Wilmington YMCA swim

I will be swimming on Sunday morning with a couple of people and we have a kayak accompanying us. We will be getting in the water at 8 and going from Seapath to Blockade Runner. High tide is at 7:40 so we will swim with the outgoing/falling tide.  If you decide to swim the same direction as the event (Blockade runner to Seapath) then you will probably be fine since it will be close to high tide and it will be "slack water" however I have done this recently and it can be difficult to get out of the water since there are no ladders at the Seapath dock. You will probably be able to find a boat at the dock, climb up and then onto the dock, but many people live on their boats. Also, if you park on the road at the Blockade Runner note that the meters start at 9am.

See you there!

The conditions were ideal this morning.

ambient temp was in the low 70's.  Water temp was a little warmer than that.  Very comfortable.

The water was slack, so the current was non-existent. 

We actually swam the reverse direction of the race next weekend as what tide there was going to be outgoing.

All in all, the swim was worth the practice as this was my first real OWS and I had some nervous kick in.  I struggled to find a good rhythm and my breathing was very fast.  I went breathe stroke for a bit and got through that 30 second panic.  All-in-all I am very glad I did the test swim as I was able to get some confidence in for next weekend.

I swam it this morning with a friend and the water was very nice. Small amount of chop, almost no current since it was at the peak of high tide. I have now done it 5 times over the past month and each time I have nerves set it, then I can relax, and then all of a sudden my hand will touch something (usually a stick or seaweed) and boom, my body tenses up and I have to struggle to get back into a groove. I can't imagine how I will do this with so many people in the water! It will be my first tri with an OWS so I just want to survive and get to the bike. I have heard that there can be a wait at the ladders to get out onto the dock so I'm thinking what's the point of going out as hard as I can? Any thoughts on this?

Thanks and see you next Sat!

I have swam the course many times and B2B. Here are a few tips . DO NOT FOLLOW OTHERS in the swim.

Use the current in you favor.

1) when looking out at the start they say swim right and current will take you . Yes it will but will take longer because to fighting the current just to get to the first big buoy. IGNOUR the first buoy.

2) WHen looking out at the start look out dead in the middle of the channel are two triangles on pole(channel makers) on the left before you turn right. SWIM towards those markers. CURRENT super fast.

3) when you get to the right turn swim on the LEFT  towards the GREEN  Channel marker. From there swim straight to seapath . DO not stay right and loop the buoys you can swim anywhere. STAY left and swim straight to seapath. Saves you 5 mins swimming.

Hope it helps

Livestrong191, thanks for the local knowledge.  Not being a very fast swimmer and one who breaths mostly on the right, I thought that I'd start on the left and use the pack on my right to help me keep straight.  I also expected that the current would be coming from the left until I crossed the channel.  So I think that's sort of what you are recommending.  I guess it dosen't matter what side of the orange buoys you are on, is that right? 

For any BTers, I'll be the old (68), bald guy with the short grey beard who looks too fat for his TriWilmington tri suit.  Please say "Hi" if you see me.

Bob

Does anyone know of a gathering spot the night before where some of the triathlon peeps will be congregating?  I will be driving in from Raleigh on Friday night and might like to get together for some camaraderie.

At the event, I'll be the fat 44 yr old in black Tyr tritop (thats too tight around the middle) and sugoi tri shorts.I would love to meet some more BTers, so don't hesitate to say hi.

Brian

I'm not sure where lots of people will be gathering, but I would check out either Boca Bay which is on the North/left side of Eastwood, on the mainland, as you head towards the beach. Another popular place would be Osterio Ciccetti (the OC) which is a wonderful Italian restaurant in the forum (Military Cutoff, next to Landfall). There's also Wild Wing Cafe which is strangely extremely popular and is in Landfall. It's on Military Cuttoff just north of Eastwood. It's hard to miss. If Becky the bartender is working, please tell her that her Step-Mom says hi!

I'll say "hi" as I watch all of you swim past me! Just kidding, but you all will be in a much faster group.

Joanne

Livestrong: This is great local knowledge. So you're saying it's OK to stay to the left of that first orange buoy? This is my first tri in a while, and length of swim is a concern. Don't want to do extra.

For Livestrong and others out there, a few questions:

1) When will we learn the time of our swim wave?

2) Anyone know the temp of the water lately? I'm thinking wetsuits won't be legal, but I don't know.

3) Is the ladder really the only way out of the water? Is it a bottleneck?

My advice is iswim  dead in the middle alittle to the right. The current will take to the docks on the left but just keep swimming straight and when that right turn comes you turn right but head straight left to the island on the other side of the docks and swim stright to seapath. JUst remeber RED CHannel marker then after that GREEN Channel Mark and you are golden.

The only way out is by ladder. The water is nice and warm.

Here is a little map to help. Follow this and it will be a easy swim and fast. Follow the red Line

thanks for the info livestrong - will try to put it to good use!

i'll be the athena in the royal blue tri top and black zoot shorts if anyone sees me out there. i'm easy to recognize because i breathe like a freight train! 

best of luck to all! might have to check out the italian restaurant that was listed above...

Had a tough time loading this pic but here you are. Follow the redline and you will do just fine.

no biggie now folks can refer to it next year too.

Livestrong,

Assuming that picture is representative of the swim course and keeping to the tradition of Set Up Events using triangular buoys as "turn buoys", then your red line is "cutting the course".

If my assumptions are wrong, please excuse the ignorance.

Alan