Finally had a chance to get in the water. So very happy. The pools have been closed since March and the lakes at home have only just done away with their ice. Our family cabin 1.5 hour away made for a better option. The water here is a balmy 16* Celsius. I was worried about my shoulders, especially the right one that tends to get sore. Although I have been diligently doing strength training including swim specific stuff under my coach's guidance it has still been awhile since I have actually put that kind of pressure on the joints.
I headed out with my sister on Friday. Chilly to get in. Took my breath away a bit to get my face in but once I got going the water felt the perfect temp. My new sleeveless HUUB wetsuit is perfect.
The water was clear and calm and very blue, almost aquamarine. Lots of fish and pretty water plants. Also some unfortunate "treasure" of beer cans and golf balls. It felt like flying, or sailing through the water. It's hard to describe how it feels. When the water is so clear and I'm only 10 feet off the bottom, it is like hovering in space, but between two different worlds. When I breathe I can see the sky and world above. When I turn my head back I see the water and the world below. It's very surreal.
At the 1 km mark I told my sister that I felt like I could swim the whole length of the lake, as I had two years previous. But my logical brain was telling me that was probably a stupid idea for the first swim in months. We turned around and I saved it for the next day with my husband and daughter as my crew.