How dangerous is it really to swim in the ocean alone? I’m sick of swimming laps and I’m close to the beach (Tallahasse, Florida) so it seems like a wasted opportunity not to. Doesn’t seem like it would be that dangerous to go out a ways and swim parallel to the shore but I have NEVER seen ANYONE do it.
I’m not too worried about sharks and the wetsuit solves the sinking issue. The current in the Gulf isn’t usually very strong. Is this a bad idea or what? Does anybody else do it?
It sure would make the long swims a lot less boring.
Can anyone in north Florida recommend any good lakes for long swims?
I wouldn’t do it. I think you need to relook your swim training program if it is that boring. Instead of just doing interminable laps, you need to be doing set work. Doing sets keeps your mind a lot more active 'cuz you have to be doing some mental calculations. Also, drills will offset the boredom. Finally, look into swimming with a master’s program. At least you’ll have someone to talk/joke with during rest intervals and in between sets–maybe something good looking of the opposite sex to look at.
There’s a lot of things out in the open water other than sharks–rips tides, bacteria, red tide, jelly fish, boats, storms, lightning, etc. that can hurt you.
First, even with a brightly colored swim cap, the idiots on the waverunners aren’t paying attention, and aren’t going to see you until they hit you.
Second, the Gulf is an extremely dangerous place when the rip currents kick in, and the recent hurricanes have reshaped the bottom of the Gulf so conditions are more favorable for rip current development. If you don’t know the area and how to handle rip currents, it can get ugly.
If you’re still set on it, I’d head toward St. Joseph’s Bay southeast of PCB in the Port St. Joe/ Cape San Blas area. Can’t say I’ve heard of rip current problems there and much of the bay is extremely shallow- so no waverunners and you can stand up if you get into trouble.
No, ocean swimming is not safe. There are numerous hazards: Boats, dangerous currents, underwater obstructions, getting lost, cold water to name just a few.
It isn’t safe. So you must take precautions such as (but not limited to): Not swimming alone. This really is a bad plan. Two is one, one is none. You need a swim buddy. Not even Navy SEALs swim alone. File a “flight plan” before you get in the water. Let someone know where you are going and when you will get back. Write a note and leave it on the dash board of your car with the time you left, your route, your description and name and the estimated time of your return. Wear orange caps and a wetsuit. The orange caps help boaters, jetskiers and fishermen identify you. The wetsuit provides flotation and protectin for abrasion and jelly fish. Never “turn your back” (in the methaphorical sense) on th ocean. The ocean, like aviation and combat, is inherently unforgiving. Mistakes are seldom forgiven and usually costly. Sometimes deadly.
For goodness sakes: Be careful out there. December 7th was my friend Michael R. Rabe’s birthday. He was killed by a drunk driver under 20 minutes after leaving our store on his bike about 2 years ago. WE don;t need any more accidents.
The reason I am alive today after too many harebrain accidents to recount is become I am eminantly careful.
I do it once in a while and am presently doing it in Dakar. Always a little stressful but I still do it. Before leaving, I usually tell someone in which direction I’m going and for how long in case I get into bad current. It might not be real wise but still…maybe a little vitamin X?
We swim off Ft Lauderdale and Boca beaches all the time. I have seen the odd shark, just small ones and I’m not even sure what type, see barracuda all the time, I’m sure there is other stuff lurking that would find me a possible source of nutrition. The only problem has been with jellyfish, but when they’re about I don’t swim. I also don’t swim if the water is murky (after a storm maybe) or it’s getting dark. My feeling is I’m a visitor to their realm, and I’m careful but not paranoid. I swim parallel to shore, only far enough out that a few stokes toward shore will allow me to stand, I know when there are likely rip-tides and don’t swim then. Just commonsense, really, and small enough to stop me swimming in the beautiful ocean and staying the hell away from lines in a pool. And, I’m a crap swimmer. So use it, by all means, just be aware, that’s all. Come to think of it, all the above goes along with swimming in North Florida lakes - alligators are very docile, unless they’re hungry, and you’ll likely never see one. I think the best advice may be the age old one - swim with a friend if you can.
