Swimming in Cold Water

 In mid-May I started getting into the pool here at my little cottage property, kicking around, getting a little exercise every afternoon.  The water was hovering around 70 then, just beginning to heat up after the winter.  After a couple of weeks I bought some sturdy Styrofoam water "weights" for more resistance and it was a daily ritual: around 4:15 to the pool I would go for about 30 minutes. I enjoyed every minute. 

The spring became summer and the water got warmer until it was around 80 degrees in July. My preference is when it is about 76-78, but I certainly wasn't going to argue with 80. Refreshing and so good for the soul and the body. 

But as we all know, summer fades, autumn comes sneaking in, the sun is lower in the sky. Even if the days stay hot, the nights are cooler and the pool gets less direct sun and the temperature falls. However, I was determined to continue my daily swim for as long as possible, so in I went, every day I was home, at 4:15.

Yesterday the water temp was around 61.  That's a far cry from 76 and there's no denying that it is a bit of a shock when I first get into the pool. l give myself about 60 seconds to slowly walk down the steps and get up to my belly in cold water, then I just plunge in. (Keeping my head above water, of course.) I grab my weights, start moving as quickly as possible and within a few minutes it feels pretty good! Bracing.  Invigorating.  Cold.  Alive.

Next week I will be gone from home all week and I am already missing my cold swimming. I fear that when I return home, October 28, the water will be far too cold for me.  I hope not. I will bravely make an attempt to continue my cold water challenge as long as possible. 

It seems that swimming in cold water has several health benefits: great for circulation, produces endorphins, good for your skin, helps burn calories. People worldwide swim in cold water and have been for centuries, much colder than a pool in Sonoma County, obviously. Since this is a new endeavor for me, I don't know at what temp the water will be too cold for comfort. The Pacific Ocean drops down to close to 50 degrees in the winter and folks still swim in it, so we'll see what my tolerance will be. All I know is that I will miss getting into that pool every day.