Could you swim 1km?

[alakaboo]

Following on from fluffy's thread about getting back in if you snap or lose your board in 6ft surf...

Seems to me that duckdiving is not the key skill.
It staggers me how many people are competent surfers but not strong swimmers. Or just have seriously crook paddling styles. Saw at least 3 people in serious trouble last week in what was a pretty middling swell. All Japanese and Brazilian.

I'm not fast by swimming standards, but am confident of being able to get myself back in and have a fairly efficient stroke.

So, can you swim reasonably well? i.e. swim 100m freestyle in under about 90 seconds, for want of a (pretty lax) criteria.
Do you swim laps, or have you ever done any swimming training?

What's the worst swim you've ever had to do?
I seem to remember Nick having a story about Sunset. That is one place I would definitely not feel comfortable at size, I've seen Parko (who I think has one of the best paddling actions) take 45 minutes to go about 50m against that current.

My worst swim was when I paddled out in a lull at Snapper in what I thought was 4-6ft but turned out to be about 6-8ft, broke my leash near the rock, and didn't get to the beach until I was in front of Kirra Surf. Then had to go back out at Greenmount where my board was stuck in an eddy and came in near the groyne. Whole process took about an hour and I was on my knees dry heaving on the beach by the end of it.

[Trev]

Got lip launched outside Currumbin Rock one morning, broke my leggie and came in at about 15th Ave Palm Beach. had to keep walking north and swim back out to my board in the channel. But I was about 20 years younger.

[petulance]

Good thread. I have not lost my board in 6ft surf before. The worst that happened was losing my board on a 2-3 ft day at low tide Uluwatu. That was a scary swim to get back to my board.

Haven't done it for a few years but I used to be able to swim (very badly) 20 laps non-stop freestyle in a 50m pool. I'm glad my parents coughed up the cash to pay for my swimming lessons when I was a kid.

Having said that, I'm definitely going to enrol in an adult swim class over the next few months as I know my freestyle technique is terrible.

[Grooter]

That's an interesting question. I'm not sure, I've never tried to.

I had to swim about 300 metres to retrieve a board once and that was in a steamer, hood and booties. Did it without too much effort but the surf would've been 3 foot at best I'd say.

I think I'll try and find out....

[swvic]

Being a competent swimmer since I was a kid,I had always thought regular surfing was enough that I could swim reasonable distances if required. A few years ago I started swim training for a series of ocean swims they have over here each summer. 1st day in the pool was a real eye opener. I could not swim 1 km without significant rest. In heavy surf, you can't do that. As my training progressed I could easily swim 4 km non stop. I deliberately did not tumble turn in the pool. I'd touch the wall, turn and swim without pushing off with my feet. It's harder to get yourself horizontal at the start of every lap so I figured it was the best way to go. I ended up aggravating an old shoulder injury, but did the ocean swims anyway. Have not swam a stroke since due to the shoulder and am under no illusion re my (lack of) capabilities. Before I go out on a solid day, I have a real good sus of how I'd go getting in if I didn't have a board. Even then, I'm mindful the ocean can change very quickly

[chrisb]

The difference between a 1km swim in a 50m pool and 1km swim in the ocean is immense as I found out in my first triathlon.

The triathlon was in relatively calm surf also. I can swim 2km in a pool if I wanted to but as for swimming 1km in nasty 6 foot rip-affected surf I think at best I would be treading water for a long time........ Therefore I avoid 6 foot rip-affected surf.

[Natho]

Busted my leggie in Hawaii early this year. Only about 6 foot but still the odd 8-10 foot set, but faarkk me did I cop a flogging. Luckily non of the 8-10 footers came through before I got back to the beach. I thought I was pretty fit but Hui showed me that it doesn't matter how fit you are. It is a mental thing and the wrost thing you can do is panic. What is worse I had downed a Key Lime Pie at Ted's not long before. Bad move.

[buzzy]

I used to swim State level, I know I can (and do) swim 1km in around 20 mins without pushing myself excessively, but to be honest I have no idea if I could swim 100m in 90 swecs or under - I rarely push myself over my high 50 something second lap pace except when overtaking other swimmers. I have no idea whether I could shave 15 secs off a lap for 2 laps. I suppose I could, but I just don't know for sure. I have reasonable endurance but I haven't swum for speed in eons. Apropos of not much.

I do agree though that it is important you be a strong swimmer in surf. At the least it gives you more confidence to deal with difficult situations.

