river swimming vs sea swimming

HardyEustace · 29-05-2008 7:07am #1

hi,
doing Athy next Saturday and very nervous about the river swim.

I've never swum in a river before I won't get the chance to try before Saturday. I've done a few sea swims so at least have some experience of open water swimming.

Is there a massive difference between the river and the sea?
The main differences people seem to have listed are
1. murkiness, the river is far more murky than the sea
2. cold, the river will be colder than the sea.

I've been following the posts about swimming with the current in the river i.e. swim down the middle and come back up the sides. How much of a pull is there from the current on the way back?

Will be doing the sprint triathlon.
Thanks

Victor · 29-05-2008 7:16am

HardyEustace wrote: »

How much of a pull is there from the current on the way back?

That will very much depend on local conditions, including how much rain the has been in the days before the race.

Note that you are likely to have less bouyancy as salt water is denser than fresh water. You may also find calmer pockets of fresh water to be warmer and less dense again.

hunnymonster · 29-05-2008 8:03am

Some of the rivers are actually warmer than the sea at the moment and there certainly won't be much in it.

The buoyancy is a factor but again not huge.

I find the biggest difference for me is that lack of waves in the river which makes me much more comfortable in a river or lake swim than in the sea.

tunney · 29-05-2008 8:43am

Main thing is to suss out the currents. See where you want they are strongest and then avoid or swim in them depending on the direction.

dalkener · 30-05-2008 7:43am

Heya,

Also doing my first river swim this Saturday in Athy. Just read your doing the Sprint tri like myself. The website says that those doing the sprint tri will be swimming with the current for the whole swim

so nothing to worry about coming back! Although i'm not looking forward to the cold:eek:

HardyEustace · 30-05-2008 8:33am

dalkener wrote: »

Heya,

Also doing my first river swim this Saturday in Athy. Just read your doing the Sprint tri like myself. The website says that those doing the sprint tri will be swimming with the current for the whole swim so nothing to worry about coming back! Although i'm not looking forward to the cold:eek:

Just saw that last night! I'm so pleased.

Thanks for mailing in, it was really nice of you. Best of luck on SATURDAY!

hardCopy · 30-05-2008 9:54am

I did the practice swim in Athy last weekend. The water is quite clean so I wouldn't worry about murkiness.

gilleek2 · 05-06-2008 9:17pm

Hi Folks,

This may be in the wrong thread but has anyone swam the Hellespont race from Turkey to Greece or do you know anyone that has done it. Thinkin of entering next years race and was wondering if anyone had anythin to say about it. Would be cool to be able to say you've swam from Europe to Asia!! Congrats on Athy. Twas a good race. Got scorched on the shoulders though. Crackin weather!

river swimming vs sea swimming

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