I'm new to swimming, having just started last October at the local Y. I'd been swimming a mile 3 times a week in the pool.
I just recently started open water swimming with a few friends.
Wondering what everyone's thoughts are on swimming alone in open water. Pool swimming is suddenly less appealing (i.e., monotonous), but it's hard to coordinate training in open water with others sometimes. Is swimming alone an absolute no-no?
I have been an open water swimmer for 25+ years, and only in rare instances will I swim alone. Now I will do ocean swimming if a guard is on duty, but as mentioned before, it’s a good idea to let the guard know what you are doing.
If you do find that the only way to swim is alone, no lifeguards family or friends, I would suggest that you invest in a Rescue Can (one of those red floaty thingies that they use on BayWatch). You put the strap over your shoulder and tow the can behind you. With practice, you hardly notice that it’s there.
A Rescue Can is one of those red floaty thingies that the Bay Watch life guards are seen carrying as they run on the beach. It is a used as a floatation rescue device.
For a photo of a Rescue Can, take a look at www.kiefer.com , under rescue equipment.
Hi there! what is your swimming ability, and what are the conditions in which you will be swimming?
opinions about open water swimming vary greatly (actually, i've been advised, so to speak, by my coach that ocean swimming is not the best thing... but that's probably a different story...)- if you swim parallel to the shore of a guarded beach, it should be pretty safe. generally speaking, you should let the guards know what you'll be doing as a courtesy and, on some beaches, if you ask nicely, they'll let you (perhaps) swim with them during their morning workout.... having said that, I used to swim by myself in the sea and I 've had no problems (with the exception being my husband humming the theme from Jaws while I'm searching for my goggles;) )...
Eliana,
Like Rob posted its the red floating buoy that all the lifeguards carry on Baywatch. Its made out of hard plastic and has several handles that are molded into the body. The rescue can can easily support 2 to 3 people (help keep them afloat). There are other options available but the rescue can is probably the easiest to swim with (most pool lifeguards use a rescue tube which does the same thing as the rescue can, but it is made out of a plastic foam material).
Eliana,
My swimming ability? Well, I'm not a very fast swimmer, but I do okay. I swim across a local pond (1/2 mile), and then back. I go early in the morning, so no lifeguards are there yet. I also wear a wetsuit.
I guess I"m just wondering if I'm asking being foolish, even though I feel comfortable with the swim, especially with a wetsuit on.
that sounds quite nice- an early morning summer swim in a pond. Well, if you're comfortable with it... i don't know much about pond swimming but you're lucky that you don't have to worry about tides, sharks, sea lice and so on!!
There is a warning that we have all heard:
NEVER swim alone.
I am tempted to ask, what part of "never" do you not understand?, but I realize that comes from the part of me that imagines a person who is 5 minutes late is in the hospital from some terrible accident!
The concern is that as benign as your pond undoubtedly is, if an accident should happen and there is no one there to help you, you might suffer much graver consequences than if there is someone to assist.
I always wear my seatbelt in the car too -- just that type, I guess. Others may be more adventurous!
Kim