From early June to late September, I swim in the ocean once a week. It is almost always alone since most of my friends would rather swim in bays and ponds and other less rough areas. I think it is great for developing confidence in rough water open swims.
As far as it being dangerous to do this alone, I find it far more dangerous when I am biking. In my opinion, cars are much more dangerous than anything that might happen to you in the ocean (whether you are alone or not).
It is very dangerous. If you are not a strong enough swimmer to keep yourself mentally entertained for several hours in the pool, you have no business swimming in open water alone. If you are a strong enough swimmer to attempt it, you will be aware enough of your limitations to not want to try it.
If you die, it will not be because you “sank” so the wetsuit will not save you. You’ll get knocked unconsious by a boat or jetski and drown floating face down before the guy who hit you can even turn around and get back to you. Or, you’ll get tired or caught in a current and not be able to get back to shore. Then you’ll float until you die of hypothermia. That may take a few days in the Gulf so it would really suck.
You can drown in less than a foot of water. There are lots of ways to drown. Something as silly as an odd wave could make you swallow enough water to get in all sorts of trouble. Happened to me once swimming 200 fly in college. Almost passed out in the pool and don’t know how I finished the lap.
Anyway, I would not swim in a shallow pool by myself, let alone an ocean. Even back when I could knock out a 10,000 yard swim in 1:50 or so.
These guys are pansies. Open-water swimming is awesome. Don’t do it alone, but if you can get someone to hang out on the beach while you swim, go for it. Sure you can get hit by a jetski, but I think this is like saying don’t go mountain biking because you might get hit by a guy on a quad. I mean c’mon. You could also strangle yourself on the lane lines in your local pool if you weren’t careful.
MAke sure you have someone on shore to keep a reasonable eye out on you, and swim where the water is shallow enough to stand.
I lived in florida 14 yrs, swam in the ocean by myself all the time and never had a problem. Just use common sense, breath on the shore side, stop every once in a while and check your surroundings, don’t where jewelry which could be mistaken for a fishing lure, swim parallel to shore, don’t go when their are a lot of man-o-war or big waves. It all depends on your acceptable level of personal risk. On a calm day you can swim in water that you can stand up in. This came up a while ago and I looked up the adult death rate for open water swimming. If you want to do something really risky just start riding your bike on the road with cars. The chances of being killed while riding are 100x greater than while swimming.
I don’t open water swim, except the bit before race day, and never in the ocean, but I have an idea that might help.
Could you buy one of those scuba bouys, you know the ornge beach ball on a tether. Maybe on of the larger ones that is 3 feet around or so. Then get a surfboard strap with the noeprene band and tether, and while swimming, just drag the bouy behind you. MAybe 5-10 feet. It shouldn’t provide too much resistance, and will definately reduce your chances of getting hit by boats and waverunners to near nil (We’re assuming here that most boaters are familiar with bouys and respect divers and hazards and usually steer clear.) If you get tired, you can use the bouy for bouyancy. Then for the concern of getting lost, wrap a cheap cellphone in a divebag or ziploc, and if you get riptided away, or lost; at least you can call for help. Heck, put a flare in there too and tie the bag to the bouy. It’d be like running with leg weights, pulling a little extra load. Your only worry would be waves/drowning/getting eaten.
I say, take lots of caution, but go for the open water.
Could you buy one of those scuba bouys, you know the ornge beach ball on a tether. Maybe on of the larger ones that is 3 feet around or so. Then get a surfboard strap with the noeprene band and tether, and while swimming, just drag the bouy behind you. MAybe 5-10 feet. It shouldn’t provide too much resistance, and will definately reduce your chances of getting hit by boats and waverunners to near nil (We’re assuming here that most boaters are familiar with bouys and respect divers and hazards and usually steer clear.) If you get tired, you can use the bouy for bouyancy. Then for the concern of getting lost, wrap a cheap cellphone in a divebag or ziploc, and if you get riptided away, or lost; at least you can call for help. Heck, put a flare in there too and tie the bag to the bouy. It’d be like running with leg weights, pulling a little extra load. Your only worry would be waves/drowning/getting eaten.
