OWS alone safety?

I swim parallel to the shore line so I'm always about 20m from the shore. Everyone can see me and I'm only 10m away from being able to stand up.

Don't go out on days when It's windy, choppy or raining as people won't be able to see you if in boats etc. Also wear a bright colour cap, ie not dark blue, black etc so people can see you.

Yes, visibility is a concern. There's a lot of boating traffic. And those boats move really fast.

I was thinking about using a scuba float, and towing it behind me. There'd be a flag on it, so boaters could see it. (Hopefully, they won't decide to do a slalom course around it.) If I get one with a large float it would be able to support me if I had a problem.

Here's a picture of one:
http://www.divers-supply.com/Assets/ProductImages/INS70273-2T.jpg


Edited by D001 2009-09-18 7:28 PM

I liked the idea of the SwimSafe. I'm still concerned with visibility to boats though.

Maybe a combination of the SwimSafe, and a cheap scuba float with a flag on it. (I can get a small scuba float for about $17.)

(I do worry about boats using the float as a slalom course though. They used to do that sometimes when I would go diving.)

I have swum open water alone a few times.  But I would NEVER do it (alone or otherwise) where there is boat traffic.  Around here at least, 'boating' and 'drinking' seem to be inseparable.  I've just seen WAY too many drunk 'pilots'

Hm. Hadn't thought about the Road ID.

Although, I guess they can always trace the license plate on my car.

This is what worries me, too. That's when they generally start the slalom course around my dive flag.

A few people in my OWS group tow a safety noodle behind them using their race belt. It can serve as piece of mind and as flotation if needed in a quick instance.

Here a blog of the contraption:http://www.triathlontrainingblog.com/?p=1880

similar to a lifeguard float technique, but a lot more cost effective.

I am the blogger mentioned above and I do swim alone with my safety noodle. I feel safer because it makes me alot more visible to boats. Also, once I was swimming in choppy conditions,and got a mouthful of water. I was glad to have the noodle to hang on to after that. Generally, I try not to hang onto it, so it doesn't become a crutch.

X2 what ashort33 said about time of day to avoid boats. I never swim on a weekend afternoon! Weekday evenings seem okay. Real early on weekends seems okay too.

One more thought: I personally think swimming with a group is a false sense of security. Am I really going to be able to save you if you get in trouble? Might be easier with my safety noodle, for sure. But am I going to see you in time? If you go under in the murkey waters typical of inland lakes, am I even going to be able to see you?

So, even if you swim with a group, use a safety noodle. Much easier to find you!

I am lucky there is a "no wake zone" where a group swims regularly.   There has been 4 kayaks for 15 swimmers on Thursdays.

I have gone by myself on the weekends, but I only do one side of the rectangle because I can stand up.  If there are residental areas or state/national parks there might be some areas with no wake areas.

I went full mental freak-out during an OWS between Hermosa Oier and Manhattan Pier one time. No boats .... just the thought that there was thirty feet of water under me and I was ten minutes through the surf from shore. Now I tow a lifeguard buoy. And I go with wetsuit, for the extra buoyancy, even if the water is warm.

I don't think solo OWS is too dangerous .... but it is probably one of the most dangerous things any of us would do on a regular basis. The downside of getting into a jam is pretty bottomless. But OWS is also fun. So my two cents (sense?) worth is take several SEVERAL extra steps to be safe. If there are boats in the area, don't swim. One good solution is to do some homework to find smaller lakes that have horsepower restrictions or electric motor restrictions. A 14 foot johnboat with a 12 volt electric trolling motor is probably not too much of a threat!

But at the end of the day OWS is really fun, I think. For me the personal payoff from making it across a lake or coming in from the ocean alone is pretty unique. And then there was that time, no kidding, when I swam across Beaver Lake in the Ozarks .... and got about thirty ywards from shore ... and watched a mountain lion sipping from the side of the water. That was cool.... wish I had a camera. I guess if I'd gotten into a jam there I could have distracted that cat with my buoy!

I OWS alone all the time.  My favourite place is Inverhuron Park on Lake Huron.  The water is clear and its not overly deep there.  They have the swim bouys out about 50m from shore (about 100m apart) to stop any of the very limited to non existent boat traffic from coming near the beach.  

That being said I am still paranoid about boats.  I remember when I was growing up, about once a summer hearing about a swimmer getting hit by a boat.  Usually this happened near dusk and it always seemed the news report said alcohol was a factor.  

I try to use common sence and stay alert at all times to whatever traffic may be around.  I consider it my responsibility to stay out of the areas the boats travel in and to make sure that any boats are well aware of my being in the water.  Sort of like not running down the middle of the road wearing black at night.

I also dont venture far from shore without my wetsuit, the extra floatation is very comforting.

 

Don't any of you guys have moms?  If so, I am sure she told you never to swim alone.  And if you have a dad, I'm sure he told you to listen to your mom.  

My mom typically said something like this:  "Do whatever you want; if it is stupid and you get hurt, don't come crying to me."  I'm sure that if one of us boys were truly seriously hurt, she would have done something about it, but she definitely followed through with the "I told you so; now deal with it yourself" policy, in general.  Alas, it didn't really stop us from doing stupid things when we were kids.  Maybe that explains why I'm willing to swim alone now???

If I listened to my Mom I'd never leave the house except to go to church. I'd never ride a motorcycle, I'd never eat more than 2 cookies at once, and I'd only date nice girls. Forget that.

I OWS by myself every week in a small lake with no boating traffic aside from kayaks. I subscribe to to the "swimming with a few buddies ain't gonna help much" theory and since I feel very comfortable in the water I quite enjoy it.

Very cool idea to use a noodle! It's funny, I was looking at a noodle the other day, wondering if there was a way I could use it for an OWS. Poking a hole though it so you could tie it to you is a great idea. (And cheap too!)

I still like the idea of a diver's flag and float, as boaters would be able to see it from a distance and it would also provide me with something to hang onto if needed.

But, if I boat starts to approach, I could just hold the noodle upright so they'd see it. (Thereby providing a slalom course. LOL)

And I agree that swimming with a group can provide a false sense of security. I can't expect anyone to be "aware" of me while they're busy with their own swimming (in murky water).

I think I'll go buy a noodle today. Thank!

I liked the noodle idea, so went to Wal-Mart to get one. Since its no longer summer, there was very little to choose from. But I did find a cool, bright green "water skateboard" for 20 bucks. Its about the length of a skateboard, but made of thick foam with a hard shell bottom. With that, I also bought some marine twine for $1.50, cut a hole in one end of the board, strung the rope thru it and attached it to my race belt.

I swim a lot in a small "lake" that does not allow motorized boats, so its at least a little safer. The bright green board showed up brilliantly on the water, and I never felt like it was slowing me down. Also, as I rounded one of the buoys 250 yards from shore, I grabbed onto the board for a moment, to see how it felt. It gave me way more support than a regular noodle. Its probably the next best thing to having an actual person paddling along side you in a kayak, especially if you have to swim alone.

I tend to agree with the partners not being much help; chances are they won't hear you or won't be able to react in time.  I think I'm going to get something like a noodle to swim with.