General Discussion Triathlon Talk » Great Chesapeake Bay Swim - 4.4 Mile : Official Thread Rss Feed  
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2011-06-01 12:25 PM

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Subject: Great Chesapeake Bay Swim - 4.4 Mile : Official Thread

I thought there was already a thread for this but now I can't find it.  10 days out and I'm not really feeling ready.  Had intended on swim training a lot more to prepare for this but got sidetracked by tri.  Moving from a "time" goal to a "don't drown" goal.

 

According to the NOAA, the water temp is already 78 degrees, and presumably is only going up.  Are people planning on wearing wetsuits?  I think full sleeve almost has to be out at this point, but maybe a sleeveless?  Are there going to be jellyfish since the water is so warm?

 

http://www.ndbc.noaa.gov/station_page.php?station=tplm2



Edited by Mr. BoH 2011-06-01 12:28 PM


2011-06-02 6:55 AM
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Subject: RE: Great Chesapeake Bay Swim - 4.4 Mile : Official Thread

I've never done it but tried to get in this year with no luck. I'm doing Eagleman instead.

 

Anyhow, My understanding is most people wear wetsuits regardless of water temps for safety.  I'd try to get a sleeveless suit especially if your goal is not to drown. 

2011-06-02 7:21 AM
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Subject: RE: Great Chesapeake Bay Swim - 4.4 Mile : Official Thread

I did it last year. I am super bummed I didn't get in this year. But I did it last year w/o a wet suit and I think it was only 67. So it you want one/already have one. fine. If not w/ even warmer water temperatures you'll also be fine. Most do use wet suits, but since it's more swimmers than triathlets there's a higher proportion of people w/o wet suits than at a tri. Granted that "higher proportion" is still the vast minority.

Have a BLAST!! That was an awesome swim, and I'm jealous!

Oh and I forgot, there weren't jellyfish last year. I believe that it's seasonal, and that the jellies come out later in the season, like August/September. But that's based on water temperature, so w/ the warmer water they could be early. BUt it would be REALLY REALLY early. Last year I worried about EVERYTHING, especially the non swim related crap. Water temperature, jellyfish, even the taste of polluted water. It was all ok, I was totally irrational and worrired for no reason!! Just have fun.



Edited by asgate99 2011-06-02 7:24 AM
2011-06-06 7:03 PM
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Subject: RE: Great Chesapeake Bay Swim - 4.4 Mile : Official Thread

Never did it before but definitely wearing sleeveless suit. Warm water and temp certainly wont matter at the slow/easy pace i'll be going at. (site seeing trip, not a race for me)

I havent trained either. No water time for 4-5 weeks at all till the Black Bear Tri mile yesterday.

What the hell, we have starting spots, they have boats and volunteers....and what ELSE do we have to do that day....  LOL

Gotta be a blast and a wetsuit in salty/brackish water should be like wearing FLOATIES and the time cut offs look really generous so no need to redline at all. I even saw video of folks last year floating and taking pics with waterproof camera they swam with. Looks like a cool experience.

 Oh yea, and i'm a fairly crappy swimmer as far as speed.......LOL



Edited by haight2 2011-06-06 7:05 PM
2011-06-08 12:06 AM
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Subject: RE: Great Chesapeake Bay Swim - 4.4 Mile : Official Thread
You might want to be careful. This swim is vastly different year to year. First time I did it we were 1 knot under a small craft advisory with whitecap swells. Even the kayaker support were scared out there and it got very dangerous. Other years it has been relatively easy, including last year. You never know until the swim starts. But it is never a sight-seeing trip.

Pay careful attention at the pre-race meeting with Chuck. He'll detail the direction of the currents, the expected impact of these currents on your strategy. You need to enter the water knowing exactly how you will navigate this swim.

The race start time is set to ensure the majority of swimmers will cross the main shipping channel at the lightest slack tide possible. If you are 15 minutes or more off this average, you risk fighting strong flood or ebb tide currents in the shipping channel, around mile 2. A late start at 11:30 am, excess heat in the water, and a sunny forecast (as of today) all point to a possibility of windy, choppy conditions.

I don't mean to imply that this is not a fun swim and a great experience (it absolutely is), I'm just a little surprised that people would not take it a little more seriously. I train and swim with a number of people who have done this event many times, and every last one of them will back up what I'm trying to say here. Swim smart and be safe - see you on the beach!

And FWIW I agree a sleeveless wetsuit should be fine even in the very warm waters this year.

To the OP regarding sea nettles (it's the nettles, not the jellies you worry about in june in mid-bay) here's a cool realtime map forecasting their presence

http://chesapeakebay.noaa.gov/forecasting-sea-nettles/

2011-06-10 5:59 AM
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Subject: RE: Great Chesapeake Bay Swim - 4.4 Mile : Official Thread

This guy is doing the swim.  Totally awesome:

http://www.wusa9.com/news/article/153809/158/Craig-Dietz-Born-Without-Arms-Or-Legs-To-Swim-Across-Chesapeake-Bay



Edited by dck4shrt 2011-06-10 6:03 AM


2011-06-11 12:28 PM
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Subject: RE: Great Chesapeake Bay Swim - 4.4 Mile : Official Thread

Thanks for the insight and advice. I definitely didnt mean to imply that it's not a very difficult swim to be taken very seriously at all. My sight seeing comment was definitely joking and only referring to my "pace" strategy which is very conservative.

I will definitely be very strategic in my pace (heart rate, form etc) and the location according to the instructions given.

I will defintely enjoy this and if it's one of those, "20% of swimmers finish" years, i'll most likely not be one of them.

