by Dr. Inez Kelleher
I don't consider myself a “swimmer”, but I swim. I swim to cross train or for active recovery. I don't always consider it an enjoyable form of training, but sometimes it is a meditative experience. Today, as a last minute decision, I joined a very large group of swimmers in an open water 1 mile and 2 mile swim. My goal was to start and finish without panicking. We swam along Front Beach in Ocean Springs, MS in the 2018 Osprey Ocean Springs Open Water Swim. The event was well organized, with many volunteers. The proceeds from the event help to fund the local YMCA to send children to camps.
The volunteers cleared and marked a wide area in the water out to the start so there were no shells or debris to cause foot injuries. The water depth was 5-7 feet so , if you felt the need to touch bottom, a slight swim toward the beach would bring you to a shallow spot to do so. The tide was coming in, and was against the swimmers on the return leg, but our tides are very slow, and only change 1-2 feet, so the current was not very noticeable .
The area is well protected, the wind was gentle, and no waves. This was the perfect event for my first open water 1 mile swim. I actually had several enjoyable moments just swimming away--away out off course! I am nearsighted along with a tendency to pull right when I swim. In the pool, I have a line I can follow. The volunteer kayakers had to steer me back several times.
Incredibly, I really didn't mind, because I was so excited I did not feel panic, even though the water was murky and I swam far enough off course to run into a crab trap bobber. It felt good out there in the water. I was even thinking, “great extra mileage this week”. I was one of the last 1 mile swimmers to come in. The sand was nice and soft, there were no shells or rocks, and a group was there waiting to congratulate the finishers and take pictures. Beach showers were set conveniently to wash off the salt water and swimmers chatted and compared experiences while waiting in the short lines.
Excellent local food and drinks were set up at Fort Maurepas across from the finish. Plenty of places were available to sit and enjoy the views of the Gulf and the pelicans and ospreys out over the water, as well as to watch the runners and aquathloners coming in from their 10k along the beach. I am so glad I did not pass up this opportunity.
Thank you Chuck Wilson, the event director, the Ocean Springs YMCA, and all the volunteers and sponsors for your hard work and time, and energy. Next year, if I continue to swim and hopefully improve, I might not just swim, I might be a swimmer! By the way, I heard from an event vendor there are goggles coming with gps units that guide you through your course. Just keep the red dot in the center of the lens…. I might need them!
I don't consider myself a “swimmer”, but I swim. I swim to cross train or for active recovery. I don't always consider it an enjoyable form of training, but sometimes it is a meditative experience. Today, as a last minute decision, I joined a very large group of swimmers in an open water 1 mile and 2 mile swim. My goal was to start and finish without panicking. We swam along Front Beach in Ocean Springs, MS in the 2018 Osprey Ocean Springs Open Water Swim. The event was well organized, with many volunteers. The proceeds from the event help to fund the local YMCA to send children to camps.
The volunteers cleared and marked a wide area in the water out to the start so there were no shells or debris to cause foot injuries. The water depth was 5-7 feet so , if you felt the need to touch bottom, a slight swim toward the beach would bring you to a shallow spot to do so. The tide was coming in, and was against the swimmers on the return leg, but our tides are very slow, and only change 1-2 feet, so the current was not very noticeable .
The area is well protected, the wind was gentle, and no waves. This was the perfect event for my first open water 1 mile swim. I actually had several enjoyable moments just swimming away--away out off course! I am nearsighted along with a tendency to pull right when I swim. In the pool, I have a line I can follow. The volunteer kayakers had to steer me back several times.
Incredibly, I really didn't mind, because I was so excited I did not feel panic, even though the water was murky and I swam far enough off course to run into a crab trap bobber. It felt good out there in the water. I was even thinking, “great extra mileage this week”. I was one of the last 1 mile swimmers to come in. The sand was nice and soft, there were no shells or rocks, and a group was there waiting to congratulate the finishers and take pictures. Beach showers were set conveniently to wash off the salt water and swimmers chatted and compared experiences while waiting in the short lines.
Excellent local food and drinks were set up at Fort Maurepas across from the finish. Plenty of places were available to sit and enjoy the views of the Gulf and the pelicans and ospreys out over the water, as well as to watch the runners and aquathloners coming in from their 10k along the beach. I am so glad I did not pass up this opportunity.
Thank you Chuck Wilson, the event director, the Ocean Springs YMCA, and all the volunteers and sponsors for your hard work and time, and energy. Next year, if I continue to swim and hopefully improve, I might not just swim, I might be a swimmer! By the way, I heard from an event vendor there are goggles coming with gps units that guide you through your course. Just keep the red dot in the center of the lens…. I might need them!