Anyone planning on doing the 12.5 mile Swim Around Key West?
Or has anyone done the swim before?
The Race Director Bill Welzien is attempting to swim around Key West once a month for a year. He's posted his race experiences through December 2006 but he's not posted an update since December 2006. I hope he's doing okay.
Still working on getting an escort. . .
Anyway, should be a fun event. I hope to be there even w/ a surgery scheduled for April 30. Doc cleared me and said I could do it - course, we'll see how it goes after the surgery. Now, just need to continue to get in that yardage. Doubles were hard the first couple of weeks, but now they're pretty fun!
Former Member
Yes, those that were able to see Gail Rice swim butterfly around Key West, without breaking stroke were looking at one of the finest open water swimmers ever! There were actually 4 solo swimmers that each swam a different stroke around Key West - Christena did backstroke which resulted in what she referred to as the raccoon tan -sunburn all but in the goggles area!
(it only added to her beauty!)
There has been some confusion as it appears two swim events are taking place directed by two different organizations. Lori Bosco directs the swim that is sanctioned by USMS and can be found here:
www.fkccswimaroundkeywest.com
Gail Rice is my new hero. Thanks for the clarification on the two swims (held the same day and within 30 minutes of eachother)? I feel my only option is to go with the USMS sanctioned and Coast Guard Approved race. What kind of politics are going on with those two races???
In Florida, we don't have any (S)he "Man Eaters", but the same thought applies to sharks and Jelly fish..."Don't be first; don't be last". Whoever is up front will clear the way for Jellyfish and scare off the sharks.
Nurse or Sand sharks are the most common (a possible Hammerhead) but they will flee when they hear you coming. In the water you are a 5+ foot fish. Most sharks don't want to fight something that big!
So relax, have fun, and enjoy the post-race party. Key West is a blast!!:drink:
Sweet! I KNOW I won't be first. And I'm pretty sure I won't be last.
Really, I was thinking all the swimmers would get so spread out along the course that it would be hard to tell who was first or last, etc.
I was cool until you said hammerhead - they freak me out. Strange beasts.
Honestly though, that's part of the thrill about ocean swimming. You never know what the environment will throw to you.
I'm sweating here as I'm typing. Told hubby that in order to acclimate to the hot weather down there in June, no A/C until after the race! Ha!
I'm sweating here as I'm typing. Told hubby that in order to acclimate to the hot weather down there in June, no A/C until after the race! Ha!
No no no...you need to clematis to the water temperature. You need to hit the Hot Tub. You may need one of Chucks margarita's to practice dehydration and get used to the taste of salt!!
Does anyone know if swimmers can rent kayakERS!? I've asked around a little bit and haven't found anyone who can commit to running the support kayak for me if I do the swim.
I have a feeling I'll be VERY DARK post the swim. Man o wars are my biggest fear at this point. Fortunately, I know what nurse sharks look like compared to great whites. Here's what I have to say about nurse sharks :thhbbb:
In Florida, we don't have any (S)he "Man Eaters", but the same thought applies to sharks and Jelly fish..."Don't be first; don't be last". Whoever is up front will clear the way for Jellyfish and scare off the sharks.
Nurse or Sand sharks are the most common (a possible Hammerhead) but they will flee when they hear you coming. In the water you are a 5+ foot fish. Most sharks don't want to fight something that big!
So relax, have fun, and enjoy the post-race party. Key West is a blast!!:drink:
Does anyone know if swimmers can rent kayakERS!? I've asked around a little bit and haven't found anyone who can commit to running the support kayak for me if I do the swim.
Jen,
Contact Monica of Paradise Paddlers at monica@kayakfloridakeys.com or at 305-451-3018 for an escort for this race.
Hi there,
I feel compelled to respond to this, having had a significant jellyfish experience last year.
I do the St. Croix 5-mile swim every year. It's a great race, for those who have not done it, in a beautiful spot.
Last year, the race began, I felt strong, and about 500 yards in, felt an ungodly pain on my arm. I looked down and saw a set of black tentacles wrapped around my arm. The pain was pretty excrutiating. I ripped the tentacles off, threw the jellyfish away, and debated what to do. (At that moment, two gorgeous sea turtles swam underneath me. Amazing!)
The pain was intense. For the first hour, I felt like I could barely lift my arm.
I kept going--and all of us were stung by sea lice as well. It was my best time at that race, and we made many jokes about the power of poison as a doping tool.
The pain continued and people kept telling me it was just the sea lice. I was pretty sure it wasn't, especially because of the black lines on my arm. By that night, I was sure. It was intense. Benedryl, Vinegar, Aloe, you name it--nothing worked. The itching, pain and burning were a nightmare.
By lunchtime, despite the benedryl, I was starting to spasm from the pain. My husband said I looked like a drug addict going through withdrawal and he was getting pretty scared. (Meanwhile, I was trying to stay calm for our 6-year-old who was totally freaked out.) My arm was starting to bubble and was significantly swollen. (I wish I had listened to my gut and gone to the emergency room earlier.)
My husband put me in a taxi to the ER. By the time I got there, the ER Doc said that I was starting to go into shock. I had to get two painful shots in my butt, and oral steroids. He also gave me Atarax, which was the reduce the itching but took 24 hours to take effect.
The quality of care, by the way, was terrific. They took my insurance, were really great--and i paid less than 20 dollars for the ER, the pharmacy, etc. (Even my taxi driver was so kind. He stayed with me, and I had to force him to take a tip!)
I guess the bottom line for me, is that I now feel like it's incredibly important to make sure you have meds or whatever you might need with you when you go. I do not plan on racing open ocean without prednisone or atarax in my dopp kit. Obviously, I am highly allergic and need to be attentive to that.
I have a big reminder every time I look at my arm. I have a permanent scar--a series of black trails that cover a portion of my arm. My open water badge of honor!
For me, it also really emphasized the importance of good race support. I did feel more confident knowing that if I needed to drop out, I could do so safely. I've done races where the level of swimmer assistance was not as good, and after this experience, I am much more careful in my research about it.
After all that, am I going back again this year? HELL YES! I wouldn't miss it for the world.
Okay, that's my two cents. Listen to your gut. Sorry for the long post!
And now, I'm off for a fresh water pond swim--which frankly, creeps me out much more than anything that might be in the ocean...
