Nothing better than a Spring Swim in he open water--sun shinning--no wind--smells and taste of salt water--bouyancy of the salty water--ungulation of the long slow ocean swell--elation at the end of a long steady workout standing in the sand with a towel and water bottle happy that winter is overwith....dog-gone winter is just beginning...
If someone can offer a description of a winter time pool swim that rival's the open salt water, I might be a bit more motivated to knock out the 4000m leaping off the page of my training sched. planned for the long course pool this Sat a.m.
I love this sport - especially in the open water...
Ripple - Open water swimmers from anywhere north of 38 degrees latitude in a lake or off a coast are hero's by my measure. For me Spring is somewhere around the first week of week of March. I'm on the South end of Chesapeake Bay. Although I can see my toes when I step into the water at Grand View , it isn't clear by any stretch. My fingers drag the bottom when I get to close to shore long before I can see the bottom.
What's spring for you? I'll have to wait until at least late May, unfortunately. And that will be in silty inland lakes...oh wait, there's Cuba in April. Just in time for jellyfish breeding season!
Right now I'd need an axe to get down to "any" open water. :violin:
Springs a state of mind. I got in the open water today, water temp was 37 F, air temp was around 32 F and snowing. We only stayed in a very short time, hands went numb and arms got heavey to fast. Gary when are you going to come up to AK and swim around the island.
Gary
Heat is tough. In cold water you can always try to get warm, but its hard to cool off in a hottub. I hope you are all successfull.
Happy New Year
Willie
No way, i would kill to swim in 80+ degree water!!!! Maybe i can get my relay team to make the trip to Key West (hint hint if any of my teammates are reading this)
Yesterday @ the LA Jolla Swim Clubs annual Polar Bear Plunge, the water was 53 degrees and I swam out to the 1/4mile bouy,..naked ( not literally ). I think the air temp was around 65 degrees. It was fun!
Are you sure it was 53? i swam to the 1/4 mile buoy at at 3:00 and my watch said 57 degrees. however it is not necessarily that reliable. i HOPE it was below 57 because i sure as hell felt cold
Holy Moly! 37 degrees. That's quite an accomplishment. There's a "polar bear" swim up at Lake Tahoe on March 1st - only 250 yards or thereabouts with similar water temperature. I was agonizing over that but you've really set the bar for the rest of us. Congratulations!
As to the Pennock Island swim, that's definitely on the "to-do" list but probably not in 2008. Several members of the South End Rowing Club are planning to swim an island swim this year with a different challenge - heat. We're heading down to Key West to do the Swim Around Key West on June 20th. I think there's one or two that will attempt it solo (12.5 miles) and one or two 2-person relay teams. I understand the water is in the mid-80's which will be a radical change for us and require frequent and copious hydration.
Again, congrats on the 37 degree swim and welcome to the sub-100 club where the combined air and water temp is less than 100. 37 water & 32 air would put you at 69 - that's awesome. My best is an 82 - 35 air and 47 water.
Happy holidays all!
Gary
