Thinking about starting open water swimming?

Besides swimming I am doing a lot of freediving. Using a wetsuit would be a very natural choice for me. Last year I got a little bit more serious about open water swimming and found out, it's not the same - either to freedive or to swim under the same conditions. You may get the chills after 30 minutes freediving in a 3mm suit in 75°F water. But swimming generates enough heat to feel longer comfortable without a suit, actually, my personal best so far was a 3½ hour swim without a wetsuit in 65°F (freshwater). Last year I chose to wear a 3mm Jacket (bare legs) to swim the length of Wolfgang See near Salzburg in mid September (10.5 K). Because I went by myself without any support/feeding, etc.. I thought it was safer to go with thermal protection, even though afterwards I knew I could have easily made it without it. On top of that the Jacket was chafing badly on my shoulders. I recommend to get used to swimming without a wetsuit and use it only for safety reasons when You go by Yourself without support. Quote from Steve Walker: "Make sure that all your 'firsts' (first time in cold water, first two hour swim, first swim after being sick, etc.) are accompanied or supervised." If not supervised, it's still safer to use thermal protection. The ideal case would be supervised, supported swims in a bathing suit.

Besides swimming I am doing a lot of freediving. Using a wetsuit would be a very natural choice for me. Last year I got a little bit more serious about open water swimming and found out, it's not the same - either to freedive or to swim under the same conditions. You may get the chills after 30 minutes freediving in a 3mm suit in 75°F water. But swimming generates enough heat to feel longer comfortable without a suit, actually, my personal best so far was a 3½ hour swim without a wetsuit in 65°F (freshwater). Last year I chose to wear a 3mm Jacket (bare legs) to swim the length of Wolfgang See near Salzburg in mid September (10.5 K). Because I went by myself without any support/feeding, etc.. I thought it was safer to go with thermal protection, even though afterwards I knew I could have easily made it without it. On top of that the Jacket was chafing badly on my shoulders. I recommend to get used to swimming without a wetsuit and use it only for safety reasons when You go by Yourself without support. Quote from Steve Walker: "Make sure that all your 'firsts' (first time in cold water, first two hour swim, first swim after being sick, etc.) are accompanied or supervised." If not supervised, it's still safer to use thermal protection. The ideal case would be supervised, supported swims in a bathing suit.