Why I hate wearing a wetsuit

The way the water moves, the way I move through the water, the way the water sluices over my body, the way I bend to the water's will and the way it parts for me when I get the glide right:

These to me are sacred. Some people go to church on Sunday. I go swimming.

The wetsuit interferes with this.

They are also expensive, sometimes take chunks out of your neck and are a pain to get into and out of.

I own four wonderful wetsuits: my childhood spring suit, a surf wetsuit, a swimming speedo wetsuit (with ribbing that makes it look like the batsuit) and a onesie spring suit number (aka Bond Girl wannabe).

They're fabulous inventions and incredibly useful for board training, water safety, IRB training or training in cold water. They're also great when you aren't acclimatised.  I'd rather acclimatise.

 Water safety wetties (surf wetsuit)

 Going it without a wettie

 Wettie in Tassie. Vital. 

Onesie spring suit. Perfect for board paddling.

Sure sign you're around the bend

At the end of my 4th session swimming around Aquatic Park, San Francisco I realised my fingers were splayed and I couldn't bring them back together.

"That happens" remarked my swimming companions.

I'd been in the water for an hour and didn't think too much of it.

Then, whilst reading Lone Swimmer's blog I discovered:

THE CLAW

Turns out, it's a pretty good sign you're starting to push it in the cold water. It's also a pretty good sign you're well on your way to becoming a cold water swimmer.

My thought process ran:
I've had da claw. I'm like totes a fully serious cold water swimmer. Hells Yes!

Definitely dolally.

Escape from Alcatraz

Alcatraz. The island prison that kept escape attempts at bay using the threat of the endlessly eddying currents and bone chilling waters.

Alcatraz has a fascinating history as a civil war fort, military installation, military prison, federal penitentiary, site of an American Indian occupation and national park.

It has captured the imagination via Hollywood films and was no doubt part of the inspiration for Azkaban.

It's also a very popular but challenging swim. I heard about it, had friends who moved to San Fran whom I wanted to visit and wanted to sign up. Then my partner in crime, Jacki signed up and I had to jump on board.

The same factors that kept prisoners with nothing to lose out of the water make for an interesting swim.

San Francisco Bay is actually a tidal estuary. So the water is pretty opaque, constantly moving and cold!! Even in summer it was 54-60F or 12-15.5C depending on the tide.

Bondi hasn't gotten that cold in years. The coldest ever Coogee swim was 15.5. Balmoral gets down to 14 and I make a point of trying to swim there over winter. We did a delightful session in Lane Cove national park (16 degrees) and Manly Dam was down to 15.5 just before I flew out so I did 2 sessions there. And then swam in LA where it was 20-21 degrees.

I knew Icebergs had a relationship with South End Rowing Club (SERC), one of two famous historic swim clubs in SF's Aquatic Park and made a beeline for there when I arrived. They could not have been nicer. I interrupted a gentleman on his way to his swim. If you get between me and a swim woe betide you! But he was just so helpful and friendly.

I acclimatised as follows:

Day 1 - 25 mins solo swimming along the shore at Aquatic Park

Day 2 - 40 mins solo swimming around the cove at Aquatic Park

Day 3 - 45 mins Sunriser swimming outside the cove to Fort Mason

Day 4 - 56 minutes friendly faff session outside the cove and a 20 minute arvo session with the 4Seasons SF crew

Race Day - over an hour in the water, race time of 58 minutes

Recovery session – through the concrete pylons of the piers (to counter the worst of the flood tide) to the marina where a friendly seal joined us and then back with the current. Squee!

Two fav SF training buds: Kim (Oceans Seven aspirant swimmer) and Simon (English channel aspirant crosser and setter upperer of Icebergs/SERC relationship) trying our luck getting through a gap in the pier and eventually putting safety third (see http://vimeo.com/97724273). Effing bloody legends. Thank goodness this was a rest day focussed on faffing or chatting or there's no way I could have kept up. I say aspirants in order not to tempt fate but I have no doubt about either of them achieving their goals. They impressed the hell out of me. And that ain't easy!  [Postscript - both of them nailed it, though not without significant challenges]

There are no words to describe just how gorgeous and giving SERC were. They were the key to my success. Acclimatisation was a joy, not a chore thanks to the friendly folks, hot showers and sauna! I still can’t believe how much I enjoyed swimming in water colder than I had ever experienced (except maybe in Cornwall, in which I lasted exactly 1.5 minutes).