[alakaboo]

The difference between a 1km swim in a 50m pool and 1km swim in the ocean is immense as I found out in my first triathlon.

yeah, no doubt.
Mate from swimming used to hold the 5km open water age swimming record.
He wasn't the quickest ever, but the year he competed there was a cyclone so instead of being held at sea it was held in the lake at Bond Uni.

Buzzy, I just picked a number out of the air. Speed isn't what you need to swim to shore anyway, it was just a measure of competency that I thought people might know off-hand.
I don't think you'd struggle though.

[channels]

As a grom, parents insisted I could swim 20 laps of a 50m pool before I was allowed a board. Joined a swim squad and had my stroke technique corrected which makes so much difference.

Nowadays, if it is flat I swim from Manly to Shelley and back twice to keep up the fitness.

As for leggie breaks, happened twice. Once at Margaret River at reasonable size, for me anyway, and it was a fair swim once someone pointed out where the board was. The other time was at North Steyne on a solid day, struggled a bit as so much water moving around and a number of shutdowns on a shallow bank meant I wasnt gaining much ground trying to get in. Ended up probably 15 mins of swimming to get in.

[Beerfan]

Pool, yeah. Ocean?, shit, if my life depended on it, i'd absolutely try ( who wouldn't ?). I thought the absolute golden rule of surfing was if you can't swim in, don't go out?? That's my guide. I've snapped a leggy in pretty mild 3' surf, though it was backwashy high tide, and swimming to the board wasn't hard, but you realise how totally different it is to a pool.

SLS clubs get a bit of a bagging, but i've got the kids joined up, and i'll keep them in there til they are at least comfortable in the water. Thinking of re doing the bronze, and getting involved again ( i did it as a kid, not for long enough though ). Anything that helps with ocean knowledge, and keeping fit in the ocean has to be good. Not sure i'll crack out the speedos, but hey, who knows?

[Animal_Chin]

I started swimming laps in preparation for a work swim comp. Can do 1km (now) no probs.

Quickly realised though that paddling fitness does not equal swimming fitness.

One other factor to consider is that you can snap a leggy at the end of a session. You might be able to swim back in when you're fresh, but might struggle with jelly arms after an hour or two in the water.

[spork]

Its good advice that says don't go out if you can't swim in. I recently did a leggy in solid surf and lo and behold I found a real use for the inflatable paddlepro vest I'd purchased. I blew a few big breaths into it and floated back to shore. As a paddle vest -the jury is still out, sometimes I like it and other time I hate it, as a lifevest, pretty good. I was also wondering about the possibility of using some of that air on a long hold down. I hope I never need to.

[Kunji]

My arm rope got ripped off at solid 6ft One Palm. It was too heavy to rock on the sharp reef with no board so i had to paddle a couple of k down the stretch til i found a safe pass. Then find the board. Then paddle back. It took hours.

[chrisb]

Who remembers that Zulu surfer, Shaun Thompson's buddy, in "Endless Summer 2" at Jeffrey's Bay

He was an OK surfer but he allegedly couldn't swim: always relied on either his leg rope not breaking or being in shallow water.

I wonder if he's still alive today

[aaronn]

My arm rope got ripped off at solid 6ft One Palm. It was too heavy to rock on the sharp reef with no board so i had to paddle a couple of k down the stretch til i found a safe pass. Then find the board. Then paddle back. It took hours.

with flippers on!
get real kook!

[purple pyramids]

^^^yet another witless non sequitur

[Biggun]

an equally important survival technique would be treading water (keine scheiss). if its big, being able to keep your head above water (using eggbeater kick) is probably just as important, as would be rolling over occasoinally and using a bit of backstroke to see whats coming, while you try and swim in.

tumbleturns are much better than pushing off the side - at first its harder and drink a lot of water through your nose, but after a while, its gets easier and gives you a chance to rest, perfect your glide (efficiency). And you look like a Boss.

my worst/best swim was when i was a young lad, about 15, fit as fuk. Sets were closing out Boxy from end to end, no one else out - it was just rolling whitewater coming in, so it didnt look that big .

I was there with 2 mates who held back. I had already been to swim training that morning, but having youth and ignorance on my side, i went out for a body bash regardless of the conditions. Getting out was easy, trying to get back in wasnt - i kept trying to keep duck under the rolling walls of foam and swim in the mean time, but I was getting exhausted. Eventually i had the idea to tread water, keep my body on top of the water and wait for the wall of foam to steamroll me, and this way i managed to get washed in. Treading water, not swimming, saved my life.