chesapeake bay swim without a wetsuit?

RE: chesapeake bay swim without a wetsuit?

Chris Stevenson — Sun, 15 Jun 2008 07:51:26 GMT

Betsy Owens Memorial 2 Mile Swim, 2008 USMS 2 Mile Cable Championships, Mirror Lake , Lake Placid August 16th, Saturday. Website for this swim -- a nice race in a great location -- is at www.adms.org/.../lp_swim.html But it isn't the national 2-mile cable championship in 2008. This year it is in Charlottesville, VA on July 12. More info on this long-running race is here: http://cableswim.org/

RE: chesapeake bay swim without a wetsuit?

Former Member — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 14:06:43 GMT

This was my first crossing w/o the rubber. welcome to the the dark side. sorry to swim and run but the brits i had in tow were melting in the heat. if you are feeling so inclined to join.....my summer is all planned out: JUNE The 2008 Great Chesapeake Bay Swim June 8, (Sunday) Park to Park Swim NEW YORK June 15, Sunday Distance: 1.0 Mile www.swimnyc.org USMS 1 Mile Open Water Championships Long Island Sound, Madison , CT June 21 Connecticut Masters Jen Lyman, 203-464-6903, coachlyman@hotmail.com Allison Pelliccio, alli@allisonp.com Tom Savoca, 203-318-0182, tsavoca@newsvues.com Entry Form Mashpee Super Swim Cape Cod Weekend. 5K June 28, (Saturday) JULY Greenwich Point one mile www.gscevents.org/.../1m08entry.htm Fran Schnarr Memorial Metropolitan USMS 5K Long Island . July 13th, Sunday. Mstrs 5k Entry Info.doc (80KB) AUGUST August 3 Point Lookout 1 mile aquafitmasters.com/.../Events.htm August 9 Island Beach 2 mile www.gscevents.org/.../2m08entry.htm or Lake Champlain 8 mile Betsy Owens Memorial 2 Mile Swim, 2008 USMS 2 Mile Cable Championships, Mirror Lake , Lake Placid August 16th, Saturday. Grimaldo's Mile Brighton Beach August 17 cibbows.org/.../GMreg.pdf August 30 John Daly 1 mile aquafitmasters.com/.../Events.htm SEPTEMBER Brooklyn Bridge Swim NEW YORK Spetember 06, Saturday Little Red Lighthouse NEW YORK Spetember 13 www.swimnyc.org

RE: chesapeake bay swim without a wetsuit?

Muppet — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 10:09:59 GMT

I did the 4.4 mile without a wetsuit, and although I hit a few pockets of cool water, I was glad to be in just a swimsuit. I never regretted my decision, although it did occur to me while slogging across the bay that a bit of added buoyancy might have helped me out a bit. I just wish they'd divide the results into wetsuits v. no wetsuits - it doesn't seem fair to lump us all in together. I agree - but if you check out the bay swim website (and lin-mark too), they make mention in several places that wetsuits are allowed and encouraged (for safety) and that this is NOT a USMS event. I think they're coming around, as they do give out awards to the first man/woman non-wetsuit out of the water. But that doesn't give props to the rest of us. This was my first crossing w/o the rubber.

RE: chesapeake bay swim without a wetsuit?

Former Member — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 14:52:25 GMT

RE: chesapeake bay swim without a wetsuit?

Swimmy — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 08:59:14 GMT

Ok.....did my first OW swim; the 1 mile challenge and decided at the last minute to WEAR the wetsuit. Water seemed to be in layers, so was glad I wore one. Some places were warm, but at others it felt quite chilly. Since I HATE to swim in cold water, I think I made the right decision for me. Very well run race; not sure how I feel about OW though, miss the lane line at the bottom. The bay was also filled with diesel fumes, so had trouble breathing at the start. Congratulations to all the swimmers that swam! It was a great day. The water was so warm. The diesel has been worse other years. I hardly noticed it this year. Maybe I am just used to the taste of the bay now. You will get used to not having a line on the bottom. Don't give up. Try other races. :cheerleader:

RE: chesapeake bay swim without a wetsuit?

Former Member — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 06:15:06 GMT

RE: chesapeake bay swim without a wetsuit?

Former Member — Sat, 07 Jun 2008 14:55:40 GMT

Good luck tomorrow everyone!

RE: chesapeake bay swim without a wetsuit?