Thanks again for the advice and i definitely will be careful and give this event the highest respect...and one of my absolute TOP OF THE LIST accomplishments if completed.

Best of luck and everyone be SAFE!

2011-06-13 2:31 PM
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Subject: RE: Great Chesapeake Bay Swim - 4.4 Mile : Official Thread
I swam right by him - pretty impressive. He swims on his back and dolphin kicks with a specially fitted fin.

The guy made it to Mile 4 before he was pulled from the water because of an approaching thunderstorm. Only 0.4 miles to go, he would have finished. I feel bad for him, hope to see him back again next year. For that matter I feel bad for anybody who made it 3-4 miles and was pulled from the water so close to finishing.


Pics of him swimming yesterday can be seen at....


http://www.eyeonannapolis.net/2011/06/12/2011-great-chesapeake-bay-...

Edited by econway 2011-06-13 2:41 PM
2011-06-13 3:44 PM
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Subject: RE: Great Chesapeake Bay Swim - 4.4 Mile : Official Thread

Absolutely incredible in my book. I was pulled out right with him at the 4 buoy. As you told me earlier, this is really tough and yes, it sucks to get to 4 with time to finish for sure....but i guess i should learn to swim faster (BUT they gave me the Tshirt anyway..lol.)

Seeing this guy, though, really made me sad for him to get stopped. He had it covered easy.  Wow!

2011-06-14 9:19 AM
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Subject: RE: Great Chesapeake Bay Swim - 4.4 Mile : Official Thread
I wish I'd thought to look at this thread before the race, I could have shared my wetsuit obsessing with someone else.  And Craig Dietz is amazing, he was hauling.  I wish he could have finished, but I'm glad he got pulled due to weather and not something else.

I went wetsuit-less (I would have melted with it on, even sleeveless.  I'm happy and comfortable in upper 60's water), and got pulled at the 3.5 mile mark.

I'll be back next year, that's for sure. 
2011-06-15 5:17 PM
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Subject: RE: Great Chesapeake Bay Swim - 4.4 Mile : Official Thread

Felt bad for those who got pulled due to weather.  A lot of them were very close to finishing.  The organizers should let those folks bypass the lottery next year.

I don't know about the "very favorable" conditions mentioned in that article.  They started favorable but went downhill quick.  Times seemed to be 10-20 minutes slower across the board compared to last year, even for the winners.



2011-06-16 8:05 AM
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Subject: RE: Great Chesapeake Bay Swim - 4.4 Mile : Official Thread

Just for posterity (and for anyone reading this next year considering this race), I'll echo the comments that this race is not to be underestimated.  I've swam competitively for years, and this ranks right up there as one of the hardest things I've ever done.

I just read on the website that one of the participants this year suffered a heart attack and passed away.  Very sad; he was only 43 years old.  Really makes you think twice about all the crazy sht we do.



Edited by Mr. BoH 2011-06-16 8:06 AM
2011-06-16 11:54 AM
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Subject: RE: Great Chesapeake Bay Swim - 4.4 Mile : Official Thread
I think the 'favorable' conditions were referring to the wind characteristics this year.

Winds were very light compared to prior years, and coming from the SSW, which meant the waves/chop came from behind us instead of across or in our faces. In other years we've had winds approaching 18 kts with 1-2 foot chop and white caps coming from the E or NE which meant the waves were breaking in our faces.

Wind direction is also important in it's ability to amplify or mute the effect of currents, for example northerly winds coupled with an ebb tide can make it very difficult not to be swept under the south span of the bridge as the surface waves and the underlying tidal currents amplify each other and push swimmers to the south. This year's winds coming from the SSW actually had a (predicted) muting effect on the initial ebb tide (flowing N->S) for the 1st half of the race.

That being said, I still found myself battling the southerly flowing ebb tide during mile 2 of the race. Otherwise, though, the conditions this year were probably the easiest I've experienced in 6 times doing this event.

It is curious, however, that the overall finishing times were slower than prior years - I noticed that also.

2011-06-16 7:00 PM
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Subject: RE: Great Chesapeake Bay Swim - 4.4 Mile : Official Thread

Yes, really sad for the heart attack victim and family.

I absolutely had no idea what to expect and am really glad to have gotten the experience. Pulled out close to the 4 mile buoy WAS bad but hey,,,i was about 2:50-55. I should have been better prepared and finishied in my 2:50-3:00 that i thought would be easy.... (yea, right)

I will not take this lightly again...lol. I started my swim training for next year TODAY...

If nothing else, this will give me a different perspective on all my 1500-1650 triathlon lake swims now though.

Next year, if i can get in, i'll really try to train and shoot for 2:30. That way when i kicks my  with a 3 hour time, i'm still across! 

Great job on your swim and thank all you real swimmers for letting a hack like me give it a shot!  



Edited by haight2 2011-06-16 7:01 PM
2011-06-20 12:17 PM
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Subject: RE: Great Chesapeake Bay Swim - 4.4 Mile : Official Thread
Mr. BoH - 2011-06-16 9:05 AM

Just for posterity (and for anyone reading this next year considering this race), I'll echo the comments that this race is not to be underestimated.  I've swam competitively for years, and this ranks right up there as one of the hardest things I've ever done.

I just read on the website that one of the participants this year suffered a heart attack and passed away.  Very sad; he was only 43 years old.  Really makes you think twice about all the crazy sht we do.

I am hoping to be ready for this event in 2013. That still may be too ambitious for me. I don't even need to pretend I'm thinking about it for 2012, but the fact that Eagleman was the same day this past year means I can assume it will be next year, and I hope to make that my first HIM.

I have huge respect for you serious swimmers. Any Gibraltar plans for you hardcore types?

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