Open Water Swim

Tony

keep watching the Arizona forum. It's about that time of year when groups start heading out to Saguaro and the other lakes. very good OWS practice without the madness of an OWS race.

I'm in for this too. Hopefully it's a weekend swim as I work out of town.

I'm in for a weekend OWS.

There are a few issues with weekend swims.

1) Boating traffic on the lakes. Makes for some safety issues.

2) The lakes have more folks out for leisure activities. Generally not an issue unless all of the parking spaces are taken.

3) You need to buy a parking pass in town before heading out to the lake.

Are boats allowed at Butcher Jone's cove? I've never seen any in there. I was guessing that this was where I was going to swim. I'm also doing the tri in Rocky Point in April and want to get some OWS swim time in before the Sea of Cortez.

Does anyone know the water temp right now (at BJC)? If it's not freezing we could start the Thursday night OWS again--with wetsuits. I'd be in. How about next week?

Durapulse is starting their open water swims on Monday the 8th with wetsuits. Don't know what the water temp is though.

Tony, I have found the best practice for ocean open water swims is to go to tropical locales and practice in the ocean. I recommend Hawaii, Mexico, and select locations in the South Pacific.

Otherwise, yeah, you might as well do those group swims in BJC. Not quite as fun though.

This is Joe - too lazy to log out and back in on laptop. Did 30 minutes tonight at BJC. Was 53 degrees outside. One guy had a watch with temp at 58 in the water. It was colder than dueces wild was last yr (I think was low 60s). wore long sleeves and reg cap. aside from the headache that set in at about 5min but abated and the vertigo that kicked in when I tried to get out - it was shockingly - NICE! I would never say that about swimming in general but it was!!!FYI

Oh yeah - it seemed really clean for BJC - not the usual fuel, stinky fish and underbrush swim

I swam at BJC last year starting Mid March. It was freezing!! With the rain lately I am sure it is cold! You definately would want to wear a wetsuit unless you were trying to train specifically for cold water (which i was).

Just looked at my log. 3rd weekend of March lastyear water temp was 62 degrees.

Edited by Ktriathlete 2010-03-08 9:31 PM

Could alwaze do the OWS @the Bartlett tri......DCB is having there OWS series but the 1st one isn't til May 1st which will be after Rocky Point. Still, be great practice swims.

i'm up for meeting at Butcher Jones on Thursday for swim run brick whose with me?

I'm looking forward to an opportunity for OWS as well. However, weekend works best unless its after 4pm on a workday; I still need to work around the work schedule. Will keep an eye what you all come up with.

I still would need my wetsuit but not enough $$ ; anyone aware of current $$deals, please PM me.

I think XTERRA is still having 1/2 price sale.

Thanks Joe . Waiting for my first wetsuit..2/3 days.

Worth mentioning that I found Xterra to have an outstanding CS.

I bought at Vortex 3 from them and they do have a great return/exchange program. Also the prices are pretty good and my wetsuit fits great. I'll be looking to do an OWS after this weekends Trifamily race.

I gotta Synergy Endorphin from the wetsuitman3 on eBay for $148.00(that was including shipping). He didn't have the Orca in my size so I gotta free upgrade. Suit reatails everywhere else for about $229. Fits like a glove, just got it in the mail yesterday.