First swim with new sleeveless wetsuit

So I was tired of always getting cold at the end of a longer swim, splashed out and ordered a couple of wetsuits.

This was just before the sea water got really warm. June definitely doesn’t need a wetsuit here in Crete. I am prone to getting cold quickly and easily, but I have started doing swims longer than an hour with no significant body temperature drop for the last 2-3 weeks or so.

The wetsuits arrived today, and I wanted to test one right away.

I went to Viglia and sweated my way into the sleeveless wetsuit. It felt pretty tight.

I’d forgotten my Garmin gps, so this track is from my phone, which is less accurate than the Garmin. It looks ok though. I also had a new buoy, with a pocket to gain access to the contents while in the water.

I felt tired right from the start, out of breath mostly. I was trying to push hard, and stopped frequently to regain breath. I blame either the post Porosea race effect, or the compression from the wetsuit which felt like it didn’t allow full lungs expansion. I couldn’t find a good floating balance in the water either.

The track says that I was faster than usual though, even in slightly wavy sea. Probably the wetsuit effect, and possibly the high stroke rate and long arm extension I was trying to keep.

Total distance: 1.93 km
Average speed: 3.28 km/h
Total time: 00:38:30
Download file: Swim-Viglia-WetsuitSleeveless-Wavy-uLogger110618.gpx

Choppy short swim in Viglia

Just a short attempt at swimming in really choppy sea. I also have a bad sore throat. Couldn’t see anything in the sea, so went back very soon.

Total distance: 0.37 km
Average speed: 2.41 km/h
Total time: 00:10:27
Download file: Swim-Viglia-Choppy290518.gpx

Swim in Nopigia with choppy sea and wind

A swim in Nopigia in choppy sea and windy conditions, with full wetsuit but no sock.

Total distance: 2.69 km
Average speed: 2.76 km/h
Total time: 01:03:55
Download file: Swim-Nopigia-Wetsuit-NoSock-Choppy-Short220518.gpx

Swim with underwater camera strapped to chest

I swam in Nopigia and tested strapping the underwater camera to my chest.

It didn’t work so well, the videos were moving too much.

The sea was very wavy and it was windy.

I did see a big ray and tried to film it, but couldn’t quite frame it inside the picture with the camera strapped to the chest.

Total distance: 0.79 km
Average speed: 2.46 km/h
Total time: 00:24:48
Download file: Swim-Nopigia-Goggles-CameraChest-Choppy-Short200518.gpx

Swim with video from kayak

A swim in Mythimna, with Fiona on the kayak following me.

We tested the camera attachment to the kayak, which worked, so Fiona filmed me swimming almost all the way.

The kayak also had the GPS, so I didn’t drag the buoy on this swim. The sea was kind of wavy and it was windy though.

Total distance: 1.94 km
Average speed: 2.90 km/h
Total time: 00:42:25
Download file: Swim-Mythimna-NoBuoy-Short190518.gpx