Cold water swimmers including sea, lakes and rivers

[TriSkiRun99]

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.

Well a 5/4 would be warm enough I think. I have a 4/3 and that is good for Autumn in Britain, I have never used it in very cold sea, but DH did go in on New Year’s day in his 4/3 and he was ok. 5/4 just that little bit warmer but the thicker suits are less flexible for swimming, and very buoyant which can also make swimming less easy.

I've just booked my New Years day swim :-)
My summer wetsuit has had a proper wash in the bath with wetsuit cleaner and packed away, so into the slightly warmer one now.
Hoping our local pool reopens soon (they booked maintenance to start in August to finally fix the moving boom issue) so I can get some distance in as the outdoor swimming is now about the headspace more than the exercise

Cornwall sea swimmer here, I've done a couple of winters in a swimsuit (and swimhat) for the Polar Bear challenge.
Could never find a comfortable wetsuit & abhorred the associated faff.
When the sea temp drops though I only usually do around 15 mins a time.
Don't really have any helpful tips apart from just embrace the cold & stay alert, then woolly hat, thick socks, baggy trousers & many many top layers, and a hot drink. Ditch the bra & knickers even, too much time-wasting when getting dressed. Don't have a hot bath or shower until you feel almost normal again, it might make things worse by drawing blood away from your core, which your body is trying to keep warm.
A little bit of brandy works wonders.
Never swim alone, at least have someone on shore.
And the sea is warmer than lakes, down here anyway. It doesn't really drop much below 9/10 deg, which isn't even that cold...

I swim all year round! No wetsuit though I have natural "padding". I swim mostly in a lake though sea if I can get there. Lowest must be about 4 degrees or so.
My tip, to add to all the others are: don't worry too much about the temperature, listen to your body. Lots of things impact on how you feel in the water.
Don't be a tit and stay in too long, I've seen experienced swimmers get hypothermia and it's awful.
Do enjoy it and spend lots on bobble hats! Never, ever swim alone.

Tried out my new neoprene beanie hat under a swim hat today and it was lovely warm toasty head plus booties with a hair band round the top of each sock kept my toes warm. Then just had costume on, was great to get back in after the pollution warning was lifted and waves settled down abit. Hopefully Sat/Sun the forecast looks more settled for more sea swimming.

Bumpy dip at lunchtime as I hadn’t realised the wind had picked up until I cycle down to seafront and was whooo that’s strong & spotted the flags flapping madly. Stuck close to shore & still took a couple of mouthfuls only 10mins today in cossie. Nice to get out though. Weekend looks much calmer and perfect conditions.

Really excited about my weekend swims, I think about it often especially stuck behind a screen.
I have bought a head light in preparation for after work dips!

Lunchtime dip for me too Tri. It wasn't bumpy but there was a weird current and although I didn't need it, I was glad to have the reassurance of my bouy with me. I managed 18 mins in my skin suit . I've set myself a challenge of at least ten dips in October so I'm up to three. I'll try to do another either tomorrow or Sunday too.

The car temp gagauge said 3c air temp this morning I got my wetsuit on for that one but forgot my booties and my poor toes nearly froze off! Beau morn for a swim though SO calm loads out making the most of it at 8am. Was hoping to go back in later with some friends but the wind has picked up and rain potentially coming back in.

@TriSkiRun99 is it the Cskins beanie you have? I was chatting to someone this morning who had one, and was contemplating getting one
It was gorgeous for my swim today, 12' and sunny but 7' and windy out of the water

It’s the beanie from lomo co uk it’s just a wetsuit material beanie hat, I really like it underneath a normal hat. Had a wetsuit swim this morning again it was lovely but definitely cooler still got mild ice cream head even after we’d been in 10mins. Fab to see lots out in 2s and 3s swimming mostly ladies in the sea.

We had very deceptive sunshine here today. It was 13c but the water was cold. I managed 20 mins. Lots of people in today which was nice to see. About half and half wetsuits and swim suits. I remembered my swim shoes today. I got them as the shore is very stoney and sore but they really make a difference when I'm in the water. I've ordered a decathlon neoprene swimming hat, can't wait for it to get here.

