As I go out alone I often wonder if I could swim in. I have some 2.4 mile swims in my long past history when I wanted to be a lifeguard but I have not done any serious swims for a long, long time. Do you include swimming as part of your OC-1 training? Does swim training have any carry over to OC-1? (other than surviving) I initally thought it would add aditional wear and tear on that same groove the top hand performs.
Now swiming in through a current is another story. It would be nice to have some fins to power in. I have see those webbed gloves that weigh almost nothing...I wonder if those would give power to get in in rough conditions, dork factor be damned. Any thoughts?
Thanks, Shawn
Submitted by Shawn Michael on Thu, 06/05/2008 - 10:48pm
I would agree with you Shawn that many of us do not factor in or prepare for a long swim during OC paddling. Up in the north east where I am in one of the great lakes you had better have a foot leash on and a PFD because the water is cold most of the season and losing your boat out there is dangerous.
I think swimming as cross training is a great idea (OC is a watersport right) and finned gloves are great for power workouts. Used to do that a lot more in the past in the off season and it helps paddling fitness quite a bit.
It boggles my mind in Hawaii when people go out without a PFD or leash out in the great big ocean, imagine losing your ride and swimming in a big day. If you don't have the fitness for it, it will be a tough swim back.
#1 Fri, 06/06/2008 - 2:59am
If I was in the middle of the ocean I would tread water and wait. swimming burns body heat and energy. Remember open water the movie . I’m glad there's no sharks like that up here. I remember there was this guy that fell off the ferry and stayed alive for days, and they found him but he said he treaded water. And the water up here in Vancouver Canada is cold even in the summer.
#2 Fri, 06/06/2008 - 4:28am
I know these guys that do a lot of boat fishing. One time their boat went down and they were treading water for a day. Since then anytime they are on a boat they have fins strapped to themselves. I guess its a pretty good idea.
Me, I eat a lot of fiber so that way if I'm ever lost at sea I just poop and use that to float.
#3 Fri, 06/06/2008 - 7:54am
I used to tie fins around my waist when I would ocean swim alone in case I had trouble getting back in. Fins are too heavy for oc1 but those webbed hand fins weigh almost nothing but I dont know how much they increase your power to swim in a heavy current. I just putter along the coast alone but in the palos verdes area there are some large kelp beds and breaks that make it nice to be farther out.
#4 Fri, 06/06/2008 - 10:22am
Hi Folks,
Recommend against self-rescue swim with Webs/Apes. Arms will flameout in no time.
If you're accessorizing, suggest very small, light, flexible fins so legs don't flameout or cramp when you need 'em. If you're in warm water, full-foot; cold water, fit to your booties. Most important accessories are likely a good leash & spare paddle, but don't help much when some boat on auto-nav comes bearing down and you have nowhere to run.
Better to practice swimming . Just finished reading "Total Immersion Swimming" by Terry Laughlin. Good instruction for efficient swim techniques handy for gettin' ya home to shop for that new boat you've been looking for an excuse to buy...
#5 Fri, 06/06/2008 - 11:04am
these two videos are really excellent explaining swimming propulsion... never saw swimming mechanics the way it's described here. and actually a pretty good correlation to paddling technique too.
vid 1
vid 2
EDIT: fixed the link.. the second vid is the one with paddling implications- angle of propulsion, ending the power phase
EDIT: if you liked the swim video, this one on running technique was eye opening for me too... if you have some time, you should pick through the crossfit video library- some good stuff there..
#6 Sat, 06/07/2008 - 5:10am
Thanks for the recomendation, I'm going to check out that book.
dacho, that was about the best minute of swim instruction I have ever watched, great stuff.
Thanks guys
#7 Fri, 06/06/2008 - 9:00pm
Nice vid dacho! I agree with Shawn with that being the most instructive minute for swimming I have ever experienced. But I cannot get the second vid to play? Getting a 404 error...
#8 Sat, 06/07/2008 - 4:32am
The pose DVD is excellent. I hated running (esp at 260lbs) but switching to pose technique and getting some nike frees I do a lot better.
