Okay, somebody please give me some insight. Why do so many pool swimmers not participate in open water events?
With a background that didn't include distance freestyle, I wondered if it would be fun to try an open water event. Was it really swimming without a line on the bottom, flip turns, and chlorine? I've found open water swims to be pleasant complements to pool swims. This really makes me wonder why open water events don't seem to generate more participation? I'm eager to hear why so many competent pool swimmers seem to neglect their open water options...
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Former Member
Leonard:
You’re right on the odds, but it only takes one time when you’re inside the mouth of some butt head Great White Shark to think...gee, I sure wish I was in the pool. Over in Maui a few years ago a frisky Tiger Shark plundered the race coarse to the point where they had to call off the race, (from what I was told). Although no one was bitten or worse yet, consumed, this Tiger Shark got rather frisky and aggressive.
To my knowledge, no one has ever been bothered by sharks on the Alcatraz Swim or Golden Gate Bridge Swims, but, I assure you, it was on my mind the entire way across the Golden Gate straight. Then at mid span on the Golden Gate Bridge a bunch of California Seals swam from my left down under me to my right….and… I almost died of fright until a coarse Marshal paddling a kayak a few hundred yards from me started laughing and told me not to worry, they are just seals. They could have been gold fish at that point, I wanted that race to be OVER!
Lastly, open water swimming can be tough. It gets cold, you can get hammered by rough water, debris, salt abrasion, fish, bad water, long distances and let's not forget our fellow swimmers banging for position. I will say that I have enjoyed my open water swims as much as any event I’ve competed in, but some of them are not for the timid.
Leonard:
You’re right on the odds, but it only takes one time when you’re inside the mouth of some butt head Great White Shark to think...gee, I sure wish I was in the pool. Over in Maui a few years ago a frisky Tiger Shark plundered the race coarse to the point where they had to call off the race, (from what I was told). Although no one was bitten or worse yet, consumed, this Tiger Shark got rather frisky and aggressive.
To my knowledge, no one has ever been bothered by sharks on the Alcatraz Swim or Golden Gate Bridge Swims, but, I assure you, it was on my mind the entire way across the Golden Gate straight. Then at mid span on the Golden Gate Bridge a bunch of California Seals swam from my left down under me to my right….and… I almost died of fright until a coarse Marshal paddling a kayak a few hundred yards from me started laughing and told me not to worry, they are just seals. They could have been gold fish at that point, I wanted that race to be OVER!
Lastly, open water swimming can be tough. It gets cold, you can get hammered by rough water, debris, salt abrasion, fish, bad water, long distances and let's not forget our fellow swimmers banging for position. I will say that I have enjoyed my open water swims as much as any event I’ve competed in, but some of them are not for the timid.
