Lightening cuts swim short!
Driving up to Pompano beach from Fort Lauderdale, the weather was sweltering and sunny, with blue skies - with a strong breeze. The skies changed between heading into the changing rooms and emerging ready to swim (less than two minutes), and dark clouds were fast approaching!
The lifeguard tells me not to worry; the pool has a bubble and storms seem to just skirt around it! I’m not so sure, so get to making quick work of the minimum 1,200 yards to qualify the pool for the list.
Pompano aquatics center is another 50m by 25-yard pool, currently set up for ‘community lap swim’ with fourteen 25-yard lanes.
My timing was perfect; no sooner did I complete precisely 1,200 yards, than lightning crackled overhead and immediately the loudest thunderclap, followed by the piercing sound of the lightning warning siren and sudden downpour of weighty rain.
I think all outdoor public pools in Florida are fitted with automatic lightning alert systems which sound a (very) loud siren when they detect a dangerous charge in the air and potential lighting strike; apparently, they’re an early warning system and are supposed to sound when the storm is up to 20 miles away, I think this one missed the signs as the storm was already overhead by the time it struck!
The few people in the pool jump out and run for cover. The lifeguard tells me they’ve not had an alert for 10 months; they seem genuinely surprised! Watch the rain pelt down for five minutes, grab the necessary photo, a video of the eerie siren sounding and decide the pools on the list and time for my now daily Starbucks iced caramel macchiato!
Swim Stats
- Length: 1200 yards total swim
- 1:24 pace / 100y
- Garmin Swim 2 Watch
Review
(65/100)
Great facilities, !
Pool Details
- Length: 25 yards
- 14-lane pool
- Outdoor
Pompano Beach Aquatic Center
820 NE 18th Ave, Pompano Beach, FL 33060, USA
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