Tower 9 Swims are going well. First, we’ve switched back to 7 am swims Tuesdays and Thursdays, and 8 am swims Saturdays and Sundays.
Oh, and hello to TaLisa and Mike. Talisa will join us soon as she’s learning to swim.
Mike already joined me in an impromptu swim to the buoy this morning. We sighted a seal that was playing around about 20 yards away from us. Mike likes the cold water and I’m sure he’ll enjoy our supportive crew.
Oh, and the lifeguards changed the buoy. That thing looks brand new. If you want to see it for yourself, be sure to ask for a buoy swim at one of your next Tower 9 swims.
Shuffling to avoid stingrays
You’ll want to shuffle into the water as the stingrays are here. If you take your time entering the water, you should be fine. Just remember to shuffle back in.
You’d be surprised, but you can probably manage to swim in water that’s slightly less than waist-deep. I’d recommend swimming as soon as you can just to avoid getting stung. Trust me, it’s worth taking your time entering and exiting the water. Getting stung will ruin a few hours.
Sites with gear and help for your Tower 9 Swims
For those interested in gear, here are a few sites that can help you:
Swimoutlet has great deals on almost everything you need to swim in the ocean. The only drawback is their swimming wetsuit (open water swimming, triathlon, swim run) options are smaller than in the past.
justwetsuits
Justwetsuits is a great company for wetsuits. And they’re located in Arizona, so your order will arrive quickly. Often you can find last year’s models discounted and get a good deal. I recommend Orca, Blueseventy and a few others.
Swimlabs, located in Lake Forest, is a great place to learn. Though I’ve had only one lesson there, I was impressed by their facility and their staff. There are 3 pools (each is about 10′ x 15′) with cameras at every angle and even a mirror on the bottom. They are only about 3.5 feet deep.
Basically, you swim for about 12 seconds and then you see on a big screen TV what you just did. The TV is right in front of the pool and is delayed about 12-14 seconds. Oh, and they can modulate the flow of water to your desired 100 yard time.
The staff there is great and if I lived closer or were independently wealthy, I’d have lessons there regularly.
competitive aquatic supply
Sorry there is no link. But, they’re located in northwest HB and have all pool swim supplies there. Had no idea there was such a huge market for swimsuits and gear.
Only drawback: no neoprene here. Maybe this is where Josh shopped.
Necessary Gear for Tower 9 Swims
In decreasing order of importance:
Earplugs: not just for swimmer’s ear, but surfer’s ear. Try Mack’s Aqua Blocks.
Swim cap: not just to be seen – choose white or neon yellow – but also to keep you warm. I’d sooner swim without a wetsuit than without a swim cap. Neoprene is the warmest. Next is silicone. After that, latex.
Goggles: so you can see. If you wear glasses, you can try for optical goggles. My eyesight is ~-4 diopters (?) and I wear swimoutlet’s Sporti brand. They cost ~$15 and work well.
Wetsuit: you’ll want a swim/tri/swimrun wetsuit rather than a surfing wetsuit. Without going into too much detail, a swimming/triathlon/swimrun wetsuit is designed for greater shoulder mobility and buoyancy.
Neoprene Cap: for when the water is cold.
Neoprene gloves: you’ll want/need these only likely January through March here. Just make sure they fit your hand well. They’ll tend to expand in the water.
That’s about all you need. If you’re minimalist or into cold exposure, then you’re fine with a swimsuit, earplugs, swim cap and goggles. But, be sure to pack a hot beverage in a thermos to offset the afterdrop.