Reguarding the keeping the paddle perpendicular during the stroke, in Danny Chings video he mentions that. If I understand him correctly he is talking about the tendency to make things easier by pushing forward with the top hand early rather than continuing to drive down and keep the blade perpendicular....I think in trying to reduce fatigue and make things easier I do that.
#9 Sat, 06/07/2008 - 12:19pm
I lost my boat outside the Kahala hotel, with the easterly wind blowing a solid 25 with higher gusts (friends have told me it was gusting 35+). I was well outside a straight line that intersects China Walls and Black Point. The boat came to a rest about 70-80 yards downwind, so unable to swim with my paddle, left it behind and went for the boat. One strokes distance from the boat, the wind took it another 70-80 yards downwind. Swam for it again twice more, with the same result. My boardshorts were holding me back big time.
Treading water 250+ yards downwind from my paddle, and 70-80 upwind from the boat, I decided to abandon the effort reasoning that the sea conditions would not allow me to recover my paddle with boat in tow, and getting to shore sans paddle would be out of the question. I swam directly upwind and recovered the paddle which had drifted down a good distance.
With paddle in one hand, I backstroked and sidestroked on a course that would bring me into Koko Head side of Black Pt. Within 5-10 min. I knew that I was not in danger of being swept out to sea, would not have to abandon my paddle and shorts, and settled into the swim and enjoyed the beauty of the sea and the occasional bird that dropped down to investigate. This first phase of the swim was marked by a powerful feeling of serenity. Many thoughts passed through my mind. Around 45 min. later, I could see that I had underestimated the drift, so decided to try to make it in to Kaikoo's.
Approaching Kaikoo's, it was obvious that Cromwells would be my landing point. I missed the channel by 50 yd., and just outside the breaker at Cromwells, I struggled to beat the killer current for 15 min., even resorting to throwing my paddle and free swimming for it. No progress was made. As the waves went over they exposed the bare reef, and I caught one in head first on my back. Making it to the beach, a lady who saw me throwing my paddle asked if I had been in trouble. I told her no, and then ran to DH lookout to try to find my boat. I had been swimming for over 1.5 hr.
#10 Sun, 06/08/2008 - 7:04am
mumbojumbo
Hey Whitewater-
Just out of curiousity-were you wearing a leash? I'm always surprised, with conditions like that how many people DON'T!!!???? And, of those, many could not even tread water for as long as you had to swim.
#11 Sun, 06/08/2008 - 7:23am
Yes. I had to disconnect to remount, and huli-ed trying to re-leash.
P.S. I feel that I could have continued swimming at that moderate level for another 2 hr. or more, or I could have doubled or tripled the effort for the 1.5+ hr.
#12 Sun, 06/08/2008 - 8:35am
Whitewater do you do a lot of swimming as part of your training? Can you stuff the paddle blade down the back of your shorts to swim freestyle in such a situation? Pretty amazing story.
#13 Sun, 06/08/2008 - 10:08am
Not amazing at all, as I suspect that there are a good many paddlers who have made that same swim.
Due to a fractured neck and a severely herniated disc, I have a difficulty doing a proper freestyle, although as a kid I used to be a competitive swimmer. I do not do any swimming training, and would personally not recommend freestyle for anyone who is not sure of their capabilities as a swimmer. It is not an energy efficient stroke. Think backstroke with a frogleg kick, and a similar arm stroke where the hand is brought over the chest/heart.
For myself I would save the freestyle for a less self-rescue friendly situation. I did freestyle in trying to recover the boat, but had not the time to play with sticking the paddle down my shorts.
#14 Sun, 06/08/2008 - 6:09pm
Call me chicken or lazy but I just bought a Standard Horizon marine radio. It's waterproof, floats and has a built in GPS readout for $250 total plus a $30 waterproof condom for it. It weighs about a pound and has a strobe light as well.
I really don't want to find out how long I might have to swim to save myself even in warm hawaiian waters. Shit happens and it usually becomes a bigger pile then anticipated.
