anyone on here do it?
I work next to the beach and am thinking of going after work for a dip in my wetsuit (summer suit) as the local pool’s timetable wont allow.
Anyone have any tips for me? (other than don’t sink etc etc)

Wear two swimming caps, seriously.

Don’t know where you are but there is no way I’d get in the sea round here (Pembrokeshire) in a summer suit at this time of year…but I am a bit soft…I’d be worried about cramping for a start, and the shear unpleasantness of the experience!

Oh, and swim along the beach not straight out!

Alert the coastguard or local lifeboat that you are swimming.

It happens often that a unit will get tasked to an open water swimmer as a member of the public flags you as in distress or out of depth. (people find it unusual you would swim in the sea….)

I am crew on a lifeboat so thats my 2 peneth

And, most of all, what lister said! Didn’t really register the summer suit bit! Are you talking about a 3mm steamer or a shortie? Might just be alright with the first.

Use swim fins as well, gives your legs a bit of resistance and also some oomph should you get into trouble.

If all you have is a summer suit, wait until summer.

The outdoor swimming society’s website is worth a look. And get one of their warmer silicon caps too.

i s’pose i could wear my 4/3mm winter suit, 2 caps…mmmm not thought of that bright for boats to see too.
the beach is very sheltered so can swim out to the bouy and back a few times without ever being more than 100m from shore
its oddicombe beach in torquay, i tried to do a screenshot of it but im a computer dullard!!
how do i do that?

yes looked at their website, its pretty good. devon and cornwall wild swim assoc. too but it looks like most of their swims are fairly long 2k ish

At this time of year you really should wear a decent wetsuit, I haven’t swum in the sea at this time of year for a long time (since I was a kid) but it’ll be frickin cold! I’ve done a fair bit of open water swimming in lakes in more recent years, most don’t open until end of April and it is REALLY cold even then. You need a very good suit and ideally a neoprene swim cap.

Good luck!

I’ve got a top end surfing suit so the cold doesn’t really bother me that much, i s’pose all i can do is give it a go!!

My mum regular takes my elder daughter swimming in the sea (North East Scotland) albeit in the summer and has done since she was three. My brother swam off Aberdeen beach for two years every day while at Uni – in a summer wetsuit. While my brothers friend went water skiing in only a pair of shorts at Christmas from Caterline (again North East Scotland) with my brother. I only swim in the Sea up here in the summer, wearing a 3mm longjohn. Try it and see, it’s surprisingly pleasent – but take precautions as above and don’t get out of your depth.

cheers, i’m a confident swimmer/surfer so it should be ok 😆

Open water swimming works best for me when I relax into it, don’t forget to look forward regularly to see where you are going

i’m a confident swimmer/surfer so it should be ok

Even confident swimmers drown due to cold water. Be careful – don’t go out on your own.