Former Member — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 14:42:17 GMT

Hi Swimmy- This is the first time doing the 1 mile challenge for me....I see the water temp is now over 70, I am bringing a wetsuit, but am not sure if I will wear it. The 2 times you wore the suit, do you recall the water temp? And the 2 times you did not wear it, what was the temp? I had heard that last year the water was quite warm and a friend of mine wore a wetsuit but wished she had not......I dislike cold water, but as you pointed out, once you start, the water temp becomes irrelevent.... Oh, what to do....what to do.......:dunno::help: Go without the wetsuit. Our local outdoor pool was 70 degrees last weekend and my friend Mary swam for 1/2 hour in it. Mary has the least body fat of anyone I know and she didn't freeze. If she can do it, so can you. -LBJ

RE: chesapeake bay swim without a wetsuit?

Former Member — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 13:45:19 GMT

RE: chesapeake bay swim without a wetsuit?

Swimmy — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 05:09:07 GMT

Hey Leonard! Nice to see you around the boards. Mighty Minnow, The water is always around 70-73. I get too hot when I used to wear my wetsuit. I have not worn it in any races for last year and most of the year before. You will do fine without it. Good luck!

RE: chesapeake bay swim without a wetsuit?

Former Member — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 14:21:14 GMT

some weather notes: yesterday, it got up to nearly 90 throughout the area, and then we had up to 4 rounds (depending on where you live) of nasty thunderstorms come through beginning about 3pm. the bay rose about 5 degrees through the day, then cooled off ~4 degrees with the rains, but rose again a bit through the night with the humidity. it is supposed to be near 90 for the next several days, with the chance of thunderstorms. . might have to swim with an ice pack if this keeps up.

RE: chesapeake bay swim without a wetsuit?

Muppet — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 10:00:52 GMT

you may want to check this out... Thomas Point Bouy ... maybe hourly ;-) some weather notes: yesterday, it got up to nearly 90 throughout the area, and then we had up to 4 rounds (depending on where you live) of nasty thunderstorms come through beginning about 3pm. the bay rose about 5 degrees through the day, then cooled off ~4 degrees with the rains, but rose again a bit through the night with the humidity. it is supposed to be near 90 for the next several days, with the chance of thunderstorms. I doubt any rains will have the same intensity and effect as yesterday's rains, so i would anticipate that we should see a pretty dramatic end-of-week temperature rise. Last year it was 75; I'd expect more of the same this year.

RE: chesapeake bay swim without a wetsuit?

Former Member — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 09:39:04 GMT

I am doing the 1 mile without a wetsuit. It will be warm. You will roast in a wetsuit. Dave Barra is my hero!:smooch: I'm doing the one mile too! What wave are you in? I'm in 4 (slacker to sign up this year). The current water temp today in the Bay is 69 degrees - brrrrr! Although this weekend is supposed to be pretty sweltering, so hopefully it'll warm up a little.

RE: chesapeake bay swim without a wetsuit?

Swimmy — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 07:42:42 GMT

I am in wave 2. I think I signed up a couple days after registration opened. I did a race at Reston without a wetsuit last week and I was not cold at all. I have done the Chesapeake 1 mile 4 times. 2 with a wetsuit and 2 without my wetsuit. Once you are moving you won't care about the water temperature. (Maybe Mr. Moderator should leave his wetsuit in Kansas?):dunno: Good luck! :cheerleader:

RE: chesapeake bay swim without a wetsuit?

Former Member — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 06:21:58 GMT

My Daughter just swam in the Potomac river to Chesapeake Bay swim last weekend. (Well, actually she swam with 5 other brave souls to the 2.5 mile bouy and back.) The reason only six swimmers made the swim was because the race was cancelled due to 17 knot substained winds, and worse expected. While approx 40 swimmers (one wearing a string bikini) elected to go for a calmer lake swim as an alternate, my daughter and two of her girlfriends were there for the tougher conditions of the bay, so elected to go with the challenging alternative. Along with individual kayakers, and two bigger support boats, they took 1 hr and 40 minutes out (against wind) and 40 minutes back...had a blast. The bay was 68 degrees, and the girls all swam without a wetsuit, with no real problems. I think it is a personal thing. I dont know if I would swim in 68 water, racing my daughter (she is doing 5 mile, I am doing 2.5) this weekend in 74 degree water...cold enough for me.

RE: chesapeake bay swim without a wetsuit?

Swimmy — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 01:25:15 GMT

I am doing the 1 mile without a wetsuit. It will be warm. You will roast in a wetsuit. Dave Barra is my hero!:smooch:

RE: chesapeake bay swim without a wetsuit?

Former Member — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 14:35:01 GMT

thanks - i had a good wetsuit free swim yesterday, so unless the conditions are really rough or the water temperature nose-dives, i'm going without the wetsuit. so i'll be another of the three people without a wetsuit. i probably saw you at coney island - i was there last sunday too. good luck and thanks to everyone for weighing in.

