1. Safety. Swim with a mate, preferably in front of a lifeguard. For added safety, tell the lifeguard your swim route prior to going out. Also know your limits and build up your distance.
2. Note the conditions before you head out. You'll want to look for rips, currents, etc., and also suss out a swim route to aim for (5 buoys, to the sailboat, out to the opening and back, etc.)
3. Equipment. For colder water, definitely get a neoprene cap ($20) and wax ear plugs ($5-10). You'll probably also want a good pair of goggles. With these essentials (and a suit of course) you are all set. We recommend the ear plugs to prevent water from getting in the ears, and to prevent against long term ear damage (Surfer's ear!). Also we always swim with a brightly colored swim cap so you are extra visible.
4. Start slow and build. Say you are doing a 1KM swim. We usually go: easy 200, build 200, hammer 400, warm-down 200. A warm-up and warm-down is always a good idea and building or doing intervals makes for good aerobic conditioning. During your swim it is good to site off of different markers (buoys, boats, etc.). Lift your head every 10-20 strokes or so to ensure you are on course.
5. Sign up for an open water swim race or group swim. Swimming with a big group or in a race can be good fun. Find a local race and go for it!