If I'm willing to spend close to $4000 on a boat, then $300 for my life and the lives of my paddling buddies is nothing.
I'm all for self rescue and I am happy for you whitewater that you made it to tell the story.
Would you say this incident was big enough where you would have liked the radio option?
#15 Sun, 06/08/2008 - 7:17pm
the outdoor stores have a 10$ waterproof bag that you could take a cell phone with you and set your phone on silent so not to deturb.
#16 Sun, 06/08/2008 - 8:40pm
painteur,
That sounds like an awesome multifunction unit.
Yeah, the experience had me going back and thinking through my options in terms of safety equipment, but for the Hawaii Kai run have basically continued doing what I've been doing. It seems that the deciding factors are the conditions of a particular run in relationship to the shoreline--swell directions, currents, wind direction and strength. I keep an open mind and have a respectful attitude to any individuals decisions in terms of what pre-cautions they chose to pursue.
P.S. My levels of conditioning is rarely where I'd like it to be, mostly medium to mediocre, 60% like that. Too busy with work and such.
#17 Mon, 06/09/2008 - 9:23am
Side-stroke is a good long distance self-rescue stroke. Esp. when combined with fins so you can flutter kick (if you decide to carry fins).
#18 Mon, 06/09/2008 - 9:40am
Painteur, that sounds like a good unit. I have a floating waterproof VHF but it does not have the strobe or the GPS. The "spot" system is pretty cool but you have to pay a subscription fee. I am all about peace of mind.
I have had a lot of boaters tell me there are several dead zones for cell reception off the calif coast, esp the channel between so cal and catalina so I pitched the cell phone idea + I can certainly see dropping it or getting it wet if I was in a self rescue situation.
#19 Mon, 06/09/2008 - 11:16am
I swim about a mile around this island that some of you will recognize twice a week, on days I'm not paddling. The currents can get pretty strong when the trades are blowing. If I were planning to swim to shore to survive, goggles are what I would want to have with me. Fins would be great, but goggles are light and fit in a wax pocket in boardshorts easily.
#20 Wed, 06/11/2008 - 2:23pm
I once swam out to Flat and back on a calm day and that was enough for me. Swimming around the back side when there is a swell is too spooky for me to even think about.
#21 Thu, 06/12/2008 - 5:43am
I swam eight miles many, many years ago. If I were designing outriggers I'd have a locker for fins or handpaddles for OC-1s and emergency gear for OC-6's. I keep a mirror and a Spyderco Pacific Salt lockblade knife in my lifejacket.
My suggestion is stay with the boat. You don't know what the currents are like between where you are and where you want to go, and distances are deceptive.
Also if you're one of those splashy swimmers you look like food to some marinelife.
~~~~~~~~~~
YankeeHo'okele
"Anyone can steer the ship when the sea is calm" - Syrus Publilius
#22 Thu, 06/12/2008 - 5:11pm
i pass on swimming anywhere near flat island. seems like about every couple months there is a large fish sighting in that area.
#23 Thu, 06/12/2008 - 6:03pm
Cellphones aren't bad, but unless you have everybody on speed dial, the 911 folks will have to get to the Coast Guard, Lifeguards etc. and relay the message. When I call my mayday on channel 16 I have everyones attention immediately and that includes the casual boater who may be closer then any official helpers. If you spend half ($150) you still have channel 16 for immediate assistance. It doesn't have GPS, so the only difference is that you have to explain where you are.
right now you are here :)
#24 Thu, 06/12/2008 - 6:35pm
I am exactly here --------------------------------> x
#25 Thu, 06/12/2008 - 8:11pm
seems like carrying a 1 pound radio that painteur bought would be easier than carrying 1 pound of fins. Assuming cost isn't an issue which it shouldn't be when it comes to your life.
Leash probably saved my life once though, but thats hopefully a given. Doesn't do much good to have anything on your boat if it floats away cuz your not leashed to it.
#26 Thu, 06/12/2008 - 8:28pm