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.

I swim at least once a week, usually the sea, but sometimes the river. I'm in the North East and swim skins. Managed 30 minutes in 7⁰C on Sunday.

Ooh @Labtest7 where do you swim, am off to Northumberland next, not sure I’m brave enough for skins in North Sea.

Hi @billybagpuss, I swim further down on the Tyne and Wear coast mostly but have swum at Beadnell in Northumberland, Druridge, and also in Linhope Spout waterfall. Where in Northumberland are you staying?

Thank you, I’ve looked at them on the map and quite doable. We staying not far from otterburn.

Had a lovely swim yesterday, water's 13-14⁰C. Managed just under a mile. My watch doesn't pick up GPS well in the water, but this time I tried recording directly on Strava with my phone sealed in the tow float. I need to remember to do that more often.

The watersports centre has had a lot of work over the winter and is now waking back up. Since November it's just been a trickle of swimmers, but the other sports are opening back up. Lots more wetsuits going for a longer swim rather than skins dippers yesterday and the bobble hats have given way to silicon caps.

I lasted about 50 mins. I haven't been for a few weeks and it was the larger lake now open. I cut a bit off my full lap because I didn't want to risk over estimating my stamina when I've been doing little laps over the winter and haven't done many swims beyond 30 mins. (Plus I'm having issues with a running/ walking injury that's rumbling on).

It's lovely being able to stay in for longer!

Sounds lovely BogRoll! I had an incredible swim today. The lake was 14.5°. Same as air temperature. Crazy to think I started in January in 2.6°. Felt very comfortable temperature. Swam 1km skins. Saw fish jumping right in front of me. Can’t wait to get back in already!!

I’m meeting new people tonight to do a river swim, it’s a local fb groups. Nervous more about the social side than the swimmy side.

How did you get on Billy?
did they eat you? 😉

They did arrrggggghhhh

it was great, a very mixed lovely group and a beautiful bit of the river I wouldn’t have swam in alone. Temperature is definitely warming up big time.

Ooh nice. I was eyeing up a river I’ve not swum in before a few days ago.
I usually wait until it’s a bit warmer…

We're up past 15⁰C
I've cut some layers this week. Didn't need the rash vest or bonnet and stayed in 45 minutes.
I'm beginning to feel tempted on river swims again, which I'd do in my shortie. Not worth the palaver of the full wetsuit!

I like the shortie in the summer for sun protection anyway 😉

It’s warming up beautifully this morning in my cossie with boots and gloves only. I’m back putting my face in now the last month as we’ve had clearer a sea. It’s my favourite month to swim as little sea weed and no big jelly fish plus water still has a nip. 😀

im a longtime poster who name changed 😊is anyone else watching the Freeze the fear? I was a bit bored with first few episodes but the last two are getting interesting. The link between controlling the minds response and breathing is interesting. I really focus now on the first 2-mins breathing in cold water but despite swimming through 2-winters now I’ve not extended my time much in the water I average 10-15mins in winter max and 20-25mins summer. If I do stay in longer I find it just seems to take me so so much longer to warm up. Yet watching those celebs jumping in icy water and staying in it past 5-10mins is fascinating. They had swallowed a thermometer pill on episode 4 I’d not heard of them 😂

We’ve been watching, I’ve really enjoyed it. I’d love to try the ice swims.

I agree @Billybagpuss I’m fascinated at how controlling the mind can enable you to control your response to things. Interestingly I swim with other ladies in super thick wetsuits - nothing wrong with that at all, but they have a far more verbal “oohhh it’s SO cold” response when we go in than I do in my costume breathing my way in. Which I wonder is because mentally they think it will be warmer in a wetsuit?
I wore a jacket in the winter yet I watched other ladies in nothing but costume not even boots or gloves and yet I found it so painful with out gloves or boots really horrid. so seeing those celebrities running around in snow bare foot made me go ooooooh

How’s everyone’s swimming going? I’m still dipping few times a week but it’s been a bit bouncy last few days plus some heavy rain.

I must admit to a few tears watching the last episode of Freeze the fear it was emotional watching them just letting the fear go. After many ‘fake’ reality programs this one seemed strangely more ‘real’.

I’m seeing lots more swimmers at our local beach too as the water slowly warms up, but there has been a first sighting of jelly fish 😱which I struggle with the big ones even if they are the least harmful.

@Vidaloca2 some information on here to help.

I went back to the river this week, just me and a friend, it was raining and so peaceful

I've done a couple of weeks in a row. Water up to 18⁰C now so I've gone into my shortie, although I did put a rash vest on top as it was cooler and breezy in the air and I didn't know if that would cool my arms off too much. Just a short, gentle recovery swim this week, but my arms eased out a lot while I was doing it.

My booties are definitely better under a wet suit. They're a unisex S... so a size 5 which is over an inch too long for my feet and take in water. They felt in danger of flapping off without the wet suit on my legs. I took them off after a short lap and was happy enough bare foot, so will switch to water shoes for the summer. I might see if it's appropriate to do some surgery on the booties to reduce the excessive length. It might help warm my feet through the winter as they went a bit Reynauldsy when it was under 10⁰C.

I tend to stay in the shortie over the summer because it saves doing battle with suncream on my back 😂

Hi all! Has some lovely swims recently. Up to 19.6 in the lake now!! Also had a lovely sea swim down in Dorset. Must catch up on Wim. Only watched the first half hour of episode one and got annoyed by the sensationalist approach and stopped watching!!

@BogRollBOGOF ive sewed up my swim wetsuit socks using normal thread/ needle to reduce the falling off feeling 😃

Ventured into new wild swimming territory this weekend with swims at Buscot Weir and Cheese Wharf in Oxfordshire. CW being my favourite! Felt a fair bit colder than the lake I’m used too but stunning and such lovely water quality. Feeling suitably refreshed!!

How’s everyone’s swimming going?

Went for harbour dip after lunchtime today, it was fab! has anyone noticed lots more wildlife in the water? I saw a lot of crabs and fry when walking the pier beside the harbour before work this morning. Thinking of recording on my phone the next time I swim (got a dry pouch for it) but I'm a bit afraid that if I see what's below me, I might not go in again!

Half term, no swimming.
Last week was a bit of an odd week, and short with an INSET day. I managed a post-workout river dip. I tried out the new local swimming pool which was lovely actually, but lacking in goose poo 😂
It's a lot nearer than my lake which is practical. Hopefully it'll help me keep swimming distance through the winter mixed with the outdoors when the weather is favourable. It's another option and I'm still converted to cold water.