"Micheal Artindale" <
[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> "Micheal Artindale" <
[email protected]> wrote in message
>
news:[email protected]...
> > I have swam mainly close to shore on fresh water lakes, and have done
laps
> > in pools. What I want to do is a small dream.
> >
> > Where I live is a medium sized lake. There are a few Islands that are
> about
> > 7 km away from shore. What I want to d is to swim to there(and possibley back). the warmest time
> > to go is aug. What can I do to prepare to do
that.
> > and how long each way would it take(I can do 1km in a pool in about 1 hr ish). what should I
> > wear, or does it matter. does anyone know about any
> laws
> > in Ontario Canada that i should be aware of?
> >
> > The island I would be heading to can be camped on. would it be a good
idea
> > to camp there, then head back the next day?
> >
> > What else should I think about?
> >
> > Micheal Artindale
> >
> >
>
> Ok, first, thaks for everybody's insight.
>
> Second. my math -- i do 20 lenghts(50m total) in less than a half hour,
but,
> i loose track, so i dont know if i am doing that much, or less, or more. (thats about 2 km per
> hr, not 1)
Good - now making this is a real possibilty
> Third, if/when i do this, i will be haveing someone in a canoe. the technical dificulty i am
> having is figuring out the "equipment" that i shoudl have/need. the water is probably in the 60s F
> (about 14C-20C ).
what
> should i wear, would a speedo be not enough?(i am warm enough duing the summer when i swim
> normally in the same lake.) what kinds food should i
have
> for the swim there (and possibly back)? should i carry water in the canoe, or since the lake isnt
> salt water, and is safe to drink, i should not
worry
> about that? What should i eat prior to the swim?
You'll be in the water for about 3 - 4 hours so you'll probably need a wetsuit. I suggest having
some waterbottles to drink out of. The lake is not a clean as you think (admit it - you and your
neighbors are not going all the way back to the cottage after you've had a few Labatts) and it is
not that easy to tread water and drink like a dog out of the lake. For food, eat whatever high carb
food you are comfortable eating while treading water. Energy bars or gels are good.
As for the canoe - it is really really hard to get out of the water into one without tipping it,
especially since you probably won't be doing that until you are exhausted. I'd suggest a small
fishing boat and practice getting into it from the water so you can do it when you are tired.
Oh yeah - these things are best started very very early in the morning before the wind picks up and
the lake gets busy.
> Fourth, to know if i am ready, how can i tell now, and before i actually
do
> it?
If you can swim half the distance in the pool without it being a big deal, you can make it on
deterimination alone if you don't get hypothermic. You'll probably have more fun though if this
is not a survival test so start working a little harder and lenghtening your swims and get so you
can do close to the whole distance in a workout at least a few times even if it is not in a
straight swim.
> Fifth, my ultimate goal, of which all of my friends, and anyone i have
told
> it to had called me crazy.... is to swim non stop from halifax canada, to halifax canada, around
> the world -- about 45000km. but thats a whole different story. i want to see if i can open water
> long distance swimming, cus if i cant, then i know and i ll settle for the pool to do major
> distances.
Once you make it to the island no one will laugh at you any more. You'll have swam farther in open
water than about 99.9% of the world's population.
BTW - has anyone else on the lake tried this island swim? Is there a summer camp on the lake? Summer
camps are big on having campers do stuff like this. Ask around and see if someone close by has some
inside tips. You might even find someone to train with in the lake.
STP
> Micheal Artindale