When the ocean wins

[crazycanuck]

I entered an event http://www.busseltonjettyswim.org.au/index.html and prepared by swimming in the pool & ocean *. I wanted a challenge & thought I could do it. I'd only ever done a few 1.6km OWS's and had no idea how i'd complete it

It's been quite windy the past few days & thought nothing of it . Wind dies down all the time, right?! Urm..no..

I showed up at the start this morning & thought "ok,it's windy but i'll give this a shot". I saw the white caps & tried to ignore them.

Our wave sets off and I immediately think..go away waves..go away...Swim swim swim..wave..swallow water..wave..swallow water. Breastroke for some reason & try to calm down.. Ok, past first silver bouy..Swim swim..swallow water..
This is crazy..what am i doing trying to battle waves & wind when i have no clue how. Will i even make it to the end of the jetty? Should i? We're swimming into the ocean and back, not along it..I swam for a little bit more but then realized i'm not a strong ocean swimmer esp in the conditions that we had.

I put my hand up & waited for one of the volunteer paddlers to come and speak to me. I pulled out. I felt like such a failure. Then again, it's not cool to drown on a Sunday . I can assure you I wasn't the only one keeping the Surf Lifesavers on thier toes!

I would love to try it again but i think i might do it as part of a team. I think i'll beg & plead anyone(that's a good swimmer) with a kayak to teach me how to handle these types of conditions. I need to spend time treading water about 1km from shore somehow...ANy other ideas?

Perhaps I just need to toughen up even more. I mean i'm a tough chick but when it comes to natural elements, I feel I fight a losing battle.

I just hope when I do it again, the weather is much better than it was today.

[OakLeaf]

You've got my respect for getting in at all. I'm terrified of the ocean.

If there aren't any ocean swimming lessons in your area, are there surfing lessons? Even if you're not particularly interested in surfing, the first thing they teach you is how to read the water and what to do if you need to swim for shore.

[bmccasland]

Yay to you for trying! And you're right, it's not good to drown, on any day. Besides, we, your ever-lov'in friends, wouldn't forgive you!

[hebe]

You're not a failure at all! You're a star for trying, for doing some preparation, and for being wise enough to pull out when conditions were against you. Respect from me too.

[spokewench]

I have more respect for you than you can imagine. I hate, hate, hate water and when it's rough, I'm running the other way! Good on you for trying. I took surf lessons for a week and learned to surf. That was my big adventure with the ocean. It was scary, uncomfortable and nerve racking for me.

I'm really proud of you for trying and don't give up. If you want to do this, you can do this!

[channlluv]

Bravo for trying! I'm with the rest of the people whom the ocean makes nervous. I got caught in a riptide as a kid and barely made it back in. And I saw JAWS at an impressionable age. damnstevenspielberg

I love the ocean, but swimming in it makes me really, really nervous, even under beautiful conditions. Good on'ya for getting out there at all.

Roxy

[SadieKate]

I'm with Oakleaf. I would have been asking if I could use my pontoon boat and oars.

[Biciclista]

you got into that water????
I wouldn't... not with whitecaps..

[Crankin]

I don't swim where I can't reach the bottom...
So I can't even fathom trying what you tried. I wouldn't feel bad at all.

[crazycanuck]

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!

[Catrin]

I am in awe of you! I cannot swim, outside of a backstroke in a swimming pool and am terrified to not be able to touch bottom - the thought of what you did is just amazing! You are certainly not a failure so don't feel like one - rather you showed maturity and wisdom at knowing when to pull out. Do keep us posted on what you decide to do.

[OakLeaf]

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 live three blocks from the ocean. I can hear it as I type this. That doesn't mean I have to swim in it. I'm still in awe of you.

[Tri Girl]

I'm INCREDIBLY impressed at your attempt!!!! Even tho I open water swim all the time at the lake, swimming in the ocean terrifies me. I think you are AMAZING for getting in at all and even trying. There is NO failure here- you stepped into the water- that's a victory in my opinion!!!

[crazycanuck]

I've entered a shorter (1.6km) OWS happening this saturday @ my fave beach. It's supposedly going to be windy this weekend but confirmed w my swim folks that it won't affect the beach we'll be at.

HOpefully the stingers will leave me alone

[crazycanuck]

Weeeeeee

Good swim, awesome new prescription goggles-I can see - and no stingers. I love Leighton Beach .

I think i'll stick to shorter OWS' for now, 1.6km's a good distance for me.