Night Swimming
timsroot
Spring, TXCharter Member
Two part question, sort of...
First, for my Lake Pontchartrain attempt, I'm going to have to swim at night, at least once. I know that I'll need to be lit, as will my kayakers. But having never done a night swim before, I am sure that there's lots I don't know about how to plan that part. What are the biggest things I'm forgetting?
In anticipation of having to swim at night in Lake Pontchartrain, I'm going to do a long training swim off of Mississippi in October, assuming that the water cools down a bit. I've spoken with my kayaker for that swim, and he's cool with leaving before sun up. Again, I know that I'll need to be lit. But, we likely won't have a boat escorting us for that swim. Will laser lights/blinky lights be enough to keep us visible? That swim will cross the intracostal waterway, and I'm not posivite whether or not the sun will be up by then. When we paddled out there a few weeks ago, we had at least one impatient powerboater, so I certainly want to make sure we're visible. I'm less concerned about being bothered by commercial traffic, but if they can't see us, they can't avoid us, either.
Any advice is much appreciated. Thanks in advance.
First, for my Lake Pontchartrain attempt, I'm going to have to swim at night, at least once. I know that I'll need to be lit, as will my kayakers. But having never done a night swim before, I am sure that there's lots I don't know about how to plan that part. What are the biggest things I'm forgetting?
In anticipation of having to swim at night in Lake Pontchartrain, I'm going to do a long training swim off of Mississippi in October, assuming that the water cools down a bit. I've spoken with my kayaker for that swim, and he's cool with leaving before sun up. Again, I know that I'll need to be lit. But, we likely won't have a boat escorting us for that swim. Will laser lights/blinky lights be enough to keep us visible? That swim will cross the intracostal waterway, and I'm not posivite whether or not the sun will be up by then. When we paddled out there a few weeks ago, we had at least one impatient powerboater, so I certainly want to make sure we're visible. I'm less concerned about being bothered by commercial traffic, but if they can't see us, they can't avoid us, either.
Any advice is much appreciated. Thanks in advance.
Comments
Using these lights, in your situation, I would probably light my head (goggle strap) and waist and my kayaker would have a lighted head (a lighted higher-than-head pole would be nice too) and light both sides and bow and stern of the kayak.
If I had all of that lighting, plus a very bright and powerful flashlight that my kayaker could turn upon an approaching craft and upon the kayak and me, to illuminate us for the benefit of an approaching craft, I would probably feel pretty comfortable.
http://www.nitevis.com/Guardian_detail.htm
I'm not very popular around here; but I've heard that I'm huge in Edinburgh!
Thank you for the insight.
http://notdrowningswimming.com - open water adventures of a very ordinary swimmer
I don't wear a wetsuit; it gives the ocean a sporting chance.
I'm not familiar enough with it to have considered it. For my swim in the Mississippi Sound, I'll be supported by a kayak. Is there something I could use on that?
OK, it doesn't look good. But does it prevent mind control?
I'm not very popular around here; but I've heard that I'm huge in Edinburgh!
Molly Nance, Lincoln, Nebraska
http://www.amazon.com/Adventure-Lights-Guardian-Dog-Light/dp/B008EB4Z30/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1378941043&sr=8-4&keywords=guardian+light
Nite Ize Waterproof Wands are really quite excellent:
http://www.amazon.com/Nite-Ize-LLW-07-28-Waterproof-Safety/dp/B0016KCLRS/ref=sr_1_3?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1378941237&sr=1-3&keywords=nite+ize+wand
Decent (but slow-paced) Waterproof Wand video here:
I'd also bring light sticks. I once had to abort a swim after 18.5 hours because my lightsticks failed. Now I plan so that I can have equipment fail without needing to abort my swims. :-)
Good idea. I already have a very similar rope system, but didn't think of putting a light on/near the caribeaner. Thanks for that excellent tip.
You can have them blink or not blink (sometimes the blinking can be annoying). They last through the night and are easily seen. I recommend the green. I also use glow sticks attached to the feed system so you can see it in the water at night. Best of luck!
I found the light I'll use for my night swim later this year.
We're all just carbon, water, starlight, oxygen and dreams
@IronMike, how exactly do you anticipate using your new light? :-)