Cold water swimmers - anyone doing the polar bear/penguin challenge?

Can I join in? I won’t be doing a challenge because I’ve left it too late but I’d like to do a swim a week through the winter. I’m a cossie and shoes swimmer, because some of my spots are quite rocky underfoot.

I went for an early morning waterfall dip this morning. Beautiful scenery and very fresh at 6°. Warming up in bed now! I might need a bath 🥶

First swim last week, water is a chilly 10 degrees in Scottish loch. Tracked my distance for the first time and was really surprised is was around 600m so I've upped my goal to Gold Penguin.

I don't manage to swim to often though, twice a month will be about all day can do between childcare and work commitments.

That looks beautiful @PuddleglumtheMarshWiggle !

I went swimming yesterday afternoon 11 degrees, swimsuit, hat, gloves and socks. Managed 1k 😊

Picture taken yesterday, just before a little sun broke through…

I swam yesterday - still 15 degrees the lake, but I had on my wetsuit, hat and gloves 😆I'm such a wuss, but thinking of you all motivated me to go as I was struggling to get up off the sofa!

I did my second swim yesterday and the water had dropped from 13 degrees to 11. Definitely noticed that! I've done 750 m now and both my long swims though.

I didn't find it too bad in the wager but think I need to get better at getting warm and dressed.

I’m doing Silver Penguin. I’m hoping not to wear a wetsuit but need my gloves and socks!
Did my first swim yesterday morning. We did 650m. The water temp was 11.5degrees. Coffee and flapjack by the fire pit afterwards. 😊

I had my first swim on Wednesday. 400m in 13 degrees which was fine. Didn't fancy it yesterday in the rain though!

Not too early at all, I bet that’s what it is

Very interesting all! I have to say, I'm definitely aiming for wetsuit swimming, I already had it on yesterday and the water was 15 degrees, but I am a wee drive from the lake so I try to swim 1 km or more if I can (that's my excuse and I'm sticking to it ...).

I've checked out the temperatures of the water in winter and it's between 2 and 8 degrees. Not sure looking that far ahead was a good idea ...

Wetsuit/ skins depends a lot on if you just want to dip and can do it locally, or want more distance/ have more travel time.

There isn't anywhere local enough for me to dip in winter. I'll do river dipping in summer, but winter's a different beast. By the time I drive to a safe venue and pay, I want to last longer than 5 minutes, but I also like the recovery exercise aspect.
The time to get dressed in neoprene, and particularly strip afterwards when already cold is a downside though!

I got down to 5⁰C last year. It got colder but that was enough for stabby-glass-face 😂
I looked out for calm, milder days, that helped a lot. I managed to go each month, but only once/ twice per month by the time life got in the way.

I’ve pretty much always swam through winter. Not necessarily regularly when much younger, but now try once or twice a week. Just skins rather than wetsuit and swim shoes to avoid pain of pebbles. Wouldn’t want a wetsuit.

I’ve done polar bear penguin challenge for past two years, giving it a rest this year due to health, but still aiming for weekly dips.
On the topic of distance - I measured on land then had visual of where I was swimming to and from when in the sea.
I am in awe of people that do full polar bear - it’s nearly time to get out my winter gloves.
@hoorayandupsherises The coldest I’ve swam in is 7°, it’s more the outside temp that is an issue as the seas always cold going in, whether it’s 0°c or 20°c in the air.

Having worked out that a circuit if the ladies pond is 250m I think I'm going to sign up for polar bear gold but definitely expect to drop down to penguin.

I'm just hanging out here, hoping some of your cold water swimming bravery will rub off on me.

I usually stop in November around 10 degrees water temperature (and that's in a wetsuit). If anyone wants to inspire me with what temperatures you swim at in winter, it'd be much appreciate - then I might be brave enough to sign up!

With a wetsuit I went down to about 0.3- 0.4mi last winter, typically lasting about 25 minutes. It was very estimated depending on my trip around the bouys.

I now set strava up to record on my phone's GPS in my tow float which is more accurate than my watch.

I like the idea of the challenge but my swimming habits are very prone to disruption by family life.

It’s my first year of OWS so have not yet swum through a winter.
I’m a penguin, I don’t wear a wetsuit (yet) but have socks and gloves to minimize Raynauds.
Keen to do silver but not sure I’ll actually manage 250m in depths of winter?

I’m in! Thanks for this, it looks really fun. I’m going to aim for Penguin Gold - like OP, I don’t wear a wetsuit but don’t want to swim without socks and gloves. This will be a real challenge for me - I’m used to swimming through the winter but am more of a dipper than a real swimmer, so 250m will be a challenge. I’ve got a waterproof Fitbit, or I guess I could just my OS map to estimate how far it is if I swim along the shore. I’m in South-East Scotland and usually a sea swimmer, but we’re living out of town right now and I’m swimming in a loch - bit worried about how much colder that’s going to get!

@Invisimamma I use Apple Watch but frankly it’s crap when it comes to open water especially if you don’t do a full on front crawl work out and do breaststroke or bobbing about chatting. I’m going to sell it I think and go back to garmin I’m considering the swim 2 or one of the cheaper forerunners.

issues I’ve had with apple. Our lake has distance markers so I always know roughly what I’ve done. Last week I did 500m it measured 34 (breast stroke) one day back in the summer I did 1500 fc and it measure 2800. The best was I did a small dip in our local river and according to the map I’d swam to a village 40 miles away so that was very clever of me I thought 😂

I've just signed up for the Penguin Challenge, I swim in Scottish lochs and really need something on my feet + gloves. Can I ask how you measure your distances?

I'm very much a social/leisure swimmer, swam all through winter last year, but for fun rather than fitness. I just love the cold water buzz and feeling of freedom in the water.

I'm a bit of a cold water swimming newbie but I'm quite tempted to join in. I swim in Kenwood Ladies pond and I have no idea how long it is though.

I chickened out today I went to DL outdoor pool but it did mean I did 1600m quite slow though as my arm was suffering from post covid jab ache