Did my 1st lake swim of the year, lasted 40 minutes which was enough time to cross Whonnock Lake in the Fraser Valley. Neoprene head to toe. All I had for company were a few looks and a couple of wayward fish.
Beats the hell out of smelling chorine for an hour!
What specifically did you wear on your hands, feet , and head. Also face or mask of any kind?
Thanks
The ice has just melted off Lake Ontario, but I’d imagine the surface temperature is only just above freezing, less than 40 F. In the old days we used to scuba dive at this time of the year, but that was in a scuba dry suit. Too cold to swim in a tri wet suit IMO.
Sorry man, I’ll take the chlorine…congrats though. I remember seeing a guy open water swimming in the Hong Kong harbour and thought he was nuts, but this beats that guy by an order of magnitude…
A bit too early for me yet, but congrats on the swim. A couple of years ago I did about 15 or 20 minutes in my tri wetsuit in 49 degree water, measured with a fishing thermometer. I thought I was doing OK, but came very close to passing out on the dock after I climbed out. Waiting now for a little more sunshine here first. 
You’re nuts dude - rode past there on Friday and there were still a few smatterings of snow on the ground!!
crazy dude. you have balls - er you did - they must be still tucked up inside yer body.
I’m waiting at least one more month, then Sasamat, maybe the ocean.
AP
Any idea what the temperature was?
I am in Penticton this weekend and would rather do lake swims than in the pool. Anybody know if Okanagan Lake is survivable this time of year?
Any idea what the temperature was?
I am in Penticton this weekend and would rather do lake swims than in the pool. Anybody know if Okanagan Lake is survivable this time of year?
Get a fishing thermometer and if the temperature looks reasonable try it out. Get some extra line while you’re at the shop so you can throw the thermometer out from shore a bit, and a bobber or float so it can hang down into the water without snagging the bottom. Be careful and just start with short swims if it’s cold. If you try it, let us know what you found.
No freaking way OK lake is warm enough yet… try June maybe… it’s too deep, too cold.
Your best bet is Tuc-el-Nuit lake in Oliver.
This site: http://scitech.pyr.ec.gc.ca/waterweb/fullgraph.asp says it is 5degC. It is a realtime monitoring system, and reads at Kelowna (so likely by the bridge) not at Penticton - but that don’t matter much methinks 
Heard the surf report as I drove home today and the water temp is 9 degrees at the moment. Sea swims start the week after Easter here, ain’t gonna be in for more than 20 minutes this early but like the OP said it beats pool swimming. Hoe many weeks 'til Kits pool opens?
Kits Pool typically open s on the May long weekend, so this year that should be May 16th.
I won’t be able to swim yet though…
Yeah, don’t start too early or do anything dumb
.
well, I’m gonna need a cabana boy to refill my drinks…
AP
Here in Northern Manitoba we still have 5+ feet of ice on our lakes.
I wore 2 swim caps, one was neoprene.
Also wore a full-length Zoot wetsuit, neoprene kayaking gloves and booties, when I did put my face in the water it was cold, but not extreme. For example, it did not seem as cold as the water was last May for the Cultus Lake Tri.