Anyone have experience with it? I am thinking of getting into it and have lots of questions.

Thanks

8/23/2010 1:31:51 AM

dont do it. theres sharks in there

8/23/2010 2:19:47 AM

just remember that when it breaks the levee you got the hooch

8/23/2010 4:18:21 AM

in the ocean or in a lake? I swim in lakes a decent bit for triathlon training and the actual triathlons. what are your questions?

8/23/2010 7:28:16 AM

Ocean.

my general qs are for wetsuit, goggle set up. and then thoughts on total immersion swimming(?)...

I've always was an indoor. but this seems like fun and a great work out over here.

8/23/2010 10:59:24 AM

8/23/2010 12:38:24 PM

I do a lot of freediving/ spearfishing around the Wrightsville Beach area. It is an awesome workout. Training for it consists of dynamic apnea where you hold your breath and do laps. You can go with or without fins, probably want a wetsuit and a mask. Here's some pics.

8/23/2010 12:52:22 PM

And watch out for these guys

8/23/2010 12:54:40 PM

Contact Nerdchick. She is in the know.

8/23/2010 1:06:08 PM

^^^Where is that first pic of? Reason I ask is that I fish Wrightsville, and all the wrecks I go to are frequented by divers. I would love to have some underwater pics of the wrecks.

8/23/2010 1:11:21 PM

actually, in san diego you should probably watch out for these guys:



been several great white sightings this summer (but no more than normal, apparently):

http://www.nctimes.com/news/local/sdcounty/article_299e4080-cdc3-5b6b-bd71-6281cad8522c.html

8/23/2010 1:13:29 PM

^^ The first pic is on the Stone Tug. It lies in 60' about 12 miles out of Carolina Beach Inlet.

8/23/2010 1:22:26 PM

are we just talking about swimming in the ocean? What's to ask questions about?

8/23/2010 1:47:16 PM

you don't have to watch out for sharks. its a pop culture urban legend. Its the rays in the sand that will get you in sd. Just remember not to walk on the sand but to slide your feet instead of taking steps.

8/23/2010 2:06:53 PM

i'd put tigers and bulls (sharks, i mean) right up there with great whites as those to be careful of...they're smaller, but just as aggressive (and because they're smaller, they generally get closer before being spotted)

from the article above:

Quote :

"Using high-powered binoculars, the lifeguards were able to see the shark's gray dorsal area and white underside."

can "high-powered binoculars" see through the shark's body to its belly or was the shark doing back flips?

[Edited on August 23, 2010 at 2:18 PM. Reason : .]

8/23/2010 2:13:22 PM

^ True dat. I've seen several bulls and tigers while diving and I always get out immediately. Sharks are waaaaay more docile than most people think, but those two are to unpredictable to risk it.

8/23/2010 2:30:18 PM

If you're looking for a wetsuit, you should periodically check http://www.steepandcheap.com/ for good deals. It's a matter of personal comfort whether you want to get one, and what kind to get. I prefer to go without for triathlons, but if you're just doing it for fun and fitness, you would probably be more comfortable with one, even in SD.

8/23/2010 2:45:23 PM

I tried wearing a heater shirt (wetsuit shirt) for some swims this spring and it was a complete failure. It is a tight fit out of the water, but the sleeves would billow out with each stroke and they quickly crept up my forearms while creating a ton of drag and just feeling really weird overall. I usually did 1/4 mile with the shirt and then just tossed it on the dock. After that much swimming I was producing a ton of heat anyway. I don't know if anyone makes a wetsuit with velcro cuffs at the sleeves or something, but that would have helped immensely.

8/23/2010 2:52:21 PM

Quote :

"you don't have to watch out for sharks. its a pop culture urban legend."

yeah, tell that to this guy who was eaten in solana beach a few years ago:

http://legacy.signonsandiego.com/news/northcounty/20080425-1658-bn25shark7.html

i was mostly joking and am not particularly afraid of sharks, they've just been in the news lately here in socal

this paddle-boarder shot some video of one off san onofre recently:

http://www.nctimes.com/news/local/sdcounty/article_3ac79cdf-a3f0-5c88-a564-613d1e2e3880.html

sorry to derail your thread -- i actually don't swim much in the ocean out here, too damn cold

8/23/2010 3:02:40 PM

ya I went snorkeling the day of the great white spotting. haha we've got leopard sharks but that's it. its rare for a great white to get through the kelp beds or so I am told. I'd be swimming with others.

but ya i wanted to get a wetsuit thinking 7mm but dunno how that will affect swimming. Also with the goggles I have reg. ones but i've seen people swim with snorkel like goggles so didn't know what the deal is. I have only swum in pools so wanted to know.

the water does get colder I was in for an hour and came out and my hands really hurt.

but great pics Tarpon.

8/23/2010 3:41:38 PM

7mm seems ridiculous to me, you could barely swim!!

8/23/2010 5:35:24 PM

If you are getting a wetsuit, I'd recommend getting a swimming one, rather than a surfing or diving one. They are going to fit differently (more flexible should panels, thicker leg panels) and have a different outer texture (smooth rubbery outside rather than neoprene so less drag).

