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Cold water swimmers including sea, lakes and rivers

899 replies

TriSkiRun99 · 02/10/2020 16:52

After sea swimming regularly since May I’m hoping to carry on. Is anyone else hoping to carry on open water or sea swimming through the winter? If you fancy supporting each other and sharing hints n tips come join me. I’ve just bought some socks and neoprene hat, I’m hoping to to stay in my cossie as long as possible but I do have a wet suit if I cave. Smile

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CMOTDibbler · 26/02/2021 18:26

Did you have to do your meeting with wet hair?

Back in the river again tomorrow for me, and confirmation today that the lake will be open April 1st, and cake is back!

I've entered a 7km downstream river swim for September, which is both exciting and scary

SSwimCycle21 · 26/02/2021 20:21

Glad you got a dipmother and hope you didn’t look too drippy Grin I was late once just kept my camera off said I had WiFi issues 🤣
That’s a long swim CMOT hope training goes ok.
Had another double dip day Grin one at 7.30am very calm but very cold. Then a 5pm beautiful evening swim with a buddy. Such a lovely forecast this weekend I hope to get in a few more times.

MotherForkinShirtBalls · 26/02/2021 21:20

I'm not brave enough to put my face in 7 degree water, so my hair was safe Grin

7km is long! What kind of time would you expect to take? Good luck with your training

CMOTDibbler · 26/02/2021 21:26

It is apparently very current assisted, so all I really hope for is under 3 hours, but I do have a shorter swim arranged on the same river for July in a group to see how it feels. I've done 5km in a pool and previous river swim events feel vastly easier than pool or lake, plus easier to sight, so here's hoping!

MotherForkinShirtBalls · 27/02/2021 19:20

Weather was good enough again today so I got in for a quick swim. My shoulder seems to be improving so I risked a bit of a breaststroke/doggy paddle hybrid to keep me moving and it felt like a bit of a challenge against the drift which was nice.

CMOTDibbler · 27/02/2021 19:33

Good news on your shoulder improving MotherForkin. It was beautiful here today, misty on the river at first and then sunny. But so busy in the car park with canoeists, paddleboarders and fishermen - you can tell it has warmed up.
My wetsuit that I use in the river developed a big rip on the bum today - not sure if I caught it on something getting in last week or what. It doesn't owe me anything as I bought it in 2015 second hand, but it was the first wetsuit I'd ever owned. So now I need to be more careful in my good one, which is also a bit less insulated as it has 1mm panels, but it was fine today

SSwimCycle21 · 27/02/2021 20:05

Had a Stunning evening sunset swim it was truly beautiful so so calm with incoming super high tide one of my favourite swims with a friend.

Glad the shoulder is easing mother.
Is the rip mendable with some black witch stuff that fixes neoprene? CMOT

SSwimCycle21 · 27/02/2021 20:07

Stunning evening

Cold water swimmers including sea, lakes and rivers
CMOTDibbler · 28/02/2021 09:11

Oh, that is absolutely stunning! I can't wait to be able to start sea swimming, but tbh am happy to just be in any water.

I'm going to try and black witch it, but its a big hole and sort of comes off where the zip reinforcement is, so I think it might just go again. But if it repairs enough to be ok as a 'messing about on camping holidays in the lake' then that would be good as I'd feel a prat in my good wetsuit having duckweed throwing fights (not that it stops other people at our favoured campsite, always lots of triathletes in top end wetsuits)

MotherForkinShirtBalls · 28/02/2021 15:11

It's absolutely beautiful here today, it would be perfect for a swim but as half the County agrees with me, I decided to skip today as it was way too packed to feel comfortable. Ds will be back in school tomorrow (woohoo!) so I'm planning to go for a celebration swim after drop off.

SSwimCycle21 · 28/02/2021 20:06

It was lovely again tonight but a bit bumpy still both my DDs joined me in the sea tonight for a short dip. The eldest even did a bit of butterfly! She’s desperately missing swim club.

SSwimCycle21 · 05/03/2021 11:17

Super flat calm grey swim yesterday morning, was struggling with a grey mood it did help abit. May swim tonight as it looks calm & sunny but there’s a cold breeze today.

SSwimCycle21 · 05/03/2021 18:56

Chilly but fun low tide swim tonight my furthest out as the tide was SO low I was walking nearly 300m off shore 🤣

SSwimCycle21 · 06/03/2021 19:19

Lovely swim in a new spot this morning was lush we cycled up-to the next village will definitely do that again as it was super calm but oh so cold wind chill cycling home again Grin

LionLily · 07/03/2021 09:07

Just found you! I've been dipping here in Kent but as I didn't acclimate over the autumn I am wetsuiting this winter.
Very chilly (but very chill) morning at Hythe, wonderful sunrise.
Tide made getting in very easy - 3 steps and I was shoulder deep!

SSwimCycle21 · 07/03/2021 13:21

Welcome lionlily sounds like a lovely swim this morning. We’ve had beautiful weather here but so so cold air temp. I chose cycling over a swim today but hope to nip down tomorrow for my fix again. I’ve been dipping since the summer but my first winter swimming so I’ve mixed it up with a jacket over my costume or a shortie wetsuit on super cold days. The sea feels really cold now more so than December but the days are getting longer and lighter which is nicer. Roll on summer swimming when I can swim further can’t wait. Smile

MotherForkinShirtBalls · 07/03/2021 20:53

Hello LionLily Smile

I haven't been in all week - weather has been damp and miserable and I wasn't feeling great so I decided to mind myself a bit. Today was stunning though so I got in. It was about 4c air temp and 6.5c water which is the coldest of the year. Very proud to not have used my neoprene jacket at all.

Must check the forecast for next week...

SSwimCycle21 · 08/03/2021 19:02

Didn’t swim today despite perfect conditions as we went for first SUP of the year instead Grin and got a bit chilled so didn’t swim after. Still looks lush forecast tomorrow so will swim then instead before the stormy winds come back.

MotherForkinShirtBalls · 08/03/2021 21:57

The weather was lovely today but it's due to change tomorrow so I got down for a dip.

What's SUP, Swum?

SSwimCycle21 · 09/03/2021 06:30

Stand up paddle board Smile it’s very popular where I live.

RoyalMush · 09/03/2021 06:37

Might try this over Easter, possibly coldest time! Apparently there are some good online safety courses for seas swimmers so I will research first.

MotherForkinShirtBalls · 09/03/2021 09:20

Hello RoyalMush Smile. Yes, the water is definitely the coldest it has been so far this week. I'm looking forward to it starting to warm up again and maybe get my face in at some stage!

I saw lots of paddle boarders on Sunday Swim. The water was like glass, perfect for it. I'm not sure I trust my balance enough to try it Grin

SSwimCycle21 · 09/03/2021 13:41

Yep it’s most definitely at it’s coldest at the moment I checked online they reckon we are averaging 8c which sounds high to me as even my elbows felt the cold this morning in a beautiful swim with someone I’d see for a couple of months. The cold water coaches told me they are advised not to start teaching until above 11c sea temp.

RoyalMush · 09/03/2021 15:03

Thanks both and thanks for the tip about 11degrees. I might wait a bit then as I’m definitely rusty. Grin

SSwimCycle21 · 14/03/2021 19:19

Windy cold dip this morning had to stick close to shore though as tide had turned and there was a strong pull. Tomorrow looks a lot calmer so hope to go after a run.