Open Water advice from our resident SAST expert...

Many thanks to SAST Masters swimmer and our resident Open Water expert, Robin Szmidt, for the following piece on Open Water advice at this time.

As hope of easing lockdown restrictions increases,  swimmers will be thinking about what happens next.  There’s no obvious route to reopening centres such as Ayr Citadel so we might all just be thinking of alternatives for the summer.  The Ayrshire coast has a lot of outdoor swimming opportunities: river, sea and loch.  BUT hold on, don’t just leap in.  Scottish outdoor water is NEVER warm and swimming needs care and thought.  Most tragedies in rivers and lochs happen because no one understood the risks and cold-shock can be fatal when leaping into a river on a warm day.    This doesn’t mean you shouldn’t swim though.   Most swimmers, rather than ‘paddlers’ at the water’s edge,  prefer to wear a triathlon-type wetsuit, not a surf suit, and rarely only a swim-suit.   Now is the time to look for online bargains before everyone gets back in the water.  You should also think about a high-viz tow-float so others can see you in the water and of course goggles and a brightly coloured swim hat.   If you’re new to outdoor swimming then there are really important things to think about.  Never swim alone and never without someone knowing telling others where your group is going to swim.  Always think about how you’re going to get out of the water before you get in and signs that say “danger” are there for a reason and there might be hidden obstacles just below the surface.  Never let the swim-group drift too far apart once you’re in the water.  Agree an ‘out time’ and a ‘return time’ and stick to it.  Definitely when you’re a novice, never swim out of your depth as even a slight swell can be disorienting and you can easily lose sight of others and landmarks, sometimes even the shore!  Remember that when you swim out you have to swim back and you will be more tired on the return and don’t stay in so long that cold and overtakes you.   Hypothermia is a real risk in Scottish water all year round.  So, all this sounds way too risky, doesn’t it?

Actually, once you get a little confidence, open water swimming becomes a real buzz, great exercise and can be done safely with a little thought.   Some open water swimmers never return to the pool once they’ve caught the bug and some experienced swimmers even seek out the excitement of swimming “Rock-and-Roll” in big waves.  For safety, a waterproof high-viz tow float can hold your phone although during lockdown the emergency services, including the Coastguard might not be on-call.   If you’re keen, get ready to go for it when things ease off but consider the risks very carefully, as a family.  If you want more advice, for instance about wetsuits then you can contact experienced swimmers in the club.   However, while open water swimming is a mainstream swim-category, SAST can’t take responsibility: it’s always at own-risk.

Lastly, open water swimming can be for all the family and ages.  It’s great for fitness and many people say that cold-water swimming increases resistance to colds and flu (but sadly no one promises it’ll fix Covid-19).  Open water swimming is firstly for fitness and fun, the racing comes later!  Let’s all see how we can get back in the water sometime soon!  Take Care!