I'm used to close my eyes, but wonder if in open water I should open my eyes to watch for anything harmful or interesting (jellyfish etc). Of course I wear goggles/mask.
Thanks for taking the poll :)
As a kid, I used to be afraid to open my eyes underwater (I learned to swim in a bay), but once I did, I wondered why I'd ever want to have them closed. It was such a revelation to be able to see underwater.
Granted in some open water, you can't see much, but I still prefer open-eyed swimming. Sometimes when my goggles fog up, I take them off and swim without them--not when I'm in a pool, though, because the chlorine irritates my eyes. Salt water for some reason doesn't bother them at all.
In the pool, there's often traffic and I have to swim defensively. Even with looking, I can get people who suddenly stop or wade through lanes to get out on a particular side. Don't dare close my eyes!
As a kid, I used to be afraid to open my eyes underwater (I learned to swim in a bay), but once I did, I wondered why I'd ever want to have them closed. It was such a revelation to be able to see underwater.
Granted in some open water, you can't see much, but I still prefer open-eyed swimming. Sometimes when my goggles fog up, I take them off and swim without them--not when I'm in a pool, though, because the chlorine irritates my eyes. Salt water for some reason doesn't bother them at all.
In the pool, there's often traffic and I have to swim defensively. Even with looking, I can get people who suddenly stop or wade through lanes to get out on a particular side. Don't dare close my eyes!
