Thanks

Long post....I live in Australia & can't get away from the Ocean. I know it's a powerful & dangerous thing. It's out there and can't ignore it!

I have to admit i'm not 100% confident in the open water but will swim in it if it's calm & know the beach. I grew up inland & hated the lakes in Alberta..They're great for canoeing but not swimming...!

When I first went to NZ with my dear, I hadn't swum in the ocean for years. I'd never heard of a rip & one of my first intros to the ocean was how to get out one. I figured it out just as a surf lifesaver came along...

Anywho, our swim coach suggested going into the water when the sea breeze is in & get used to dealing with the conditions, a few 100m at a time. If I want to do this swim-even on a team-i'll have to practice when it's choppy.

There's a shorter 1.6k OWS this weekend but it's supposed to be windy yet again. I don't want to set myself up for failure but will speak to another person I swim with (a very good open water swimmer) to throw around thoughts. It's at a beach I know & love

I am not too concerned about the larger wildlife in the ocean. I know it's out there somewhere but then again, we cycle on roads with things that can kill us... I hate stingers & put vaseline on exposed areas to keep them away as much as possible. A sting is annoying & freakin itchy but it's all part of the game.

I do have to admit I am not a calm person all the time but moreso in the water. I think i do OWS to prove to myself that it's ok for me to be in the water other than to do boogie boarding etc. It also teaches me how to calm myself down if i encounter difficult conditions.

Would Yoga or Accupunture help???

The best thing about OWS...they're hard & fun!