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i sea swim about Guernsey throughout the year: approx. temperatures 9C - 18C. i started year round swimming in 2018 having read so many good things about cold water swimming.
slightly heavier material than my last swimming shorts; some insulation for the crown jewels. good fit, dry quickly. i've modded them with a drawstring toggle so that i never loose the drawstring in the waistband.
these help with keeping my feet warmer after i come out the water. provide grip, and some foot protection on rocks, pebbles, and slipways.
essential! really helps reduce forehead pain when my head is in the water. without a cap i find the cold water forehead pain too distracting. my head still gets cold but over time rather than straight away.
essential! these reduce ear pain, hopefully avoid "swimmer's ear" (yes it is a thing), and prevent irritating water in ear canal after the swim. no ear problems noted so far despite consistent sea swimming. some water still gets in the ears but at a slower rate so that it warms a bit.
the mares kit is so much better than cheaper kit; fewer leaks, minimal water down the tube, and more comfortable. the ergo dry tube top is harder to block for clearance than an open tube; but very little water gets in the tube. i bought these from Dive Guernsey who were helpful and patiently worked to find the mask that fitted me best. i usually swim with a mask and tube: more interesting to see what there is to see, and i haven't worked to improve my swimming breathing. sea swimming requires us to be aware of local currents and tides: the mask helps me to gauge the current strength (seaweed leaning over in a current), and avoid submerged obstacles, rocks, ropes near moorings, etc.
light and thin enough to fit in a running pack, absorbant enough to dry me off, big enough to preseve my modesty (avoiding nearby females fainting at the sight). i plan to cut down and hem the towel to save weight and space.
this is as important as the swimming kit. after cold water swimming i need to get warm and dry asap to avoid worse hypothermia than i intended. i find higher wind speeds more of a problem than cooler temperatures.i
dress quickly! i find that my fine-motor skills (tying shoe laces) become poor by the time i'm trying to put on my socks and shoes.
get in a warm place, have a hot drink, move about, get warm, ride the after drop.
after a couple of hours i can de-layer:-)
2022-04-17 swimming area to the right of fort grey at low tide, shallow with sand.
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