Learning to swim better

Ya...when I go into triathlon in 2015, the nearest Masters groups just as far away for me.  We only have one pool that was open year round within 50 miles of me and it was a 15 yard exercise with no lane line.  I only made it about 25 feet at a time when I started.  My problem was that I was running out of air and panicking.  What is limiting you?  If you can do 800m of breast stroke it isn't your conditioning.  Are you getting muscle aches, joint pain, out of breath, having panic attacks, feeling claustrophobic, other?   

After my first time in the pool I when to YouTube and searched for breathing drills I could do on the wall.  Then I spent the next two weeks not even attempting to swim laps but just working on breathing. It turned out that my body position and body rotation were the problem.  Once I got that correct I could swim about 800 yds before I got tiered and built about 100 yds a week after that and I built endurance. 

So...can you be ready in 10 days?  Mabey?  You can identify the problem and it is a form thing that you can correct with YouTube videos/drill 10 days is enough time.  If it is a physical limitation then 10 days isn't going to make a big difference in preparation. 

If you can float on your back I would say go for it.  The race day adrenaline make things go faster that they do in training.  you can go as far as you are able then float on your back to rest.  You also can rotate between stroke.  Back stroke is a good rest stroke, you already have breast stroke for sighting and getting on course, and if you can get any front crawl in that will help too.

My first race my only goal on the swim was to do the whole swim in front crawl.  The longest training swim session I had ever done was about 1300 yds and I had a 2100 yds swim.  I made it bout 1500 yds before I had to roll on my back.  I did back stroke for about 300 yds then was able to finish with the front crawl.     

Sorry for the somewhat late reply, I think you've still got a week though!  

First:  Attitude.  Ditch the "I have no confidence" mindset.  Instead, think of all the practical ways you can complete the 800 m open water swim that don't include swimming "kayak to kayak."  Breaststroke, sidestroke, doggie paddle will all get you from point A to point B even if they're not fast or efficient.  The caveat (former lifeguard/swim instructor here) you're ultimately responsible for your own safety in the water.  I wouldn't bet MY life on the lifeguard being on the kayak exactly where I need him/her and 100% focused on me at the exclusion of the other participants! 

Second:  SLOW DOWN!  I understand it...you're nervous and then tense up which makes breathing and swimming harder than necessary and pretty soon, you're worn out fighting yourself.  Swim like you're going for a walk in the park, not running a 25 m dash!  For the kids I taught, I'd explain they're not trying to "kill snakes" in the water. 

Third:  Many beginning/inexperienced swimmers subscribe to the "blast and gasp" breathing technique.  They hold in their breath, then blast out their exhale and gasp for another breath in that short time when their mouth is out of the water.  Hum!  Exhale gently while your face is in the water then ROTATE to breathe in more air.  Slowly and controlled.  If you get some water in your mouth along with the air, you're breathing in slowly so it stays in your mouth and you can expel it back into the pool/lake.  Since you're not gasping, you're not drawing it into your lungs.  You'll eventually get more comfortable which makes taking in a bit of water less disruptive.  Also, practice (not in the next week) breathing both to the left and to the right.  You can switch sides to get air on the less chaotic side (either due to wind, waves, or an adjacent swimmer) and now you've got another tool for when you miss getting a breath (just get it on the next stroke or half-stroke).  I learned to breathe on either side because I wanted to be able to show the kids I was teaching regardless of whether they wanted to breathe left or right.  Depending on what I'm trying to do, I may breathe every 4th arm pull (every other right/left), every 3rd (left-pull-pull-right-pull-pull) or every 2nd (every time my left/right arm comes out). 

As I said earlier, ROTATE to get a breath.  If you're breathing to the right, your left ear stays in the water!  You've already indicated how lifting your head makes your legs sink (physics is great, isn't it!)  As you get better, you'll go faster and you'll create a little "trough" next to your ears and won't have to rotate as far to find air.  (Initially, you'll probably rotate close to 90°, eventually maybe 30-45°. 

You can practice going slowly, humming, and rotating just by pushing off the side of the pool and gliding (no arm movement, no kicking).  Experiment will small changes to head position, hand position, foot position to see what gets you the longest glide, all the while you're humming in the water and learning to RELAX.