Diving Into the
Open Water
Feature
It's not easy to get started with open water swimming and it can actually be daunting to move from the lap lane into the open water. I took a long time to warm to open water swimming and thought there were no “real” people actually involved in the sport, only superhuman, half dolphin, swimmers covered in sheep fat. I thought I would be out in the ocean, swimming out on my own, but it turned out that I was not the only one who wanted to get the thrill and adventure of swimming without the constraints of four walls. You need to search a little but there is a growing community of swimmers wanting to get involved and get out there...It’s just a matter of finding them.
Open water swimming has become a boom sport in my part of the world over the recent years. Melbourne alone has 26 weekly training sessions, most of them free, dedicated to open water swimming, so there is no better time to get involved. The following is some advice that I can offer to help you make that transition from pool to open water as smoothly as possible.
1. Swim with others
Not just for safety, swimming with a group will challenge you to swim further and in more difficult conditions than you would when you’re alone. Your first open water swim may be a little scary, so don’t feel defeated. This is why it's a great idea to find a group to swim with who will help you get over any initial fear.
2. Check the weather report
Depending on where you're planning to swim, it is worth checking if there is going to be any change in weather. Sudden changes could cause a major change in water conditions. As well, try to get some idea of the area you will be swimming in and how rips or currents affect the water.
3. Wear appropriate gear
Make sure the gear you’re wearing is appropriate for the outdoor environment you're swimming in. Winter swimming may call for, not only a wetsuit, but gloves, neoprene cap and boots. If you need glasses, it may be worth getting a pair of prescription goggles to make sure you can see markers in the distance. Swimming wetsuits and surfing wetsuits are different in the way they move and help you in the water, so it is worth spending a little bit of time to work out if it's also worthwhile spending money to get a proper swimming wetsuit.
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