Swim for Alligator Light

SydneDSydneD Senior Member
edited July 2014 in General Discussion
Signed up for this 8-miler in Florida in September.
http://www.swimalligatorlight.com/
Anyone done it?
Anyone heading there this year?

Comments

  • flystormsflystorms Memphis, TNSenior Member
    I read a race report (can't find it right now) online. Said that the race was tough and took much longer than expected. Also said that the jellies were rampant. But it still sounds like fun to me. Warm, beautiful water... what else do you need?
  • SydneDSydneD Senior Member
    Warm is key! I am a cold water wimp!

    And yes, the times do seem a bit slower than I expected so it must have been a tough one!

  • timsroottimsroot Spring, TXCharter Member
    I would have, but I'm swimming Charleston that weekend. Also, I prefer cooler water.
  • SydneDSydneD Senior Member
    I will ALWAYS take warmer. :)
  • I did it last year. The jellies were in "walls" that I zigged thru for a few hundred yards then there would be a gap of a hundred yards or so and another wall. Moon jellies! Not the worst but painful none the less. I'll be there this year as well. It was very friendly and a nice venue. BTW I got my kayaker thru the Miami Kayak Club. You can find it on facebook and get a paddler.
  • SydneDSydneD Senior Member
    My husband will be coming with me and he is always my kayaker. He wouldn't have it any other way. And neither would I. :) (He gets too nervous otherwise.)

    I'll be hoping for no jellies this year. After a man-o-war encounter several years ago, I have a super susceptibility to jelly stings and react really strongly. Fingers crossed!

    What's the water depth like? It's hard to tell from the photos, etc.
  • @SydneD the water is about 2.5 to 3 foot deep for the first and last half mile. It builds to about 15 or so feet with excellent visibility. I had hoped to see more animals last year but only a few barracuda at the lighthouse and the odd fish along the way. The shoals of moon jellies were unbelievable. They caused me to get a bit claustrophobic. Anyway, what are the chances they will be back this year? :-)
    Don't sweat it. Bring some epi or benedryl just in case.
  • SydneDSydneD Senior Member
    I never swim without benadryl, and my doctor swears she should put me on Cipro before every race. ;)

    Looking forward to next week!
  • SpacemanspiffSpacemanspiff Dallas, TexasSenior Member
    @leprechaunturd other than jellies, what were the conditions like? Times seem awful slow. Wind? Waves? Current? Temp? Winner barely broke 2 minute pace (yards).

    "Lights go out and I can't be saved
    Tides that I tried to swim against
    Have brought be down upon my knees
    Oh I beg, I beg and plead..."

  • @spacemanspiff I think the biggest issue was the race was billed at 8 miles and was closer to 9. The conditions were perfect to me; however, my swim partner felt the current was strong against us. The course map is a straight line to the lighthouse but in actuality there is a dog leg of half a mile to the north before you swing around. Honestly it was a lot of fun and the awards party was great.
  • SydneDSydneD Senior Member
    So excited!! And ready to get back in the salt water after a long day on Lake Zurich in August. I can't wait to feel so floaty!
  • SydneDSydneD Senior Member
  • AnnaAnna NetherlandsMember

    Hi SydneD,

    Next year I will be swimming the alligator lighthouse. Since I am from the Netherlands and it will be quite an investment, I was wondering if you knew what your average speed was per km in the pool/lakes at the time of your swim? Then I can sort of estimate where I'm at now :) Thanks a lot for your elaborated report!

    SydneD
  • SydneDSydneD Senior Member

    Hmm. I wish I had an easy way to answer that! The first part was quite tough because we were going against the current and it was quite choppy. The back half was faster, but harder in some ways because the current was pulling people out to the right.

    Let me think a bit and see if I can figure it out. I'm not great at that! :)

    And yay for you!! :)

  • SydneDSydneD Senior Member

    Whoops! Sorry @Anna
    Just realized you were asking for my average time, not just for the swim.
    Probably about a 25 minute mile for open water? Faster for pool.

  • bluemermaid9bluemermaid9 Boca Raton, FL, United StatesSenior Member

    @SydneD --
    I've done this race twice as a relay. Down here in SoFla it is known as 'the jellyfish swim.' There are moon jellies the size of trashcan lids. The boat propellers from the escort boats churn them up, so you're swimming in jellyfish juice. I hope you're not allergic. One of my relay partners was and ended up looking like he was put through a meat grinder, the poor thing. If you like warm water, this race is for you. The scenery is beautiful.

  • AnnaAnna NetherlandsMember

    Thanks! @SydneD I think I am a bit slower than you at the moment but I think the swim should be feasible for me..plus I still have some time to train. I am a bit worried about the jelly fish situation though to be honest. Lets hope I can bring enough Vaseline for that! :D

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