Race Day dawned very grey. Simon of Icebergs / SERC fame assured us the sun would break through. Never doubted him for a second.

The worst part, hands down, of this race is jumping off the ferry. This is where people tend to panic. And not without reason. You’re jumping from a reasonable height into bloody cold water. It’s best to try and minimise your descent into the water and jump off like scuba divers – arms and legs akimbo.

Hard part over, Jacki and I headed to the start line which was about 500m away. I couldn’t believe I was swimming just metres from the wharf I had stood on two days earlier to start my Alcatraz tour. The same wharf where inmates landed to start their sentence. The same wharf where American Indians landed to claim Alcatraz and highlight the indignity of their situation. Just an incredible honour.

As I was revelling in my location, the ferries sounded their horn signalling the start of the race. But I hadn’t reached the start line yet! I thought I must have been mistaken and then realised the race had started without me. Time to get my skates on.

The water was about the 12.5 – 13.5 degree mark I’d been training in so it was surprisingly easy to get into a rhythm. That sun came out (thanks Simon) so breathing right (towards the Golden Gate) got surprisingly glary.

This swim was just an amazing, incredible opportunity that I absolutely savoured. To my left was the Bay Bridge. To my right was the Golden Gate. Ahead of me were the sights of San Francisco (transamerica tower, telegraph hill, aquatic park, fisherman’s wharf) and behind me was Alcatraz (I admit- I did backstroke at one point to take it all in).

It felt slightly surreal after so long in the planning. On 11 December 2012 I pull the call out for interest amongst 4SEASons, including to visit Alice and Nina who had both moved to SF. This swim was a long time in the making and I was determined to make the most of it.

We left on the end of the flood tide, swam across the slack and hit the start of the ebb (when it warmed up to 15 degrees. Balmy bathwater! – It quickly returned to your regularly forecast coldness). Thanks to Gary Emich’s great guide to escaping from Alcatraz (available from the Alcatraz gift shop) I knew exactly what to sight for which tide and lined myself up with the (surprisingly narrow) entrance to Aquatic Park with ease. I got caught in a cross current for a little bit (nothing on B2W) and slowed down. But I was super pleased with my performance overall.

Sprinted across the line. Got told to stop sprinting. First and last time I’ll ever be called a sprinter. But one does not simply stroll across the finish line. It’s unseemly.

Alice was there with camera at the ready, warmed towel and the best damn hot chocolate ever. Managed to warm up enough to cheer Jacki over the line before heading for a well-earned sauna and hot shower. 

Two Bondi lifesavers aren't so fazed about there being no lifeguards. Thanks Alice!

Now to swim around Alcatraz!

B2W: KP’s how to guide

Boat

I struggled through the Bronze Medallion. I continue to struggle with surf rescue boards. And I have wound up in hospital because of them (through no fault of my own).

All of that was worthwhile to be supported by Bondi IRB (Inflatable Rescue Boat) during my Bondi to Watson’s race.

JP (my driver) arranged my boat at his own birthday party in January. That may seem ridiculous for a race in May but without a boat, your race is sunk before it’s even started. Without a boat there is no point in training.

Bondi IRB do a bloody incredible job during the season. They’re the ones we call upon when conditions are too rough for any other rescue craft. Two eyewitness examples:

• –     I was in the tower and had to call it in when a bunch of North Bondi Nippers got caught in the break of a 6-10 foot set that broke in what had previous been beyond the break. North Bondi couldn’t get out. Bondi did.
• –    I was having lunch at Icebergs when one of the strongest littoral (horizontal) currents I’ve ever seen (I’d been on patrol in the morning) dragged someone from the flags halfway down the beach in the blink of an eye. In huge surf the IRB had him safely in the boat within moments of him leaving the safety of the flags.

