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.

Enjoy the Lido @billybagpuss I had to wear my gloves for the first time in months yesterday as it was getting painful on my finger joints.

@SkiRun0077

Enjoy the Lido *@billybagpuss* I had to wear my gloves for the first time in months yesterday as it was getting painful on my finger joints.

9 degrees it was fun, 3 lengths before I got my head in the water though

I found you again! The thread fell off my list and I had to go looking It's been very stormy here too, Ski so I've had to find gaps in the weather to get into the water. I was in yesterday and it was absolutely gorgeous. And I had a sunset dip on Halloween which was lovely. I've my gloves on again too, and I treated myself to a new pair of proper booties which are keeping my toes toastie. I'm not sure if I'm imagining it, but it feels colder than it did this time last year, but the bay bouy says it's about 12c.

I've never been in a lido or a quarry for swimming, Billy. I can guess about the lido, but how does the quarry work?

@Barmbraic the quarry is brilliant. It’s very clean and fully lifeguarded. They have a 500m circuit marked out and you have to book to go it’s very big so they offer scuba too. I think during the week it’s used by the emergency services for water training.

It does feel very safe.

Hello again @Barmbraic yes it’s felt chiller ti me as well this year but it may just be the colder days we’ve had. I’m hoping for a sunset dip tonight as couldn’t make it this morning plus it maybe a bit warmer

Beautiful calm cold just missed sunrise swim this morning it was lovely but pretty chilly now

I mistimed it today and by the time I got to the beach the sea was far to rough to risk going in . Kids had a blast dodging the waves though.

Do you think we could ask mn to change the title to cold water swimmers. I live 2 hours from the sea and feel I’m gate crashing

Been in river and it was 7.8° brrr still in skins

Anyone else doing a winter challenge?

@billybagpuss your wish is my command

@Chakraleaf yes I’m doing the blue tits artic challenge I did it last winter and my goal of 20 swims turned into 65 which was fab.

[quote SkiRun0077]@billybagpuss your wish is my command [/quote]
Feeling very happy and included now 😀

Just had a sluggish warm pool swim but Saturday morning is our cold fix it was a lovely 10 degrees in the lido last weekend.

[quote SkiRun0077]@Chakraleaf yes I’m doing the blue tits artic challenge I did it last winter and my goal of 20 swims turned into 65 which was fab.[/quote]
I'm doing this one too!

This is our first winter for cold swimming we are a group of 3. Back in September my friend broke her foot so was out of the water for 6 weeks so missed the gradual reduction in temperature. So when she was ready to come back we switched to lido which was colder but safer as the lifeguards don’t need binoculars.

Now just trying to buck up courage to go back to the beautiful quarry. Any advice, is it crazy we are worrying having swam there all summer. But the quarry is big and they need the boat to rescue you if you get in trouble whereas the lido has a wall every 50m

Personally I would stick with what you feel comfortable and safe with. I’ve swam with an instructor out 300m from shore but I’ve not repeated it and had anxiety issues if I go 50m from shore so I just mostly go along the shore line. I had a scary moment only 3-4m from shoreline last winter out of depth waves got bigger than I’d anticipated and for a couple of minutes I genuinely feared I couldn’t get back in. Luckily I had my tow float I held on calmed my breathing and kicked hard to get past the wave break. I now go calm weather only and swim along the shore. Only you know your limits and the local conditions, I’d enjoy it rather than be scared pushing yourself especially when it’s this cold. There’s time again in warmer weather to ventured further.

I'm in my first winter swimming in a former gravel pit turned water sports centre. I dabbled with a bit of rivers in the summer, but that's a different ball game.

I've got down to 9⁰C with a lot of neoprene, I don't know how the skins swimmers do it!

I felt the cold after half an hour yesterday but lasted 10 mins longer last week. Same temperature and I think it is just how my body feels this week as it's my sluggish, carby part of my menstrual cycle.

I'm fine going on for now and my limit will be when it comes down to a 0.25 mile lap as it just won't be worth the travel and changing then. What I do wonder though is if I do find that I'm chilled off, how do you reintroduce in the spring (or rather, when?). I'm aware that the water is milder through the autumn then slow to warm up in the spring. I remember my mother's diving season being April-Nov.

Hi all, I started last year but was in neoprene by November. This year I've noticed my tolerance is much greater but I have a weird question.

After my last swim (was about 8 degrees, I was in the water about 10 mins) I felt a very strange sensation around my anal area. It's very hard to describe - it almost felt like I imagine a prolapse to feel. The sensation disappeared after I had warmed up( absolutely not a troll, promise!)

Would anyone have any experience of this? I'm assuming I can't do much damage and the cold water is so beneficial in other ways. Thanks

Should have added, I was skins swimming.

Cold water affects us all differently, despite going all year I rarely stay in past 10mins now as it takes me too long to warm up afterwards other friends happily stay in 20-30mins. Do what suits you, I read you only need 3mins to get the positive effects of cold water emersion.

Had a lovely clear swim Sunday the water was cold but so calm I was able to swim face in and not have brown sludgey water

When I went last week, I could see the sand at the bottom and my feet for the first time as I entered. The water clearing is one perk as it gets colder. When it was 17⁰C I could barely see my hands in front! 😂

I was a wuss for the last week...I wasn't feeling great so although I really wanted to go for a dip, I couldn't face being so cold! Anyway, I finally went this afternoon, just before sunset and it was gorgeous. Really still and the water was so clear but it felt icy. The air temp was 4c and the water about 11 although I would have sworn it was lower! I only managed about 8 mins. I usually aim for 10 but my fingers were getting painful even with 3mm gloves on. I didn't wear a wetsuit at all last year and I'm starting to wonder if I'll be able to do the same the same this year.

I did 15mins in 9° today but am feeling the cold now. Brrr

Think winter will be a submerge and then out!

What gloves do you all wear when you get out of the water? I have some really warm ski gloves that I use most of the time day to day are just too awkward for trying to get dressed. I was thinking some silk glove liners might be a good first layer and then I could put my proper gloves over them, but thought I'd ask the experts first.

Oh, and huge respect to 15 mins of skins at 9c, chakraleaf!