To feel so disappointed I can't get in the pool

[Pikola]

Very much a first world problem. It is however ruining our holiday a bit and I can't see a solution.

We came to Cyprus expecting the weather to still be a bit chilly, its Feb. Its absolutely baking lovely hot and sunny. Fantastic! But the pool is so cold it's basically unusable, no one has got in it. My husband has tried three times and had to get out straight away.

It's lovely getting all in the sun but part of the fun is cooling.off in the pool.

It sounds silly but it's putting a bit of a dampner on things as I can't really sit in the heat for long without it and I really love swimming pools on holiday.

We are in Paphos, it's lovely. Any tips??

The sea will be marginally better but still freezing.

You could book a day pass to somewhere like The Annabelle which has a heated pool.

I’ve experienced this before on holiday and you just have to stick with it. When you first get in and it feels freezing it’s not nice, but your body soon adjusts!

Thanks Again all, really great tips and comments. Really appreciate it.

Mad how people judge My idea of really hot based on temperature as I'm lying next to a pool sweating with a slight tan after three days 🙃 honestly, if you aren't sitting right in that spot, weather reports are not an accurate representation

you said you “assured us it is very hot”

16/17 degrees is not very hot. Whether you get in an arse about it or not! And it’s relevant to your thread because explains why an unheated pool may be so unappealing

whereas it would like be much more appealing if it was actually “very hot”

weather reports are not an accurate representation

take that up with the met office op
until then, I’m inclined to believe their forecast of 16/17 degrees over your “it is very hot!!”

Overcast, 16-17 degrees and a bit windy today

No doubt you’ll be assuring us it’s “scorching”

Swim in the sea.
Or have a bath

You need a heated pool at this time of year, it’s the same in Greece until mid-May. It’s one of the reasons your holiday will have been cheap.

@bakedFishandChips

no, you wouldn’t do that, don’t be silly.

At least you know the pool is clean if it smells like chlorine

It's not overcast, and it is very warm yes.

However, the temperature is dropping to 10 degrees overnight. BBC weather says 23 degrees on Paphos right now. Theres no way you'd get me in our local open air pool at 23 degrees when for the majority of the day the pool is well below that.

I've been in Cyprus when the temperature is over 40 degrees and the pool has been lovely and refreshing. I think your expectations of an unheated pool in early spring (even in Cyprus) are way too high.

You could get intp the pool. You are choosing not too because it's 'cold'

If i go away off season, I look for heated pool or indoor pool.
Paddling in the sea would probably be warmer than an outdoor unheated one

Aww, enjoy being away, and the lovely weather! I'm not sure where abouts in the country you live, but it is freezing where I am, so I'm jealous!
Even just sitting with a mister fan to cool off, or sitting on the side of the pool with your legs dipped in, if you can't face ducking until shoulder level. I did that last year, it was good once I was in, but it was definately a shock to the nervous system until I was fully submerged! If it is any consolation, most pools aren't heated due to electricity costs. I can't remember many being heated years ago either. Even in the hotter july/August weather you have to wait until it heats up through the day just to be half bearable. A solar powered cover helps alot, but they don't all have those either.

Ice baths for health are super trendy. Boost energy! Ease stress! Recover faster!

Let your inner Wim Hof loose.

Well you CAN get in.
Me and The DC have swim in cold water all over the place and you just do it, especially if its warm once you get out.
There is no special technique or anything and we have been in The North Sea in October!
The hardest bit is getting in, jumping in quickly is the best thing to do

In the summer I swim in the North Sea in gym leggings and a wetsuit top. Last summer was sun-burn weather, 24 degrees and up, but the sea was still insanely cold and I’m sure my breasts spontaneously crawled three inches up my ribs trying to get my nips away from the water as I waded in lol.

You do get used to it within about sixty seconds and feel like a new woman when you step out into the hot sun. Less so when it’s still fucking freezing when you step out 😂 Do it! You won’t die, I promise, I saw young women doing it in bikinis, there was a fair bit of screaming until they adjusted. Also in a pool you won’t be thinking what was that that just went past 🫣

Due to snow in Troodos tomorrow……..

Experience of several Mediterranean countries in Oct H/T or Easter is that the daytime temperatures are pleasant and pools bordering on unusuably cold if they were filled and open. We've given up on that type of holiday between late Oct- April in that zone. It is a shame that advice isn't clearer about the usability of the pools around that time of year as holidays tend to be sold with an assumption that they are open for standard use.

I like swimming distance and have been frozen out of pools at a mile of pounding up and down because my temperature was getting too cool to continue swimming safely.

Do Not Jump In To Cold Water

It's the best way to get cold water shock.
Cold water shock is about temperature difference, not the absolute temperature of the water. Those teenagers who drown on hot summer days aren't dying immediately from hypothermia and heart attacks, they're likely plunging from 30⁰C to 15⁰C, take a gasp reaction, and get a mouth full of water while they're still under. If there's enough temperature difference to gasp, you need your head safely and firmly above the surface at the point that your body reacts to the change.

Cold water swimmers go in gradually and gradually build up their tolerance to cool temperatures. That's not usually gained on a week away in a hotel pool in warm temperaures with a nice glow in direct sunlight and 10⁰C water.

I've recently been away and had the pools to myself because I'm used to British cold water despite a break since November. Even then I started in a shortie wetsuit before managing "skins" later in the week. The only other people in the pools were a small number of boys bobbing around for limited periods and girls bobbing on lilos. No other adults lasted longer than 3 minutes.

One of the most cringe worthy posts I've ever seen on MN. How embarrassing

The OP chose to holiday in Europe in Feb/very early March. Expectations were way off…of course you wouldn’t be splashing around in the pool…

Nah op.,,, 17 degrees is not “very warm” 😂

@bakedFishandChips

please come back and tell us more about you and your life!!

because on the basis of this suggestion, you’re an…. Interesting character!

To be fair my expectations were that the weather wouldn't be warm enough to WANT to use the pool, the reality was it definitely was so I was disappointed that I found them too uncomfortable to use.

Lots of great tips here, we went to an indoor pool today and it was enjoyable. We are going on day trips for the next couple of days.

I know lots of people also think I'm naive but I worked in the travel industry for 7 years and spent four of those working seasons, and I worked winter seasons in the canaries and lots of guests used the pools including myself. But I do realise the Cypriot climate is different so more research next time.