I wrote this FAQ for my Open Water Swim Facebook group.
Welcome to the Western Washington Open Water Swim Facebook
Group. The FAQ below is to help you get
started in Open Water Swimming. Feel free to read it and then ask questions
that aren’t answered here. We are a
social group with a swimming problem and always happy to meet new swimmers or
potential swimmers.
Where do I swim?
Almost any body of water can be a swimmable body of
water. Some of the more popular places
to swim around Seattle include:
Alki beach- start at the bathhouse and swim to the lighthouse
and back
Golden Gardens- beware of strong current around the point to
the north
Greenlake- Start at the bathhouse and swim to the rec center
and back, or vice versa
Lake Smammish
Lake Washington- Madison beach is popular, swimming south,
away from the 520 bridge. People also like to swim around the Seward Park
peninsula. Much, if not all of Lake Washington is swimmable
Martha Lake
Wherever you swim, start out swimming parallel to shore and
don’t go too far from your exit point. You can always do “laps” if you want to
swim longer.
What do I wear?
At a minimum a bathing suit, cap and goggles are
necessary. Brands and styles of all of
these are a matter of personal preference. Buy what you can afford, and don’t
sweat fashion too much. Once you are in the water, no one really sees what you
are wearing. The exception to that is the cap. A BRIGHT colored cap makes you
more visible to boaters and other swimmers, and adds a degree of safety to your
excursion.
Additional gear you might like:
Wetsuit- buy a suit designed for triathletes so you have the
most mobility possible while swimming. These are usually thicker (3-5mm) on
your torso and thinner (1-3 mm) on your arms. Some people think a wetsuit is
essential for the temperatures in our waters here, others find them too
restrictive to swim in. It really is a
matter of personal preference and no one can decide for you if a wetsuit is
needed or not. Long or short on the sleeves and legs is also personal
preference. Buy what you can afford and what makes you feel safe and
comfortable. Blue Seventy is a local to Seattle company. Xtera also makes
triathlon wetsuits. One swimmer said this
about wetsuits: “For me wearing a wet suit makes me feel warmer and I swim
faster. Going skin makes me feel tough, strong and determined. Both choices are
good things.”
Neoprene booties and/or gloves- like the wetsuit this is a
matter of personal preference. They are pretty easy to find at the local dive
shops, and often are made by major wetsuit manufacturers. Blue Seventy for example. They will keep your feet and hands marginally
warmer. Booties also will protect your
feet from all but the sharpest of debris on the ocean or lake floor.
Neoprene cap- some like to wear a neoprene cap to keep their
head warmer. These also are available in dive shops, and often have a strap
that goes under your chin. Most neoprene caps come in black, so folks still
wear a brightly colored latex or silicone swim cap over them for visibility.
Earplugs- for some reason earplugs can help with both warmth
and potential motion sickness for swimmers, and are therefore highly recommended. They also may help prevent some types of swim related ear
infections. You can buy waxy ones at local drug stores (Bartells, Wallgreens)
or you can buy swim specific earplugs from swim stores. The goal is to keep water out of your ears.
They do reduce what you can hear while they are in.
Swim Buoy- This is a brightly colored inflatable buoy that
you wear tethered to a strap around your waist. The goal of the buoy is to
increase your visibility in the water, so boaters, other swimmers, and/or your
friends on shore can spot you more easily. Some buoys come with a dry bag
feature, so you can take valuables (car keys, phone, etc) with you and not
leave them on the beach. These buoys are inflatable, so are not life saving
devices, but can be used to support a swimmer who needs to adjust equipment or
take a brief rest.
Anti-chaffing cream- Body Glide, Vaseline, zinc oxide or
similar may be useful for you if you are going for longer swims and/or swimming
in salt water. Put it any place your skin might rub with other skin or with
your gear. Wetsuit swimmers often have issues with their necks. Skin swimmers
with their armpits.
How do I handle the
cold?
The best tip for handling the cold is to take your time to
get used to the cold. That means
starting with a shorter swim than you might think—10-15 min without a wetsuit,
15-20 with—and working your way up. You may easily swim an hour in the pool,
but the outdoor waters in the Pacific Northwest are much colder than your
typical pool, most of the year. Your body will, over time, acclimatize to
colder waters, and you will be able to swim for longer and longer. Start slow.
The second tip for the cold is to get out of your wet gear
as quickly as you can after you get out of the water. Don’t plan to drive home in your bathing
suit. If there aren’t changing facilities around, wrap a towel around you and
do a “deck change”. Staying in the cold wet suit (especially women’s one piece
suits) will continue to chill you.
Everyone has their own routine for re-warming after a swim.
Many enjoy hot beverages, hot showers or baths, small microwaveable or chemical
heat packs (like you would use for an injury) placed on their core, or
exercises for the large muscle groups (squats, burpees, etc).
How do I stay safe?
There are no promises of safety in Open Water Swimming. These are things you can do to reduce your
risk:
Swim with a friend, or have a friend spot you from shore.
Swim parallel to shore.
Wear a bright colored cap and/or tow a buoy to stay visible.
Let wildlife have the right of way- we are visiting their
home turf, don’t pursue or touch animals.
Be ready to re-warm when you get out of the water.
Use your best judgement, when in doubt, get out (of the
water). If you think you are too cold, the animal is too close, the waves are
too strong, or whatever, turn back and get out. Better to live to swim another
day.
