists your risk of dying from cycling over is about 90 times the risk of a fatal amoeba infection (to put it another way we would have 90 cyclists die riding over to Lucky’s before our first death from amoeba).  But, motorists and cyclists take heart there is a worse way to arrive to swim at Lucky’s Lake Swim and that is parachuting in where your risk is about 630 times more likely to die than from amoeba. So after looking at all these stats I’m feeling pretty good right now because all you guys are more likely to die on your way over than I am from the swim (I am, of course, not including death from duck attack walking down to the lake, in the equation, that would increase my personal risk substantially).

So I have been asked what would happen to an aquaslog (a zombie in the water) if it contracted brain eating amoeba  The answer is it would die, but I would think it would be more prudent just to head shot the zombie with a 12 gauge than try to squirt infected water up its nose and wait a week for it to die. Shoot straight- Live long!