I decided to drive to Nehalem Bay on Saturday for a 3-5 hour swim.  It was a rainy gray day. Not much really to report on this swim so I’ll do it in bullet point fashion.

  • Weather definitely affects mood and general temperature.  As it was raining and gray I felt colder than it probably was.
  • Slack tide is fairly easy to swim in.
  • When the tide starts to change the swim becomes progressively more difficult, especially when the wind picks up and adds more chop.  Good practice though.
  • Swimming soundtrack:  Poi Dog Pondering – Bury Me Deep and Spending the Day in the Shirt that you Wore
  • Crabs will dance around on their hind legs with claws in the air when frightened or trying to defend their territory.  I saw at least 2 water ballet dances from crabs trying to protect territory.
  • I’m sure that if I wore gloves and carried a bag that I could collect a bunch of crab to sell at a later date.  Maybe that is one way to fund my swim. 
  • Warm showers are a luxury that I allow myself after long colder water swims.  Otherwise I only take cold showers.  This is a training technique and not used for other reasons. 
  • The hour between 2 and 3 really stinks.  This is the time that I always want to get out and stop.  I’m not far into the swim and I just get frustrated.  I’m sure my crew will have some choice words for me when this happens in the Channel. 
  • Hot tea + honey + Carbo-Pro still working for me. 
  • Chaffing in salt water hurts a heck of a lot more than in fresh water.  Forgot to grease my neck. 
  • I spent the last hour doing a grinder.  I usually swim from the boat launch past bouys 9, 7, and 5 and then back to the beginning.  In my last hour (4), I decided that I couldn’t mentally handle going back to the beginning and turning away, so I decided on a swimming grinder.  Starting at 5, I swam to 7, then back to 5, turn go past 7 to 9, swim back to 7, swim to finish, turn around and swim to 9, turn and head for home.  AH SWEETNESS – 4 hours done. 
  • Drive home stinks and then one has to think about cooking dinner.  Ugh!