With Bondi IRB at my side (JP driving and Liz crewing) I started training and lining up the rest of my support.

Paddler

Pick the person with the best outlook on life you know. I was having a conversation about a recent birthday girl and mentioned how much I admired her outlook. She was the natural choice to be my paddler. She shares the same spirit of adventure and joy in the beauty of the ocean that motivates me. Thankfully Pia said yes.

Coaches and training buddies

Since I started with Can Too in 2009 to overcome my open water panic attacks I’ve had the benefit of Kingy and Zoe’s guidance. In 2012 they started the bloody brilliant 4SEASons swim squad. They’ve created a program that accommodates nervous nellies through to those who’ve essentially become aquatic. They’ve been stalwart supporters and a fantastic resource in planning and executing my training regime ahead of B2W. Thank you!

I train with 4SEASons and I train outside of 4SEASons with a few great training buddies, also aiming for solo B2W attempts: Adrian, Liam and Pete. If you train solo for something like this you will lose motivation and possibly go a little spacco. Especially if you’re as social as me. Having fellow swimmers to chat to, bounce ideas off and generally make swimming social makes the world of difference.

Nutrition

I wasn’t taking any chances this time. I went and saw a nutritionist (Sarah Dacres-Manning, who is an ocean swimmer herself) and got a tonne of helpful hints and a really scientific nutrition plan for the race. Everything for race day was tried and tested and worked really well.

Training

My aim was 10km recovery weeks, followed by 15km, 18km and 20km. Repeat ad nauseam. I combined pool sessions with longer ocean swims. I did whatever ocean swims were on offer. I did laps before and after training sessions. If I was feeling unmotivated I would swim in my favourite places: Bronte, Bondi and Icebergs. Or I’d arrange to meet a training buddy. I worked on my stroke with Tamera (another supporter from go to whoa and 4Seasons coach) and through drills. I did intervals, pyramids and every other kind of set imaginable. I tried not to just do laps in the pool, leaving long consistent swims to the ocean. The most useful training sessions were swimming around Ben Buckler to view the course with my paddler and swimming against a 4m tide in Bundeena.

I have still never regretted a swim.

I tried to do cross training, strength and core work but I have to admit I wasn’t very good at keeping this up.

Injury prevention

My shoulder was pretty stuffed for most of 2012-2013. I see Mike Allen at Physio on Bronte to keep it in shape. He’s married to my swim coach so I’d also check in with her at the same time (multitasking for the win!). My shoulder held up remarkably well.

Recovery

I was back in the water the next day. Loving it.

The system works. 

Bondi to Watsons: or swimming treadmill

I think what I love most about marathon swimming (anything above 10km counts so I’m claiming marathon swimmer status) is the sense of adventure. Each time you are exploring, pushing boundaries and discovering something new.

There was a moment in the 9km Cole Classic (about the 7km mark) when everything clicked, everything felt good and I thought “this is what I’m meant to be doing”. I’m not fast, I’m not a born swimmer, I was once overweight and totally sports averse. So that was a pretty profound realisation.

I just effing love it. 

This was to be one hell of an adventure. Swimming past the safety of Bondi bay, around Ben Buckler, along a very long sheer cliff to the heads of Sydney Harbour, through the heads to the protected harbour beach of Watson’s Bay.

More importantly, this was going to be a shared adventure. I knew 8 of the solos on the start line and 1 x duo and 2 x teams. I knew all of the IRB guys supporting the swimmers and 3 of the paddlers. Party swim!

 But I couldn't do it without my incredible support crew. People who are willing to give up their own time and effort to help you achieve their dreams. They are just incredible.

To Pia, my paddler, JP my driver and Liz my crew - thank you!!!

Race day dawned with perfect conditions. Flat, still and not a breath of wind. I was quietly confident. I got down to the club early to help with IRB set up. I had a precise timetable of where to be when, when to eat, when to drink and when to sunscreen up. This helped get the nerves under control. Even when my cap split on the start line and I was about to have to swim in my 4Seasons cap I had underneath. (Lesson learned from Joe’s experience – always double cap).

