Next month I will be swimming Lake Tahoe with a relay. Expected conditions are 55 - 60 F and wind and chop, with no wetsuits allowed. Fortunately we will be swimming only 1/2 hour shifts separated by 2.5 hr (6 person relay.) Also, there will be a boat that I hope is big enough to see with by bad eyes and close enough to pull my frozen carcass out of the water.
But I am very nervous. I am a pool swimmer who likes his water 79 +/- 2 degrees, and this will be my first serious open water experience (without fins, mask, and snorkle in the Carribean). Is there a chance of cardiac arrest if I don't prepare correctly? Will it help if I hop in the Pacific ocean a couple of times (the temperature is comparable right now, I think.)? Or will I only be making myself uncomfortable? Am I better off not knowing what I will get into?
I know (in theory) about earplugs and cap, but what is the grease that I hear people talking about? What kind and where should it go? I don't have a lot of insulation. Will those big(ish) mask/goggles keep my face warmer?
Is it better for the boat to hang on my breathing side, where I can see it, or well ahead of me where I can lift my head up to sight it (no drafting allowed, of course). I know I wander if there is no line under me while I swim.
My brain tells me that an in-shape swimmer will not become (seriously) hypothermic after only 30 minutes, but I would like someone with experience tell me that, too.
Former Member
Thanks again to everyone that provided advice.
The actual event was somewhat of an anticlimax, given how nervous I was about the cold. Two weeks earlier I took a swim in the ocean and spent about half an hour riding the surf - that temp was about 55 (according to the park ranger) and that was cold! (but convinced me that I would survive my lake swim.) Lake Tahoe was downright pleasant. I would have guessed about 70 but others said it was in the low 60's. Anyway, temperature was not an issue for me at all. A couple of team mates did shiver for a few minutes after getting out, however.
Conditions were perfect - sunny and calm all morning. It felt good to hop in the water for the second time, after getting roasted in the sun. It was a great swim and I would recommend it to anyone as a great time and a good opportunity to bond with your team.
My boat did not go slow very well, so I could not use it for direction. Sighting was difficult for me for several reasons. First, I am not very experienced at it, second, I am pretty nearsighted, and third, it is difficult to see the shore when you are 10 miles away. I ended up swimming toward mountains that I could (fuzzily) see in the distance. This worked fairly well, except when I was shooed away from one boat that crossed my path (they were unwilling to change direction, because "We have GPS"!!) I may have had the right of way, but I know when to yield!
I missed a warmup, as we would hop off the boat and start swimming. I got pretty tight during the first 10 minutes, and that half hour swim seemed long - I was ready to get out (did I mention that I try to keep my competitive events to 200's or less?) The second swim (15 minutes) was a blast; I felt really strong.
This was a well-attended event. There were over 100 teams of 6 swimmers each, and 6 individual swimmers. Working around swimmers and boats was an issue for the entire race. Also, I saw enough naked men (one gut had a bunny G-string) to last me a while.
If you have done the Trans-Tahoe, then you need to do the Maui Channel Swim. Its a very similar 6 person format except that the swim is from Lanai to Maui--which has some obvious appeal. Including warmer water, of course.
