Normally, I must say I enjoy the challenge of a more adventurous body of water. But there is something about swimming through endless rolling chop that is very seasickness inducing. Add to that the colder water temperatures, and I very reluctantly suggest I'd rather take my chances in an Ag Belt runoff pond, with its Roundup residue and pig urine...
Your poll reminds me a little of a joke I once heard where a fellow is offered a choice:
Death...or mambo?
After mambo is explained to him, of course, he picks Death.
At which point, the chief nods deliberatively and replies, "All right then. Death it is! By mambo!"
Lake Michigan hands down. I've only swum two open waters (Big Shoulders and a lake in Georgia that was 85 degrees). Although the 63 degree water temp was a bit of a shock to my system, both the water temp and the waves were challenging and that made it fun for me.
I am glad to see the poll trending in the correct direction. :)
I was in Lake Michigan this morning at 6:30 and again at noon, when the air temp had increased by 25 deg F. It was quite tolerable both times. Water is sub-60; we'll follow it down, probably into November, at which point CIOWS/CIBBOWS takes over the excitement.
Keep on keeping on.
I probably wouldnt swim the cold rough stuff, not because of the rough, but because of the cold....I vote #3 semi warm rough stuff.....I can only hope to sometime figure out how to do the cold stuff.
I'd have to choose the warmer water. I suffer from cold in general, and cold water in particular. I'm lucky to live in Israel where water temps in the mediterranean allow me to swim April through November without a wetsuit. This year I bought a wetsuit so I can swim through our winter.
Can EVERYONE acclimatize to cold water? Is it only a mind thing?? In temps that to others are comfortable, I shiver, and following my last sea swims last winter, it would take me 1-2 hours to get warm again.
