CG -
We are planning a bike training trip over the May long weekend. Thinking of getting in a swim or two. Do you know what the water temp is in Kingston these days, or where I might find the info?
Thanks
ccy
I don’t live there but scuba in that area regularly but haven’t been in the water yet. Usually the water is still fairly cold at this time of the year, even on the surface. Definately bring your wet suits. Probably you’re best bet is to call my local dive shop, Limestone Diving at 1-800-286-3483. Ask for Cliff. They’ll have been diving already and will know what the suface temp is.
Are you absolutely nuts or on a suicide mission ? I would not put a toe anywhere in Lake Ontario until well past June 1st, unless you like to flirt with death from hypothermia :-). There are other lakes ini the vicinity that are much more shallow that could potentially heat up quicker, but even then, before June 1st is always questionable.
Do you have any suggestions DP? I am not all that familiar with the surrounding area, but would be open to trying any decent body of water.
ccy
I have not lived in Kingston now for 15 years, but when I did live there, there is no way we’d try any body of water on the May long weekend. There are some nice pools at the Royal Military College (my undergrad school) and Queens University if you really feel the need to swim. Good luck and stay away from hypothermia ! On a side note, I live 100 miles north of Kingston in Ottawa, and there was still snow on the side of the road on our Wed morning ride !
Hey now…I am neither on a suicide mission or nuts (okay, that is questionable given the following) and I swim in Lake Ontario well before June 1st…January 1st to be exact. Nothing wrong with a little cold, can be rather invigorating in fact. Sure the wetsuit idea would be good but then I wouldn’t have qualified as being a polar bear now would I? On second thought…maybe it’s not such a good idea for training in…just yet.
May 24 should be fine in a wetsuit. That weekend was traditionally the beginning of scuba season dive, although I dive a lot less now since doing tri. I always remember that at depth it was really cold, better for a dry suit than even a 7mm wetsuit. It will be warmer at the surface but I’m sure too cold to swim without your wetsuit.
I am not suicidal (at last check), but I do mind freezing my toes off.
Unfortunately, the Queen’s pool is closed on the long weekend. There is a 25yd pool at the Y, but we were hoping to do some open water workouts.
Any thoughts on smaller bodies of water near there?
ccy
I would not put a toe anywhere in Lake Ontario until well past June 1st, unless you like to flirt with death from hypothermia :-).
Not an ex-frigateer then, I suppose? Me neither, but I did jump off the pier in first year after our last exam. I think I found out afterwards that the water was 3 degrees. Didn’t affect me too adversely - I’ve made it this far, graduating in 15 days 
Haven’t jumped into the lake in the spring since.
Matt
I live in kingston right now… (go to Queens… go figure eh)
as to the lake situation… its gonna be pretty cold for a bit, i don’t know exactly how cold it is right now, but i would assume 4-5 C, maybe 6… it hasn’t really been warm up here, rather rainy in fact…
I didn’t know that our pool was closed over may 24, but the other pools you can look into are artillary park, and RMC pool.
my girl friend rows, and they had a girl tip, i think the girl was in the lake for 2 or 3 min before the coach boat pulled her out and apparently she had mild hypothermia… that was only 2 weeks ago…
I’m going on a bike ride later today, so on my way back i’ll dip my foot in and find out how cold it is. However, I would think it would be pretty damn cold to swim (even in a wetsuit) may 24 in the lake… I’ll ask around for any smaller bodies of water that might be warmer… however i’m pretty sure you’re gonna be stuck inside.
Hope that helps
David
The latest I’ve been in Lake Ontario was on Oct 27th in sub 10 degree water. When I was at RMC, the first year cadets had a tradition of throwing 4th year cadets into the lake on their birthdays in full uniform. Well, I had a big laugh, as I put on the uniform of one of the 1st year guys in my squadron, and swam out ~ 300 m into Navy Bay (an arm of Lake Ontario between RMC and Fort Henry), stripped the uniform off, and swam back in my speedo. While close to hypothermic, it was even funnier watching ~ 5 first year guys dive strip down to their underwear and swim out to save the uniform of one of their classmate that I had ditched mid lake. I’m not sure if this description comes across well on the internet, but the sight of a 4th year cadet in his speedo and 5 first year cadets in their underwear, dripping wet in a late October rain storm, standing on a pier by Lake Ontario makes me crack up to ths day. That was back in 87 !
Dev