We’re off. We head to NZ to meet up with the boats, which thanks to the 4seasons flag is a breeze. I recorded this as 1.5km off the centre of the beach and that was the last time my watch worked accurately. We then swam for an hour to get back to Ben Buckler. We started rounding the cliffs at the 1.5 hour mark. The previous day we had swum to the same point in half an hour. Demoralising to say the least.

Belying the outwardly perfect conditions the current was running against us at about 2-3km / hour. I swim 3.3km / hour at time trial (pool swim of 1km) pace. At times I went backwards.

The IRB crews direct us further out from the cliffs to try and avoid the currents. We’re making creeping progress and I’ve pulled ahead of Adrian and Liam, surprising the hell out of myself.

It would be fair to say that if I never see that bloody North Bondi smoke stack again I will be happy.* There’s an antenna to the north of it which I made, took a feed, ended up back at the stack and had just pulled past when the lifeguards came by to say the 4 hour time limit was up and I had to jump in my boat to be taken past Hornby lighthouse.

I jumped in the boat, sipped some tea, ate some of the cake I’d baked for my team (greatest endorsement ever of my baking was the speed with which the other IRBs returned when word passed around about the cake being shared), sang some Whitney Houston with Liz and warmed up. A quick IRB trip later, with Pia being towed behind on her board and having a whale of a time we passed Hornby lighthouse inside the harbour and I dove back in.

Such a relief to be making progress again. I put the hammer down and headed for home. One by one I swam by my fellow 4Seasons duo and team swimmers. Such an encouraging sight.

The finish line was one of the more incredible experiences of my life. I swear my supporters from 4Seasons, Bondi surf club, Can Too etc. had literally taken over Watson’s Bay. I was completely overwhelmed by a thoroughly gorgeous mob of hugs. Many of whom hung around to relive and recount the experience. I am still overwhelmed at the support I received. Special thanks to Harriet who provided life support – hot chocolate and a towel.

4:40 minutes of swimming alongside some of the nicest people and the most stunning scenery. Can we do that again please?

Next year, Gadget, next year.

*Interestingly, I would hear the exact same sentiment in San Francisco three weeks later from Simon Dominguez who had the same experience.

Tassie - A Devil of a Swim

 Shane Gould (Aussie swimming legend who once held the world record for every freestyle distance from 50m to 1500m) has set up “The Devil of a Swim” in her hometown of Bicheno on the east coast of Tassie. This year the format had changed slightly so you could do both the 5km and the 2km swims. Training bud Liam and I headed down to take on the frosty Tassie waters and rack up some kms whilst we were at it. Also Tassie was the only state in Australia I hadn’t done an ocean swim in. Gotta keep ticking items off the Bucket List.

Tassie is completely stunning and we both had a great weekend, both swimming and sightseeing. Highlights including Salamanca markets, Freycinet national park, swimming in Wineglass Bay and the Devil of a Swim.

Salamanca Markets        

                              

The water in Tassie is of a completely different character and hue. It’s as clear and blue as tropical water whilst being quite the cold. We were coming off 21 -22 degrees and were prepared for 19. It turned out to be 17. We hiked down into Wineglass Bay (past a snake – Liam was not impressed) and swam in one of the more stunning locations on earth. We had the whole bay to ourselves. Just amazing. The shore dump was not to be underestimated though and it completely took me out when I was too busy taking photos to pay attention. After swimming 1km we both decided that we’d have to don wetsuits for the 5km swim.

Wineglass Bay – complete with shoredump

We hiked back out and headed to Bicheno. Where of course, we found ourselves seated next to friends of Shane Gould. We would then run into one of them the next day in Hobart. The scale of Tassie is simply delightful.

Some of the pre-race registration had been a little bumpy but the on the day organisation was absolutely perfect. The whole town gets behind this swim and Bicheno SLSC were just wonderful. They run nipper operations and are the base for the ocean swimming community in Bicheno that Shane has pretty much created from scratch. They swim year round. Without hot showers. Legends.

