I Did It!!

The open-water swim, that is. I know I told everyone that I was going to do this last week....
but I chickened out. :) And with good reason, it turns out! I have discovered SEVERAL hazards (and tips) in ocean swimming:

1) When putting on a wetsuit, turn the arms and legs half inside-out. It makes it a lot easier! (I got this info after one of the gals swimming "with" me recovered from laughing so hard at my clumsy attempts to get the neoprene over myself! Also, Bodyglide is your friend. You're very, very good friend.

2) When putting on a swim cap, remember that you are now in the sun, even if you don't feel like it. You WILL get a silly-looking sunburn that draws a line right across your forehead if you're not careful in your positioning! (Yeah, I bet you'd like a picture...too bad!!) :)

3) As I was swimming along, I saw a dark mass moving beneath me. It suddenly moved quickly towards me, and I almost threw my back out from jumping up and backwards so fast. Luckily, I got out of the way fast enough that it only brushed my hand...kelp. Yes, I know now that I have an irrational fear of slimy, creepy, sinewy, marine plant life.

4) After the kelp attack, I realized that I was only 1/4 of the way done with this swim. Note to self and everyone else: Ocean swimming is NOT as easy as pool swimming. Don't worry about trying to breathe on both sides, don't worry about the proper roll, don't even worry about breathing strictly air! It turn out, it's okay if your air is laced with salt water. Apparently, it's also okay to snort salt water.

5) Make sure that what you are looking at to maintain the right direction is actually what you think it is. After turning around at the buoy, I began diligently swimming out to sea. Luckily, Sarah was not only sighting for herself, but also checking on me, and called to me. The "orange buoy" that I thought was watching was actually a bald man's head who was swimming to a different buoy from the opposite direction.

6) 2/3 of the way done. I have been back-of-the-pack the entire way. Me, who is regularly cocky about my swimming ability. I took a deep breath and plunged forward again...only to find myself staring a GIANT kelp plant right in my face. There goes the back again.
I know you think kelp is not scary because you are sitting there, comfy and dry, on your cushiony chair. Imagine looking down into the murky depths of the ocean (that houses LOTS of scary creatures) and seeing a dark, moving object really close to you. I was unable to fight the kelp off this time, and it got my arms and plastered a gross, slimy, leaf on the side of my face. ugh.

7) What is that burning that I have been feeling for the past 30 minutes? I think I might throw up from salt water ingestion and lack of food.

8) There are hot and cold pockets of water in the ocean, and they do not indicate that you are being whisked away by a rip tide. Really.

9) Finally, I can see the lifeguard tower we started from. What IS that burning? How long have we been swimming? Why are there kayakers swarming around me?

10) Yep, there were 3 classes of kayakers who were out at the end of the swim. Several of them wanted to have a conversation with me.
Kayaker: How do you do that? Aren't you cold?
Me: *sucking air* It's not that cold with the wetsuit.
Kayaker: Aren't you afraid? What if you sink?
Me: (thinking: If I stay here talking to you, wasting energy, I might sink!) No, I'm not afraid. The wetsuit helps keep me from sinking. *swimming away before he can ask another question

11) We're back. Finally. We go to rinse off, and Renee unvelcros and unzips my wetsuit for me. "Oooh, you are really red! Didn't you use Bodyglide?"
"No"
"Oh. You're chaffed. *makes a "sucks for you" face*"
"I guess that's what the burning was." My neck, my elbows, and my knees - all rubbed raw! I'd like to say it is the war wounds from my Kelp Battles, but lets face it - the kelp won without a battle.

All in all, I finished my mile and a half swim in 2 hours. This is ridiculously slow. I can do 1.5 miles in a pool in 45 minutes. I don't care though - I finished, and I can't wait to do it again! Maybe I'll do a cove swim next time though...

ADDENDUM: I just saw Sarah, Renee, and myself on the news. There were apparently some scuba divers who were whisked 2 miles out to see by an undercurrent this morning at the beach we were at. Great. Don't tell my Mother-in-Law!