Cold Water Swim Logs 3.00 – 3.05

Well hello there! I have a lot of to catch up on, but for now, I thought I'd just go straight back into the cold water swim logs. I have found these incredibly useful for gauging swim times, especially since I haven't been cold swimming in years.

Although I admit it's also a little defeating when I look back and see posts like this one, where I swam for 55 minutes in 53ºF water, no neoprene at all, and it was my "first good shiver of the season". Today I swam for 35 minutes at that temperature, with a wetsuit, and I was a shivery afterwards. I know that it's dumb to compare, since I had been swimming multiple times per week for a few years at that point. It's hard not to! But that means I can get there again, if I want. Onwards!

Note: yes I'm keeping with the cryptic numbering system. This will be the 3rd season of posting these, so despite the years long gap, yes I am only incrementing by one. Also, now my Strava's are private, so the links won't work if you are not following me.

Swim 3.00
Date: March 30, 2025
Time in water: 23:02
Water Temp: 47°F
Air Temp: high 50's
Where: AM/PM Beach, Lake Whatcom
Neoprene: Full sleeved wetsuit, gloves, booties

This was technically my second time in the water that weekend; I dipped at Wildcat Cove in the Bay the day before, just to remind myself what cold water felt like. This was my first real outdoor swim since my blood clot last August (more on that in another post). I FELT THE CHILL!

Note the new line of data for this season: NEOPRENE! Oh the shame! Just kidding. Unlike in years past, I have decided to recon with the penguin, at least for a little while. I'm signed up for the Whidbey Island Adventure Swim June 1st, and it is wetsuit required. So I might as well get used to it! Besides, it's nice to have a comfort blanky as I get used to this whole thing again.

However, I've only worn a full sleeved wetsuit a grand total of 1 (one) times in the last, oh, 5 years? So I didn't get it quite all the way up, so each arm "recovery" I had to really yank my arm up, and I was so damn sore the next day. Forgot about that, whoops!

Swim 3.01
Date: April 13, 2025
Time in water: 25:28
Water Temp: 49°F
Air Temp: low 50's
Where: AM/PM Beach, Lake Whatcom
Neoprene: Sleeve-less wetsuit, gloves, booties

The only way I can describe this swim is: STABBY! I forgot all about the stabby ice in the arm pits feeling when you wear a sleeveless suit (probably because if you don't wear a wetsuit at all, you don't notice it amongst all the other stabbiness happening).

Similiar to my last outdoor swim, it took me AGES to get my face in the water. I had to keep dipping and then heads up breast stroking until it was numb enough to continue. Breast stroking in a wetsuit is not easy, since they are made to keep your thighs very high in the water. I feel like a buoy when I wear one, not my favorite feeling.

Swim 3.02
Date: April 17, 2025
Time in water: 27:06
Water Temp: 51°F
Air Temp: 40°F
Where: Silver Beach, Lake Whatcom
Neoprene: Sleeve-less wetsuit, booties

Over 50!? Well, a whole new world, my friends! At least, I thought so, so I didn't wear my gloves. Two problems here: 1) My memory of 50 degrees being the neoprene cut off is from when I was fully cold water adapted, and 2) yes the water was warmer, but the air temp was far colder. I realized my mistake almost instantly, but it was too late.

This was my first solo swim before work. I've been wanting to swim outside multiple times per week, but I had yet to work up the gumption to make it happen. In the past, I would never have swam solo, but you gotta do what you gotta do. (if you want to join in the fun let me know...)

Swim 3.03
Date: April 20, 2025
Time in water: 25:55
Water Temp: 50°F
Air Temp: 50°F, on and off rain
Where: AM/PM Beach, Lake Whatcom
Neoprene: Sleeve-less wetsuit, booties, gloves

Nicer than I thought it would be, given the wind at my house. The other end of the lake often has completely different weather. AM/PM beach is on the south/east side of the lake, and I live and swim during the week on the north/west side. It's usually colder down there, and sometimes windier, sometimes the opposite.

I recall wishing I had swam a bit longer, but I was getting cold in the water near the end of the swim.

Swim 3.04
Date: April 24, 2025
Time in water: 40:16
Water Temp: 54°F
Air Temp: mid 40s
Where: Silver Beach, Lake Whatcom
Neoprene: Sleeve-less wetsuit, booties, gloves

Massive spike in water temperatures! So a big increase in time, despite it being before work and my second cup of coffee. Since I live a mile from the beach, for the first time in my swimming history, I actually put my wetsuit on at home, and drove home in my wetsuit! It is pretty nice changing in a warm house, although I do prefer to hang out and drink coffee at the water's edge with friends. Since I'm solo though, I'll take the warmth.

Swim 3.05
Date: April 27, 2025
Time in water: 35:24
Water Temp: 53°F
Air Temp: low 50s, windy
Where: AM/PM, Lake Whatcom
Neoprene: Sleeve-less wetsuit

Ditched the gloves AND booties, since the air felt so warm. At least, I thought it would feel warm, but damn the wind was cold. I'm glad I gave it a shot though, because while my hands and feet did feel cold while I was in the water, they did not hurt while rewarming, which to me is a sign I'm good to go.

I could have probably gone another 5 - 10 minutes, maybe more, but I was the last one in the water. I tried to get to the second buoy on the other side of the island, but I had hit my turn around time (15 minutes), and I kept looking up and noticing that I was not getting much closer. I thought it was the headwind, but it turns out there is also a current right there, and it's the hardest part of the swim. So it's probably a good thing I didn't push through and try to get there.