This is good advice. I would suggest also a couple of bang-sticks and hauling a surfboard, floating dock or pontoon boat, with a fully stocked bar, in case you run into some friends, or just want to party by yourself. This is how a Slowtwitcher would do it–all style points.
You can’t be too cautious swimming in the open water, especially alone. During the summer I’ll swim in Lake Michigan on occasion. Waves, no big deal. Temp, need a wetsuit. Paranoid about boats & jet skis. If they’re too close, I’m out. Most important for me is to maintain a depth where I can either see the bottom or reach it with an extended arm. As long as I can stand up, I’m cool. Open water swimming is so much more fun & invigorating than in a chlorinated pool. And the black wetsuit makes for curious stares from beachgoers upon exiting the water.
Do it all the time during summer in our harbour beaches here. My favourite time is pre dawn, as the sun is coming up, and you feel as if you the entire ocean to yourself. But every now and again I realise how easy it would be to drown, and that there is no one around the help me if I got into trouble. Because of this, I try to swim about 100 m off shore, and parallel.
honestly, I try not to be mean on this board, but some of this is the dumbest shit I’ve ever heard. I understand that a lot of you, who haven’t spent a lot of time in the ocean, have fears. My wife is from the mid-west and has a automatic, irrational fear of the ocean. But don’t inflict your own insecurities on someone who has the opportunity to literally submerge himself in one of nature’s greatest wonders.
Take it from someone who has lived near the ocean in Florida his entire life - it’s perfectly safe. Or at least as safe as anything else you do (ride you bike, drive a car, etc.) I grew up on the West coast of FLA and have spent the past 10 on the east coast (4 of those as an ocean lifeguard in Miami). I go for solo swims all the time. Never once had any sort of problem.
If you’re not a strong swimmer, don’t swim in rough surf conditions. Know what to do if you find yourself in a rip (though you probably won’t very often, if ever). Wear a brightly colored swim cap just to be extra safe. If you can swim with a buddy it’s all the more enjoyable. But for the love of God - go swim in the ocean. As often as you can. There are few things in life better than a good long ocean swim on a bright sunny Florida day.
No wait, I forgot. I guess I had a problem once. I swam face first into a dinner plate-sized jelly fish. Felt like a wet ziploc bag. I swam to the beach. Sat on the sand for about 15 mins., until my face and back stopped stinging, then finished my swim.
On second thought, maybe you should just stay in the pool.
SM
Sorry for the sarcasm but this whole “don’t swim in the ocean” thing really pisses me off.
Yeah, you should probably have a partner. But, there is no threat of the water being cold in Tallahassee, especially in a westuit. Sharks, yeah, there might be a couple that could take a little chunk out of leg. But, give me a break. The water is almost always calm in the gulf, swim parallel to the shore, blah blah blah.
You cannot possibly convince me that you stand a better chance of drowning then by getting hit by a car on your bike. If you are a decent swimmer, comfortable with the ocean, then it is a great option for training.
Also, for whoever said that if you can’t keep yourself mentally entertained for a couple hours in the pool then you aren’t a good swimmer, I think not only are you wrong, you must be a little loopy. I can’t keep myself mentally entertained in the pool for more than 5 minutes. I hate swimming in the pool by myself. I have gotten to the point where I refuse to swim if I don’t have someone to swim with at the pool. Swimming is one of the most boring things ever invented. Especially training for long distance swimming. So, to mix it up, a swim in the ocean by yourself may be a little dangerous, but if you aren’t out there for hours, and you stay within a lifeguard’s view, I don’t see the harm.