8/23/2010 5:39:37 PM

^^ see this is exactly what I am talking about and what I don't know. haha.

thinking this: http://www.wetsuitwearhouse.com/page/WW/womens-triathlon-wetsuits/666-S853WB

don't want to spend more than that really. and 5 mm means I can swim in fall

8/23/2010 6:03:14 PM

Tarpon - you ever dove the Liberty Ship or any of the boxcars off of Wrightsville Beach?

8/23/2010 8:14:03 PM

Yep, I dive the Lib Ship frequently b/c it's so close to shore. When the weather is nice it makes a nice dive after work or class. The picture of me coming out of a ship is actually a hatch on the deck of the Alexander Ramsey (Liberty Ship). To be honest, I very rarely shoot any fish there b/c they just don't exist in large numbers. It is was over fished and easily accessed by scuba divers who pound the flounder pretty hard.

I've also dove the 5 mile boxcars out of Wrightsville. There is not near as much structure there as the barges and boxcars lay flat on the bottom and only offer a few feet of relief off the bottom. However, underneath the structure there are some little caves in the sand where I've shot flounder, sheepshead and gag grouper.

8/23/2010 11:15:05 PM

I just ordered that wetsuit. I am excited! I guess if nothing comes of it I can always use the wetsuit for snorkeling or for surfing.

8/24/2010 12:04:32 PM

Quote :

"my general qs are for wetsuit, goggle set up. and then thoughts on total immersion swimming"

Are you competing or just doing it for fun?

As for goggles, just wear some socket rockets and be done with it (unless you're diving or something).

TI swimming is good because you don't exert as much energy. I swam a combo of Ti+red cross freestyle in high school. If you're going to swim TI, you need to drill a lot so that the stroke movements become second nature. Are you familiar with it at all? Do you plan on taking classes?

8/24/2010 2:25:39 PM

^^I know it's a Tri suit, but most people I talk to say the long jane (sleeveless) is the way to go if you are planning on competing in triathlons.... but I'm sure it will work great for recreational swimming.

8/24/2010 2:31:09 PM

^^ ya saw some videos on it its interesting. I won't be taking a class for it.

^^ & and ya no just more for rec. not for any tris. I suck at running so won't do one. I will be joining a club up here so i am sure they'll give me more info but just wanted some prior info.

8/24/2010 3:11:18 PM

I guess the main things you want to focus on are:

Body rotation - you should spend the most time on either side of your body, not on your stomach
Stroke - Don't start to pull until your other hand is in the water
Kick - just a little kick here and there for balance, nothing more
Head - you need to look down the whole time, not in front of you. you almost want your chin on your chest so that you get this sensation like you're "swimming downhill"

By doing all these, you'll limit how much of your body is out of the water therefore reducing drag due to surface tension.

Good Luck!

[Edited on August 24, 2010 at 3:16 PM. Reason : -]

8/24/2010 3:15:38 PM

Just did my 1st real swim...scary as shit. I don't like not seeing a bottom of something.

9/11/2010 8:10:49 PM

I went for a swim in the Pacific today, too, and it's really starting to get chilly. I've still got the LA triathlon coming up in a month, so that's gonna be fun.

9/11/2010 8:21:35 PM

I've got a swimming wetsuit so it helps but it was nice over here. lots of seals, one scared me.

9/11/2010 8:25:27 PM

Quote :

"7mm seems ridiculous to me, you could barely swim!! "

Yeah, I've gone diving (SCUBA) in 50-degree (at the surface...don't know what it was at 70') Puget Sound waters in a 6.5mm suit. I know San Diego has kinda cold water, but I'm pretty sure it's nowhere near that cold. I also don't think you'd really be able to do much swimming in a 7mm wetsuit. Plus, if it's cold enough that you need a suit like that, you're gonna need gloves, boots, and a hood, too.

9/11/2010 8:26:38 PM

^^ Yeah, I'm planning on doing the LA tri without a suit, but it's been uncharacteristically mild all summer, so I am a little worried at how cold it will be a month from now.

9/11/2010 8:29:17 PM

I guess it is alot different on the west coast. Also it depends on where you swim. Like when Arab13 and our friends did the swim around key west, they had to slather on sun block and anti jelly fish stuff. (12 mile swim around all of key west)

Also are these small open water swims? or do you have a kayaker with you?

I know nerdchicks mom has swam the alcatraz escape a few times, so she might know more about the conditions over there.

If anyone here is interested Wilmington's pier to pier is next weekend, we will be attending in full force.

9/12/2010 1:06:38 PM

I got my tri wetsuit from wetsuitwearhouse.com and got it rush-shipped on a Saturday because another company screwed up my first order and sent me a springsuit instead of a sleeveless wetsuit. I prefer the sleeveless because I have big shoulders and need more space than a long-sleeved one (I tried them on in a store before buying online).

I've only done OWS in freshwater, not sure how it would be different in saltwater (more buoyancy, bigger waves?). I wear normal pool googles in the lake and quarries around here.

9/12/2010 6:16:06 PM

Quote :

"not sure how it would be different in saltwater (more buoyancy, bigger waves?)"

And a much worse taste.

9/12/2010 6:54:05 PM

bigger waves and omg so much salt water in the mouth. Seriously the rest of the day any hint of salt in my food is like magnified 10 fold.

9/13/2010 3:09:57 PM

So someone i was swimming with suddenly pops up and says i almost swam into a jellyfish. really freaked me out.

also got hurt coming out of the water waves are getting bigger and scarier.

9/17/2010 11:37:05 PM