It's been a welcome transition to go from four pool swims per week to two pool swims and two open water swims per week. I love swimming in the open water. The unpredictability of the ocean day to day -- and even hour to hour -- is part of the lure to me! The tide table makes it easy to figure out which direction to swim (north or south); the unpredictability lies in wind direction, the swell flow, debris and sea critters!
I've learned that these variables make a BIG difference when you're swimming for a duration versus a distance. In the ocean, it's impossible to tell where you might end up in a certain period of time. The swiftness of the current, the amount of chop in the waves and the number of creatures you battle can make your swim short or long. You may end up on the other end of the island or only a mile away! I had been in the habit of dropping off a pair of running shoes at my swim destination to use to run back to my vehicle. I don't drop off shoes anymore since I've no idea where my swim will end up! I love this aspect of open water swimming, too.
About a month ago, my plan required an hour and a half swim. John Pellizari (my coach) and I decided to take off at the Wynn Plaza public docks on Banks Channel at Wrightsville beach. The plan was to swim south to the Coast Guard station, around the tip of the island to the ocean side and then head north to Crystal pier and on to Johnny Mercer's pier. Somewhere along the way, we knew we'd hit the hour and a half needed in swim time. The problem was, John had never swum past the Coast Guard Station. I could see the trepidation on his face, but he bravely jumped in for a journey into a new kind of wild blue yonder.
We made great progress through Banks Channel, past the Coast Guard station around to the jetty. We only had to stop to get our bearing a couple of times in that first few miles. We noticed a couple of cabbage head jellyfish go swimming by, but weren't alarmed because they don't sting!
We made great progress through Banks Channel, past the Coast Guard station around to the jetty. We only had to stop to get our bearing a couple of times in that first few miles. We noticed a couple of cabbage head jellyfish go swimming by, but weren't alarmed because they don't sting!
We got out at the jetty, walked around it and headed out once again into the water to swim toward Crystal Pier. I was looking forward to the ocean side of the island. It is usually clear enough to see the ripples in the sand on the ocean floor about ten feet down. On this day, we headed out past the breakers and past the surfers and found ourselves in a swarm of cabbage heads!
The water was crystal clear -- only we could see every detail of these jellies instead of focusing on the wild blue sea! Each time we'd turn to breathe, we'd get slapped in the head by yet another cannonball jellyfish. We swam zig-zags, thinking we were we were on the verge of swimming out of the bloom. We shouted expletives at the jellies. We laughed at ourselves and encouraged each other to just make it past the pier before retreating to the shore. It was about a half-mile swim, and we literally saw thousands of jellyfish.
When we finally returned to the beach at an hour and twenty five minutes, all we could do was shake our heads in amazement that we had actually stayed with it as long as we did. John hasn't jumped in the open ocean with me since! I keep with me the thoughts of swimming champion and one-time English Channel record-holder, Trudy Ederle, "the sea creatures are my friends. I talk to them!"
The water was crystal clear -- only we could see every detail of these jellies instead of focusing on the wild blue sea! Each time we'd turn to breathe, we'd get slapped in the head by yet another cannonball jellyfish. We swam zig-zags, thinking we were we were on the verge of swimming out of the bloom. We shouted expletives at the jellies. We laughed at ourselves and encouraged each other to just make it past the pier before retreating to the shore. It was about a half-mile swim, and we literally saw thousands of jellyfish.
When we finally returned to the beach at an hour and twenty five minutes, all we could do was shake our heads in amazement that we had actually stayed with it as long as we did. John hasn't jumped in the open ocean with me since! I keep with me the thoughts of swimming champion and one-time English Channel record-holder, Trudy Ederle, "the sea creatures are my friends. I talk to them!"
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