The devil of a swim highlights the plight of the endangered marsupial Tasmanian Devil and remembering the aboriginal heroine Waubadebar.To quote Shane: The name “Waubs” is an abbreviation of “Waubadebar” a female aborigine with an heroic and tragic life. She was probably from a band of the Oyster Bay (Paredarerme) tribe living nearby.

 A strong swimmer, she saved two white men from drowning by swimming them to shore one by one, when their boat was smashed against the rocks during a storm. It was rare for any honour such as a place name to be bestowed on an aborigine.Her grave is located at the back of the Lions Park, near the Silver Sands Hotel. The headstone reads “Here lies - Waubadebar a female aborigine of Van Diemen’s land, died June 1832, aged 40 years.” She died in a boat off the coast whilst travelling towards the Furneaux Group of islands and her body was brought ashore and buried. John Allen, an early settler, in his notebook, dated 24th June 1840, mentions “Waubs Harbour”. Sufficient was thought of her memory for the local settlers in 1855 to contribute funds to erect a headstone.

 The Devil of a Swim is in honour and memory of Waubedebar, as I presume her rescue effort was 'a devil of a swim'.

Paddler

Bicheno (L) and Penguins (R)

 Sandbar Checkpoint

It’s out from Waubs beach, around Diamond Island, onto the sand bar where you have your name marked off and then 2km back to the beach. It’s completely, totally, utterly stunning. I lack the vocabulary to do it justice. Thank goodness for photos.

I’m always in it to complete not to compete. So I was having a whale of time, taking photos, absorbing the scenery, admiring the penguins, coming last and yet still setting a 5km PB. Must have been the despised wettie.

Which I happily stripped out of for the 2km swim. Liam and I were the only ones who swam without a wetsuit in either the 1 or 2km. Everyone thought we were nuts. Given we both came down sick the following week they may have had a point. But the water temperature was totally bearable and the clarity made it thoroughly enjoyable. I really enjoyed the two lap course and was feeling very comfortable with this stretch of coast and it’s incredibly flat water.

Non wettie 'nutters'

The awards ceremony was a very friendly affair. The winner of the 5km did it in just over an hour despite a solid night on the turps the previous evening. Thank goodness for the rest of us he was at a disadvantage. The female winner had just swum 15km to raise funds for coastcare. Amazing!

Headed back to Hobart for adventures at MONA (Museum of Old and New Art) and atop the blustery and cold Mt Wellington. Will definitely be back for more Tassie swimming adventures!

SWOG mark 2

I started this SWOG (swimming blog) to chart my conquering of my greatest fear (open water swimming). I still get bloody terrified on occasion but it no longer paralyses me, or brings on panic attacks.

I’m starting it again because I’m starting to do some long distance swims and one of the most useful things I come across in preparing for these races are other swimmers’ accounts and thought others might find mine similarly useful.

So a little about me:

•          Started swimming at 18 months. I have a certificate for swimming 1.2m under water. It was kind of a big deal.
•          Sometime around 2007 I started struggling to put my face in the water when swimming in open water.
•          2008 I had my first full blown panic attack swimming the swim leg of a sprint triathlon in Sydney Harbour. I couldn’t breathe. I swam the whole 400m without putting my face in the water. I used to have swimming lessons at Greenwich baths, not 2km as the crow flies. Fear is completely, totally and utterly irrational and illogical. And must be tackled head on.
•          So I joined the amazing Can Too. I tackled those fears again and again and again. I learned to love ocean swimming. I became addicted.
•          With Can Too I completed the 2010 2.7km Palm to Whale swim and set my sights on a 5km ocean swim and becoming a Bondi Surf Lifesaver. Eventually I got there.
•          I’m really, really slow but very steady.
•          I’ve done 5 Can Too swim programs,1 run program raised $10,000 and most importantly, returned the favour and helped others get through the break and learn to breathe out underwater.
•          I tried swimming from Bondi Beach to Watson’s Bay (about 11km on a good day) through the heads of Sydney Harbour and was thwarted by the currents.

Bring on Rottnest

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