Swimming in the sea

I swim in the ocean 90% of the time. I try to keep the ocean floor about a foot below my arm reach for safety. Calm conditions allow for breathing any direction but i suggest bi lateral BC you can keep the waves outta your face and maybe more important you can learn to parallel the beach perfectly by sighting the shore/objects. Bi lateral took me 8 months until I finally got it. I just woke up one day and forgot about my weak side and realized a half mile in I was cruising no problem. Make sure you can do sprints until exhausted and then be able to continue on in case something happens out there. I wasn't a strong swimmer at all and looking back I should have not started in the ocean. Regardless the ocean seemed to force me into good form. I love the days the waves are diagonal BC I haul major ass one direction and feel like Phelps then reality hits the other way lol. But that hard direction really exercises your muscles and forces you to really rely on a killer strong rotation and quality kick(for me a 2 beat)

Is there a reason for you to want to swim in the ocean? I mean, if it is for some type of competition, then we need to know since there are rules to have to follow. If it is just for fun and you've never done it, then read up on the safety aspects of ocean swim first (i.e. rip currents, large waves that can smash you into rocks, even shorebreaks can break your neck on just sand, and of course, jaws :) I'm usually doing something else when I swim in the ocean: see underwater stuff (snorkeling/scuba diving), bodysurf, visit offshore islands, spear fishing. Not much fun just swimming distance. Sea water is always saltier than I though each time I take a gulp of it, so I don't like to swim in the ocean as I do in a swimming pool or lake. Where are you planning to swim ?