I am new to open water swimming and have a question for all you experienced swimmers.
I am thinking about swimming in a local fresh water lake at a state park. My plan is to swim about 50 -75 yards off the beach and swim parallel to the shore. I am thing about towing a lifeguard rescue tube behind me for safety and for visability.
Am I crazy for thinking this way?
I had to promise my wife not to swim alone in the lake last summer. but one of my swimming partners has made this arguement against a swimming buddy.
we can be between 2-8 people in the water at one time. only 2-3 swim the same pace. the rest of us swim to the next bouy and then we wait for everyone to gather, then swim to the next. last year it was 250m between bouys, this year 200.
after a few practices we decided it was better for the faster swimmers to swim the 750 or 800 in one swim and then wait at the other end.
here comes the "no need for a buddy" arguement. if I am swimming 10-15m in front of my buddy, and he goes under, and it takes me 10-15s before I look back, he could be as much as 25-40m behind me and underwater. not very likely that I could swim back and find him and then be able to save him.
I find it hard to sink with a wetsuit, so my only concern with swimming OW is being hit by a boat. luckily for me the lake I swim in only has pedal boats.
I had to promise my wife not to swim alone in the lake last summer. but one of my swimming partners has made this arguement against a swimming buddy.
we can be between 2-8 people in the water at one time. only 2-3 swim the same pace. the rest of us swim to the next bouy and then we wait for everyone to gather, then swim to the next. last year it was 250m between bouys, this year 200.
after a few practices we decided it was better for the faster swimmers to swim the 750 or 800 in one swim and then wait at the other end.
here comes the "no need for a buddy" arguement. if I am swimming 10-15m in front of my buddy, and he goes under, and it takes me 10-15s before I look back, he could be as much as 25-40m behind me and underwater. not very likely that I could swim back and find him and then be able to save him.
I find it hard to sink with a wetsuit, so my only concern with swimming OW is being hit by a boat. luckily for me the lake I swim in only has pedal boats.