RE: chesapeake bay swim without a wetsuit?

ande — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 10:56:04 GMT

many open water swimmers use the Blue Seventy PointZero3+ swim skin if the water's pretty cold consider wearing a neoprene cap i'm swimming in the chesapeake bay swim in about a month, and know most people will be wearing wetsuits. i don't have a wetsuit, and i don't want a wetsuit, but i don't want to be pulled out of the race 3 miles in, shivering, miserable, and maybe hypothermic. i'm planning to do some training swims in the 3 weekends i have left - and in new york, where it's a good bit colder. the coldest swim i've done (last fall) was 53 for 19 minutes without any pre-training. any advice would be appreciated... i expect to do the swim in about 2.5 hours.

RE: chesapeake bay swim without a wetsuit?

Former Member — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 10:42:36 GMT

Dave, I'll be wearing a "speedo" also (as I hope most will), but it will be under my wet suit. I'm not nearly as manly as you are to not wear a wet suit. not as manly? don't you guys still have snow on the ground? i am looking forward to seeing you and your rubberized gang. (thats the funniest avatar i've ever seen)

RE: chesapeake bay swim without a wetsuit?

Former Member — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 07:46:54 GMT

(it's still cold here in NY - last weekend I lasted 40 minutes at 54). Does this seem like a terrible strategy? i think 40 min in 54 degrees > 2 1/2 hrs in 67 degrees. the temperature shouldn't be an issue for you. both times i did the bay swim (07 and 05) the temps were mid 70's and still 90% of the field was wet-suited. i think the race directors are concerned with liability issues and so the do nothing to discourage the use of wetsuits even when most other races in those temps seperate rubber from non-rubber wearers.

RE: chesapeake bay swim without a wetsuit?

Former Member — Sun, 01 Jun 2008 13:26:01 GMT

hey j fish, i swam w mike rossner last sunday at coney 54 degrees brrrrrrr. chesapeake will be much warmer 67 at the worst. i have done the bay swim a couple of times now.....under 2 hrs. and have found it quite comfortable w/out a wetsuit. go for it...you should do fine. say hello, i will be one of the three people wih a speedo on.

RE: chesapeake bay swim without a wetsuit?

Former Member — Sat, 31 May 2008 05:31:42 GMT

I borrowed a wetsuit and tried it out today, and really hated swimming in it! It's probably not the best fit for me - it seems really really tight (I know they're supposed to be really tight, but the legs just didn't seem big enough for my legs.) I'm going to try some on today, and possibly rent one for the race for a backup (with a quick pool swim for a test run next weekend), but I'm inclined to just go in my suit. It doesn't feel like swimming to me when I'm locked in a cocoon - and the chafing is terrible. I could rent one for tomorrow and swim in salt water tomorrow, but I think I'd rather squeeze one last acclimatizing swim in before next weekend (it's still cold here in NY - last weekend I lasted 40 minutes at 54). Does this seem like a terrible strategy? I'm almost at the point where I'd rather swim in my bathing suit and get pulled than suffer in a wetsuit and finish.

RE: chesapeake bay swim without a wetsuit?

Former Member — Thu, 22 May 2008 13:17:13 GMT

I've decided to rent a wetsuit, and decide whether or not to wear it on race day - the temperatures in the bay seem to fluctuate a lot more than I expected. Thanks for everyone's input.

RE: chesapeake bay swim without a wetsuit?

fatboy — Thu, 22 May 2008 01:35:22 GMT

Consider renting it at least once before the race to try it out. Better not to have to sort out new gear on race day. I like the idea of deciding on race day if you have used it before.

RE: chesapeake bay swim without a wetsuit?

MAC swimmer — Tue, 20 May 2008 05:42:57 GMT

MAC, Yes, you can swim at Sandy Point. There is a tri team that does some weekend practices there in May but I do not know any details. The negative thing about trying to practice there is that they will charge you to get into the park and you are limited to the swim area. (You could always just blow them off) I swim from a friends dock on the Severn, between the Route 50 and Route 450 bridges. A circuit is 2.5 miles. If you stay about 100 yards off the docks, boats won't be a factor. I just swam this afternoon over near you in Frederick, in Lake Linganore. Not sure how far I went, but swam for 1:25. Still pretty cold. A friend had a parking pass and we left from one of the boat launches. Check out these routes at www.mapmyrun.com/search Look at the Alden Lane and Coach Ron routes. Best of luck to everybody at GCBS. 3 weeks to go. My God. Lake Linganore is pretty stagnant. I'll take the Severn anyday or the Potomac. Now with all of the rain the middle of the Bay will be in the 60s for sure. It is cold out there.