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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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TriSeaSwim99 · 29/11/2020 13:56

Hope the lake swim goes well on Thursday CMOT

Lovely sea swim this morning cold bright frosty and sunny with a sea mist in the distance. Wetsuit for that one though so I could stay in longer.

MotherForkinShirtBalls · 29/11/2020 17:39

It was a gorgeous afternoon here so I was one of many at the beach, both swimming and walking. The water was very calm and much clearer than recently. I realised that today is swim 13 for November and I'm planning to go tomorrow so I'm annoyed with myself that I didn't go yesterday to have 15 this month 😞 I am still waiting for my wetsuit jacket and gloves which will hopefully encourage me to keep up through December.

There have been some very funny pieces in the media about the influx of the Dryrobe brigade in popular Dublin swimming spots. I'm glad I've stayed off brand Grin

TriSeaSwim99 · 30/11/2020 10:30

Yes lots of dry robe folk attire where I swim too but the rag tail bunch I swim with are rather more mixed bunch Smile I bought a quick dry towel robe off eBay but tbh I prefer just using a towel it’s much quicker getting stuff on over my head then faffing under a robe doing a dance trying to get sleeves in!

TriSeaSwim99 · 01/12/2020 16:48

My first UK December swim cold calm like a millpond eireee winters sun on horizon Fab! But chilly in costume with thin jacket. After my toastie wetsuit swim at the weekend I felt the cold today but it’s so nice just swimming with out the wetsuit restrictions.

Cold water swimmers including sea, lakes and rivers
Barmbraic · 01/12/2020 18:59

Same here, Tri. It was a beautiful day for a fully winter swim. I was in longer than planned, about 20mins but it was lovely. I am looking forward to whenever my gloves arrive though and the jacket thing which will hopefully fit.

Cold water swimmers including sea, lakes and rivers
MotherForkinShirtBalls · 01/12/2020 19:03

Name change fail Blush

TriSeaSwim99 · 06/12/2020 14:31

Cold beautiful sun blue sky swim was flipping cold -1c air chill but lovely with a bunch of crazy ladies this morning.

MotherForkinShirtBalls · 06/12/2020 16:40

I thought I was being brave with 1c Tri Grin. I foolishly stayed in for 20 mins and now I can't feel my big toe. It was glorious though

FrangipaniBlue · 10/12/2020 23:18

I can't quite believe I'm still open water swimming in December!

One day last week air temp was -1 but water was 5/6.... Tuesday was coldest to date and water temp was only 3.5, the brain freeze was unreal!!

TriSeaSwim99 · 11/12/2020 06:54

Conditions this morning look the best they are going to get this week but I can’t go Sad my daughter is self isolating yet again this term and too young to leave home alone. Planning to try Saturday morn sunrise if we all still healthy. The conditions may not be great but it’s normally at its calmest early, and Sunday is a write off with strong winds.

CMOTDibbler · 11/12/2020 10:37

I can't believe I'm still swimming! 5.8' in the lake this week, and still did 30 minutes in my wetsuit, gloves, socks. I feel such a wuss compared to the skins swimmers, but at least I get a decent length swim

onlythepianoplayer · 11/12/2020 10:44

-3 deg air temp earlier this week, water temp of about 6.5. But actually warming up a bit now, yesterday was 8 and 8.

I swim every day in the sea, never miss it. Morning, daytime, evening, full moon, dawn, done them all.

FrangipaniBlue · 11/12/2020 12:49

It's made me determined to skin swim in summer, if I can do winter in a wetsuit I can do summer without!!

MotherForkinShirtBalls · 11/12/2020 13:46

It was 8.8 here in the sea today, and the air temperature about the same. I haven been in since Sunday and it was so nice to go today.

onlythepianoplayer · 11/12/2020 14:00

It's made me determined to skin swim in summer, if I can do winter in a wetsuit I can do summer without!!

Of course you can, by summer you'll be saying how warm it is! I'm skins all year round.

TriSeaSwim99 · 12/12/2020 12:59

Costume swim with jacket this morning at sunrise. Was lovely but only lasted 9mins was cold then followed with a 5k run mostly wearing my fleece to warm up Grin

TriSeaSwim99 · 13/12/2020 19:05

Another brief dip this morning only 9 mins in costume but refreshingly joyful swim with strong winds so had dash back to car to get changed as too cold by beach today to hang out.

TriSeaSwim99 · 17/12/2020 15:41

A lunchtime skins 10mins windy so mini waves abit face slapy but low tide so felt quite safe, it was just chilly getting out.

Sunday looks perfect swim conditions so really hoping for a wetsuit half hour pre-breakfast. Smile can’t believe I’m still going but I love it definitely having an reducing inflammation effect on my achy joints

CMOTDibbler · 17/12/2020 16:58

I'm in awe of the skins swimmers!

I had a lovely half hour wetsuit swim this morning, the sun was shining, the water was gin clear, and I have to say I love the Thursday morning vibe at the lake which is mostly ladies and a high proportion of skins swimmers to Saturdays which has far more serious men.
Hoping to swim longer on Saturday, but I had to be back, makeup on, and respectable from the waist up for a video meeting and couldn't risk having to wait longer if I was more shivery

MotherForkinShirtBalls · 20/12/2020 19:27

I had a break of a week because I had a bad cold and didn't want to risk feeling worse. But I was in today and it was blissful. I can't swim properly because I've hurt my shoulder so didn't stay in long as it was harder to keep warm. Weather looks good and I'm hoping to get in again tomorrow.

TriSeaSwim99 · 21/12/2020 15:36

Hope you are feeling better mother and the sea swimming helps the shoulder. I had my first sports massage since March last week and she worked on my upper arm which has really helped it release a niggle that front crawl aggrevates.

TriSeaSwim99 · 21/12/2020 15:37

Had a brief dip on Sunday more a wave jump than swim due to high swell and waves.

TriSeaSwim99 · 22/12/2020 13:47

Quick first light 10min swim just pre-sunrise this morning as the only day this week with virtually no winds but there are as quite a big swell so stayed close to the shoreline.

ilovecardigans · 22/12/2020 16:43

Please excuse me for intruding on your thread, but I was listening to Radio 5 Live this morning and this gentleman was interviewed on Adrian Chiles' show. Very interesting and I thought that you might be interested to listen via catch up, if you missed it. The interview starts at around 1 hour 38 minutes.

www.theguardian.com/world/2019/may/08/wim-hof-cold-water-immersion-cure-ice-man-outdoor-swimming

www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m000qhtj

Nyancat · 22/12/2020 20:44

Hope you don't mind me joining, I started swimming outdoors in the spring and still going - was 2 degrees and frosty this morning when I was in but beautifully clear and calm. Can anyone recommend easy to remove socks/shoes for swimming - i've lovely 5mm gloves which keep my hands toasty but the toes are absolutely freezing, i've held off on shoes as I'm scarred from the time one NYD swim when I couldn't get the boots off and was nearly frozen solid by the time I did!