2 years ago didn't notice any. Last year they were bad. Some people say the sea safe lotion helps but I had it on and still got stung multiple time on face and hands. Thankfully the wetsuit offered protection to the rest of me. Can be choppy but wasn't terrible in that regard.

I think all together, with iron distance, half iron, relay and so forth I only missed one swim there in all the years they had chesapeakeman.

We had lots of jellyfish the very first year and the last year we swam from the hyatt to transition.

The jellyfish were bothersome but not anything that would stop you.

Neither the chop nor the jellyfish are anything you should worry or take extra actions for.

so we are expecting wetsuit legal?

The water temps seem higher every year. 10 years ago Eagleman was well under the limit, this year it was close and the year before no wetsuits.

I would not plan on this being wetsuit legal. It may well end up being that, but that is not the expectation I would have.

Technically this was true for me, but I did end up with stings all over my arm and leg. One jellyfish in particular slid all the way up one arm and stunned me pretty good. Had to gather myself before continuing. Had a red/swollen/festering arm that made the ride quite uncomfortable. I'm not sure how typical/atypical my experience was, or if perhaps I should just HTFU

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Seems the jelly fish would be a major reason fir choosing another event

All this talk of Jellyfish and festering arms is starting to scare me! I will pray for wetsuit legal swim I guess.

Anything that touches my arms will scare the crap out of me, even a leaf!

I was told I would see Jellies at IMFL in 2012, didn't see or touch one or any see critters for that matter.

If I actually hit a Jelly I would probably have a panic attack right there on the spot

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"Keep those feet moving!" Me

Then you better hope the nettles are gone for the race. I've been swimming in the bay my whole life and that swim sucked last year. I did not wear a WS and paid the price.

Some years we never get them and they are late this year.

I have raced there 4 times, no jellies. You can get lucky or unlucky with current as well. In 2012 EM the against the current/tide portion was hidden by land, everybody went fast.

So if the jellies are there for Eagleman and it's not always wetsuit legal, maybe I should reconsider Eagleman? Ack...

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Cynthia
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I'm from Brazil and never had been at Cambridge area before. The swim course description at Ironman's website says that it will be held at Choptank River. But looking at google maps seems to me that the swim area actually is at the salt-water bay. Am I right?

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IM Maryland 20 sep 2014 - IM Fortaleza 09 nov 2014
Here we go!!!

The Choptank river is really just a somewhat protected part of the Chesapeake Bay. You're definitely swimming in salt water there.

The body of water is called the CHOPtank river. It will be a bit choppy. The swim is in a little alcove, so you will be slightly protected. But, still you should count on some chop.

I just read that the Oceans were the hottest in the month of June than they've ever been before. I don't know about the Choptank in particular. But, if it's following the pattern of the oceans that means jellyfish. They like the warmer water.

The swim should be wetsuit legal (although I wouldn't put a 100% guarantee on that).

I've always heard that the name comes from a Nanticoke word which has nothing to do with chop. It means something like a dividing or separating stream. Barring abnormal weather conditions it's not a particularly choppy body of water, but neither is it pristine glass like Lake Seneca was last week.

I swam out there this past weekend and NO jellyfish yet.....very unusual!

Here is a web page showing surface water temps by month (average, mean, min & max.) September averages under 76 degrees - unless there is an odd heat wave late in the month I think Sept 20th should be wetsuit legal.


http://mddnr.chesapeakebay.net/bay_cond/bay_cond.cfm?param=wt&station=ET51

Eagleman was wetsuit legal last year and not this year.

thanks for the website....I don't care if it is wetsuit or not, except for the jellyfish issue.