Is there a Winter Open Water Swimming thread?

[NewOpenWaterSwimmer]

I’ve searched and can’t find one.

Are there any winter swimmers on here who are up for a bit of support and chat as the water gets colder? This is my first ‘season’ swimming outdoors and whilst I never thought I could ever swim in anything colder than an indoor pool I’m loving my weekly swim even though it was only 5 degrees today.

I have a good wetsuit but open to any kit recommendations or any suggestions to help to keep going for as long as possible through the winter.

The coldest I've been swimming in was 5⁰C. At the inland lake I go to, that tends to be around the baseline. It sometimes dips under around frosts, but does bob back up to around 5⁰C again.

Unfortunately I'm out for the winter. I haven't swum in open water since September due to starting a new job, so haven't acclimatised with the temperature changes. Realistically it'll be around April before it's sensible to get my wetsuit out again.

I swim all year round, usually in the sea. There's a natural lagoon on the beach I go to, so sometimes we swim there.

I have a wetsuit jacket that I usually start using late Jan/early Feb. However I've lost 3 stone this year and am really feeling the cold. I bought a smaller jacket recently and wore it last week for the first time. It made a huge difference. So I'll probably be in it now through winter until late March.

I have previously swam in the sea the last 5 years through the winter, they end up less swims and now more 8min dips in jacket & booties. Not been so much this year but was in last weekend. We’ve had awful sewage issues at times which does put you off a bit. It’s more a social thing for me now, I sit and catch up with a few ladies about life over a hot drink afterwards every few weeks. I lost a load of weight last year and tbh I just get too cold now it takes me ages to heat up afterwards. I’m in my 50s. Happy to chat over the winter though.

https://theconversation.com/outdoor-swimming-is-becoming-a-sanctuary-for-female-swimmers-in-the-uk-268009

A nice little article (with the exception of a particular non-word 🙄)

I love the open space of swimming in open water without stressing over lane pace or being swashed by the obligatory Splashy-Front-Crawl-Man (who really needs to sort his technique out)

Unfortunately my location is 2x30 min drive and paid for so little winter dips aren't justified on cost and limited time.

Interesting read I must admit I’d happily swim more in the pool if I knew I could swim in lane without feeling stressed from “splashy bloke ”. I’m not fast enough for the speed demons but I do a solid front crawl so I can’t use the head out breast stroke lane either. The pool have finally started putting out 3 lanes so I can sometimes swim comfortably in the middle lane. Previously they just made it a double width lane which drove me bonkers as I just couldn’t swim front crawl consistently dodging the slow breastroke dry hair ladies. No offence to them whatsoever we all wanted to swim but I felt I couldn’t. The high sewage issues we’ve been having in my local sea plus losing weight really put me off head in seaswimming sadly. They are replacing the main sewer pipe which will partly reduce the visible local sewage but the solution was just build a fat pipe to pump it all out further down the coastline sigh. Delightful SWW. Still I enjoy a dip as I’m lucky enough to live close enough to pop down regularly dodging the winter storms.

Hi 👋
this is my second winter season swimming outdoors. There are a couple of lakes near me so thankfully no sewage issues. The temp has really dropped though - we’re down to 5.5° for the last couple of weeks (actually was lower than that 3 weeks ago but I was busy so couldn’t swim)
I’m mainly in it for the cake and for the amazing women that I swim with. No wetsuit here - I do wear boots and gloves but just a swimming costume (have recently ditched the rash vest…) - so I don’t swim for long (think it was 15mins this weekend) but I do love the buzz afterwards. I also love that my family think I’m insane for going - I really enjoy that version of myself.

Have you got good warming up kit @NewOpenWaterSwimmer ? My favourite thing might be my core warmer from Wild Moose - so easy to put on quickly after a swim and makes such a difference having a warm waist

Hi, this is my 5th season (how!) But I go lots less now. I used to go daily! I now go maybe 5 times a month.

The coldest ive swam was 2.6° but the sea on my regular Swims didnt go under 5.

(Still freezing!)

I wear neoprene boots, swimsuit and gloves. Im a head under all year person but I dont stay in very long.

Are you in Suffolk?

It’s my 5th season but with one thing and another it was still double digits last time I got in.

1st season we wore socks, gloves and massive big neoprene hat that was orange and made me look like a traffic cone. Now skins with socks and glove and a normal hat that says f*ck it’s cold.

most important things, have something to stand on to change and a good changing towel is really useful. Weirdly I find getting hat on and feet dry and with socks afterwards the most important.

Beware of after drop, it’s often worth doing a short walk once you’re dressed to get the circulation going.

if you start to feel like you can stay in forever. Get out immediately, your body has started to go numb and your temperature will drop, another danger sign is claw hands.

just because you managed 10 minutes or whatever last week isn’t a challenge for this week, so many things effect the swim/dip. Outside temperature, wind, how you’re feeling in yourself, if you had alcohol the day before (never mix alcohol and OW swimming generally)

So good to hear from others that are also in it for the cake and company! That's an interesting article @BogRollBOGOF - thanks for sharing.

We still seem to be at around 5.5' which I can cope with. However, there was a swimmer a couple of weeks ago that needed medical attention when they got out and it was a bit frightening how quickly they went from 'fine' to 'not at all fine'.

I'm still finding my way with getting warm quickly - I'd seen the Wild Moose core warmer @Prestissimo and wondered whether it was just a gimmick but I might just add it to my Christmas list. Just silly things like making sure my clothes are the right way out and in the right order makes a difference with cold hands - why didn't I think of that sooner?!

I'm definitely not brave enough to be in without a wetsuit and have just bought neoprene 'socks' and gloves which seem to be working so far (I'm very much a 'head out' breaststroker). I'm in awe of those that are still swimming in a swimsuit and a woolly hat. (And I think sewerage issues would absolutely finish me off @StormywalksWinter 😂)

Yep - cold hands and cold brain definitely an issue 😂. I have a friend who routinely talks herself through getting dressed afterwards. Leave your swim hat on and put woolly hat on top - seems to keep you warmer (although remember to take the swim hat off later on…). And definitely socks on helps - several pairs for me, usually!

I’m a sea swimmer too! Fourth winter this year. It doesn’t get quite so cold in the sea, I think the lowest is around 8c. I swim in a bikini, gloves, socks and a swimming cap in the winter. I don’t stay in long though, I hate the feeling of being cold all day. My favourite way of warming up afterwards is to get dry, go home, put my running gear on and go for a run.

I did try a core warmer thing but just didn’t get on with it all it just rolled down I find a heatec thermal vest from Uniqlo much better it’s easy to step into a string vest under a towel robe and pull it up likewise a bra top I just step in & pull up. Then layer up. Two pairs of socks too one thin & one fatter over the top, work well plus a buff for by neck & wolly hat. Plus fingerless gloves are good as you put them straight in but can still get dressed easily. I used to cycle down to the seafront so often put long johns on under my leggings too and by the time I’d cycled back up the hill home I’d be warming up.