Dh thinks I've finally lost it...I've rigged up a back pack thing for my hot water bottle. I'm so toasty with it

This is a lovely thread. I swim outdoors all year round, but don't get to swim in sea too often as I'm far away. I don't wear a wetsuit, I find them very tedious. If you are willing to go without, you do acclimatise and I can now swim for half hour sub 5 degrees. Sometimes I can stay in longer but that's dependant on how much I've eaten, how sunny it is etc.
The lake I swim in is 11 degrees at moment, which is my favourite temperature as it gives me a lovely tingle. I climbed to a lake on Cader Idris last weekend and that felt significantly colder but it was out of this world beautiful. I find swimming through the winter really helps my heart and head.

Your lake swims sound lovely insanity we don’t have any swimming lakes near us but we are super lucky to have semi sheltered sea swimming spot.
Braved a cossie swim this morning just as it started raining it felt a lot colder than it has been. Taken me hours to warm up today.

It is lovely at this time of year, but the summer is not so good with weeds and duck lice. I am very envious of your sea swim. Hopefully if restrictions allow I'm going to Wales this weekend for a swim or several.
It takes me a long time to warm up in the winter too, but for me this time of year is now really easy after four/five winters of acclimatisation so it does get easier the longer you do it, and the winter swims become addictive.

Hadn't managed to go during the week so I went today. It was really suny when I left the house but cloudy by the time I got to the beach. It's amazing how much harder it is after a few days' break! I tried my new neoprene hat. I'm not sure it's much better than my silicone one.

How does one swim in a straight line though? I think I need to get better at breathing on moth sides so I can keep track of the shoreline.

Both...not moth..

Had a Saturday sunrise swim making the most of the calm weather before it changes this week. Swam again today with a group of ladies it really lifted my spirit on a gloomie morning with grey low clouds then rain showers. I’m still in my cossie with gloves and booties which is working for me.

I wear my neoprene hat and a silicone hat over the top that keeps my head toastie. At my sea swim lesson they taught us how to spot, by picking a big landscape feature then you lift your head forward then down then side to breathe. And repeat to keep on track, added swell makes it harder so pick a feature on the shore which is high up. It’s helped me.

That makes sense, Tri, I'll give it a go next time. I'm so used to pool swimming and lifting my head as little as possible, it's hard! At one stage I found myself at a direct right angle from where I thought I was going today. Either that or I seem to spend a lot of time swimming on the spot in the swell!

I swim most of year around but escape to Iceland in February when the sea is really quite chilly. I swim skins and just do it regularly enough not to feel a dramatic difference as it cools down.
I went this morning, wonderful calm sea around 16 degrees, at a guess. I think it was warmer in than out. I don’t do more than about fifteen -twenty minutes and am far more aware of depth of water etc during winter. It does set me up for the day with a lovely lingering warm glow.

I'm a long way from the sea, but I swim in lakes. This is the latest in the year I have ever swum.

I am now swimming in a wetsuit, a swimsuit just wasn't enjoyable once it got to around 16 degrees and I don't have a huge amount of fat to keep me warm. I am thinking about getting some swim socks, although I do like the tingly almost numb feeling. I'm normally someone who dislikes the cold, but I am finding it all quite addictive.

I’m so pleased to find this thread! I am in North West Wales in an area with many beautiful beaches and I swim all summer
I have rounded up a group of friends and we are planning on swimming once or twice a week all winter!
I am still in costume as are several of the others and we are really enjoying ourselves!
We are usually about 5 or 6 but have had as many as 13 😀
Water temp was 12 degrees this morning !

Water was 15 today. A surprising number of people kayaking, paddle boarding and sailing but mainly in wetsuits. It felt warmer in than out as air temperature was around 13. My husband didn't swim but had a coffee waiting from the cafe. Lovely warm glow afterwards and hoping good weather holds.

Impressed at all you hardy souls! Did you hear the discussion on Radio 4 earlier today? Some scientist has been doing a study about the benefits of cold water swimming for Alzheimer’s. apparently cold water swimmers produce a chemical in their brain which in mice has been effective against brain degeneration.