I'm getting more and more spooked by algae, seaweed, etc...
Former Member
hello all, i've been swimming in a lake in upstate NY the last few weeks and I'm finding I get more and more spooked when I see algae, leaves, branches, etc. Any suggestions on how to work on this? I found when I concentrated and counted strokes, I could keep my form and do well. But it didn't last. I'd start to spook myself out again and my form would deteriorate because i keep trying to sight what's ahead of me.
How do you deal with the harmless debris you might bump into on your lake or ocean swims?
The lake i'm in is relatively clean, though murky. 3-4 feet visibility. I also have a kayaker accompany me.
Chris
During one of my o.w. swims, I felt something rough brush against my leg. I thought it best not to look to see what it was, as long as all it did was brush against me and not regard me as breakfast.
As for jellyfish, my experience is that most don't sting, they just feel like... jello. I encountered occasional stinging ones, and their stings felt like mild kitchen burns, but the pain disappeared in a few minutes. Fortunately--and no, powers that be, this is not a request! ;) --I haven't ever encountered the man of war jellyfish and I hope I don't. I heard their stings can be brutal. But my saltwater swimming has mainly been on the east coast from Jersey to Maine--too cold for the man of war, I understand.
Seaweed--pretty used to that since I learned to swim in salt water and some days the bay was full of seaweed. Didn't like it, but didn't find it threatening.
Once did an aquathlon in a lake... very murky and rusty pilings I almost tripped on while in standing depth... when I actually started the race, I moved to the deeper part of the course, even though that meant taking extra time to get back to shore. Didn't want to hit those pilings while swimming... and I figured I could make up for some lost speed on the run. Give me salt water any day for o.w. swimming!
During one of my o.w. swims, I felt something rough brush against my leg. I thought it best not to look to see what it was, as long as all it did was brush against me and not regard me as breakfast.
As for jellyfish, my experience is that most don't sting, they just feel like... jello. I encountered occasional stinging ones, and their stings felt like mild kitchen burns, but the pain disappeared in a few minutes. Fortunately--and no, powers that be, this is not a request! ;) --I haven't ever encountered the man of war jellyfish and I hope I don't. I heard their stings can be brutal. But my saltwater swimming has mainly been on the east coast from Jersey to Maine--too cold for the man of war, I understand.
Seaweed--pretty used to that since I learned to swim in salt water and some days the bay was full of seaweed. Didn't like it, but didn't find it threatening.
Once did an aquathlon in a lake... very murky and rusty pilings I almost tripped on while in standing depth... when I actually started the race, I moved to the deeper part of the course, even though that meant taking extra time to get back to shore. Didn't want to hit those pilings while swimming... and I figured I could make up for some lost speed on the run. Give me salt water any day for o.w. swimming!
