I love open water swimming. My first real ocean swim event was a 5K off the island of Bonaire. A 4-naught current and some choppy waves were the only obstacles. The scenery below the surface was a big distraction. Coral, fish, turtles, the pattern of sunbeams through the waves, 85-degree water. I believed I was in heaven. A beautiful blue-water heaven.
My first wetsuit swim was a few years ago at Solana Beach, CA. It was a cloudy spring day and the surf was a bit rough. I joined a group of triathletes that swim there every week and as we waded into the surf, I sensed a feeling of trepidation from the group about having to fight through the shore break to get out to "smoother" water.
I felt pretty calm and just wanted to play in the surf. One of the veterans in the group demonstrated the dolphin-dive technique in timing with the waves to dive in under the wave at it's base (trough) and pop out the other side. I immediately fallowed that lead and had such a big grin on my face I could taste the saltwater more than I'd prefer to.
After the whole group made it out beyond the breakers, we began swimming north and went about 20-30 minutes and then doubled back to finish at the entry point. Going back into shore was really fun as we could body-surf the waves easily with the added buoyancy of our wetsuits. I had such a blast, I went back out to body-surf one more time.
The spring weather here has been less than...well...spring-like. Temperatures have been below normal, way below normal. Which means the water temperatures are below normal by about 10 degrees... LOW 60's. It is definitely wetsuit legal.
The summer season at the local beaches starts this weekend with lifeguards going on duty and taking their vigilant positions at their designated posts. I suspect they'll have a pretty easy time of watching the water for swimmers...lack of swimmers is more like it.
That's good for me though. I hope to slip into my DeSoto for the first open-water of my season and to spite the cold water, I'll be envisioning coral reefs and deep blue water and body-surfing the shore break.
Have a good Memorial Day weekend and good luck in your races.
11 comments:
Nice memories!
Have fun!
good to check in with a fellow fish... the open water is the best, going back to my days huck finn like on a raft and swimming off of it in lake erie to today when i don the wetsuit..
yep..its gonna be a bit chilly the next few weeks...might need 3 swim caps or something
Can you believe that I have never seen the ocean!? I am so incredibly jealous of your opportunities. Have a great time!
Cool experiences! I think my first open water swim will be in the Atlantic Ocean for the Hilton Head Beach Bum Tri! Fun right?
Out of curiosity, how cold is cold?
Benson, you didn't mention the Monster. Not even once! The monster lives in water where you can't see the bottom and likes to eat swimmers, ESPECIALLY the ones in wetsuits, ESPECIALLY the ones swimming in water too cold to be swum in. You seem so happy to be back out in open water, maybe someone hasn't warned you about the monster that lives in open water?
Beware of the monster...
I dig my DeSoto wetsuit. Rock on.
I'll take the open water over the "black line" anyday... I don't know about those cold tips but I am sure you stoked to get out there!
Nice swim!!! Sounds GREAT!!
Glad you are getting back into the open water for the season.
I wish I was as comfy in the water as you are. Maybe someday...
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