Nekkid in the deep waters

Just to re-iterate about how the cold water can affect us. A training partner, plus a boat/kayak person, and myself had arranged to swim in a 'close to home' lake, one we have been in several times already. We arrived to find a fishing derby on. I spoke with the organisers, (and joked we would certainly be a novel catch, but most certainly would exceed the poundage of the rods), and learnt 'weigh in' was not for several more hours. So not wanting to upset the fishing contestants, and having another couple of lakes 20 mins away, we headed inland. We arrived, unloaded, and 'felt the water'. This lake is a very deep lake so is several degrees cooler than the first lake. My thermometer read 60. (The first lake was 68) My enthusiastic but new to open water partner, felt it was worth a swim. So I used this as a training 'experience'. I informed the boat person, that this was 'cold,' a word I use with cautioned experience. We discussed how to 'acclimatize' and that hyperventilation, shortness of breath, is all an expected physiological change. And a state we must not try to fight. So we head off, after immersing slowly ( a walk in entry). We arrived at the other side. My partner was slower and was noticing his breath was more difficult to 'catch'. We decided to go to the next landmark, 200 meters away. (I advised the boat person, that this was indeed cold, and we would turn around from there). We swam to the landmark, and he noticed his breath was no easier, and his arms were not as strong. I said "we will now head for home" and we set off. He swam at a good speed, but slower than our usual. A grand total of 1.5kms. While drying off, we discussed how the cooler water affected us. A learning experience, and a most valuable one. Having seen how the cold water affected us, (speed, stroke rate, and amount of energy depletion due to the body's reactions to protect the core organs,) and my training partner having seen me hauled from a race with really bad hypothermia, has a respected and new appreciation of "it's Ok to turn around and head for home". A valuable lesson was experienced. Happy that we had 'been there, experienced that, won't forget it either' , we will swim later in the day in the 'more tropical 68 degree' lake! Amazing the difference a few degrees make, be it up or down. Moral of the story: IF it doesn't feel like it should, if it is not an easy pleasant swimming feeling, you can hear your breath and you have to concentrate on each arm stroke, if you are tensing up your neck because the water really is cold and you don't want to get your head into that good balance position, the cold water in your ears makes you feel queasy, it's OK to turn around. Live to tell the tale!!

Just to re-iterate about how the cold water can affect us. A training partner, plus a boat/kayak person, and myself had arranged to swim in a 'close to home' lake, one we have been in several times already. We arrived to find a fishing derby on. I spoke with the organisers, (and joked we would certainly be a novel catch, but most certainly would exceed the poundage of the rods), and learnt 'weigh in' was not for several more hours. So not wanting to upset the fishing contestants, and having another couple of lakes 20 mins away, we headed inland. We arrived, unloaded, and 'felt the water'. This lake is a very deep lake so is several degrees cooler than the first lake. My thermometer read 60. (The first lake was 68) My enthusiastic but new to open water partner, felt it was worth a swim. So I used this as a training 'experience'. I informed the boat person, that this was 'cold,' a word I use with cautioned experience. We discussed how to 'acclimatize' and that hyperventilation, shortness of breath, is all an expected physiological change. And a state we must not try to fight. So we head off, after immersing slowly ( a walk in entry). We arrived at the other side. My partner was slower and was noticing his breath was more difficult to 'catch'. We decided to go to the next landmark, 200 meters away. (I advised the boat person, that this was indeed cold, and we would turn around from there). We swam to the landmark, and he noticed his breath was no easier, and his arms were not as strong. I said "we will now head for home" and we set off. He swam at a good speed, but slower than our usual. A grand total of 1.5kms. While drying off, we discussed how the cooler water affected us. A learning experience, and a most valuable one. Having seen how the cold water affected us, (speed, stroke rate, and amount of energy depletion due to the body's reactions to protect the core organs,) and my training partner having seen me hauled from a race with really bad hypothermia, has a respected and new appreciation of "it's Ok to turn around and head for home". A valuable lesson was experienced. Happy that we had 'been there, experienced that, won't forget it either' , we will swim later in the day in the 'more tropical 68 degree' lake! Amazing the difference a few degrees make, be it up or down. Moral of the story: IF it doesn't feel like it should, if it is not an easy pleasant swimming feeling, you can hear your breath and you have to concentrate on each arm stroke, if you are tensing up your neck because the water really is cold and you don't want to get your head into that good balance position, the cold water in your ears makes you feel queasy, it's OK to turn around. Live to tell the tale!!