The Basics of Ocean Swimming

New triathletes—or triathletes new to the ocean—are quite often scared to death of negotiating waves during an open-ocean swim. Wouldn’t you like to be able to go through the waves without giving them a second thought? That dream is achievable. There is no secret knowledge only a few are privy to—like a Masonic oath or handshake—for getting through the waves. These aren't rules and axioms only doled out to a few; there is no Wave Club where—like Fight Club—the first rule is that you can't talk about it; and you don't have to be an aquatic savant to get in and out of the surf with all limbs attached and pointing in the right direction.

The most important "skill" in negotiating surf is simply to be unafraid of it—to be completely comfortable in the water. Like my good friend Gurujan Dourson (the popular president of the San Diego Triathlon Club who has put on dozens, if not hundreds, of ocean swim clinics) likes to say, you can learn a lot from watching kids playing in the water.

What Gurujan means is, next time you go down to an ocean or lake, watch all the kids playing in the water. They are without fear. They are laughing and having a great time. In fact, they are usually in the water all day long, playing and having fun. Yet, as you watch, you are thinking mostly of catastrophes that might happen, slim though the chances are that such things will actually occur. So the best thing to do is just hang out in knee- to waist-deep water. Get a feel for what the water, waves and currents are doing. Splash around a little bit and just have fun. Get comfortable. This will take a lot of the tension away. Then sit on the beach and see what the water is doing. You'll see currents going different directions as you look at the foam being pulled this way and that. You won't fear those currents once you understand what makes them do what they do.

I will start off with the "long shore current." Surf is generated by storms or hurricanes from different regions of the world forming swells that head toward our beaches. On the West Coast these swells generally arrive out of the south in summer and out of the west/ northwest in winter. Since most races happen during summer, we will focus on that.

When a "south swell" breaks, water is pushed northward, creating a current that runs along the shore—hence the name long shore current. However, all of this water pushed up on the beach has to make its way back. This occurrence is called a "rip current." Some people mistakenly call this a rip tide—mistakenly, because it is a current and not a tide.

Rip currents can be a great friend to you on race day if you know how to use them. A rip current carries water from the beach out to the ocean by finding the deepest bottom nearest the shore. It then carries water oceanward like a river. A rip current is identified by its brownish color, by the fewer number of waves breaking in it, and choppier water. If you spot one of these at or near the start of the race, use it. You will be able to get out through the surf much easier. Not only will you have to deal with fewer waves, the water will be taking you seaward as well! Coming in is a completely different story—avoid a rip current when swimming in.

Water entry is one of the most crucial time-saving elements of ocean swimming. If executed properly, you can save minutes over people who do not understand water entry. Check the ocean bottom. Walk out a ways and feel, with your feet, if there are rocks or holes. The last thing that you want is to hit one and be injured. Go back on to the beach, then run into the water. Make sure you are keeping your knees above the water by high-stepping. Once you are thigh deep, start to "dolphin:" place your hands above your head and at a shallow angle dive into the water (almost as shallow as a competition start in pool swimming); when you reach the bottom, grab it with your hands and pull your legs up under you; then push off the bottom and forward, out of the water. If you've seen porpoises clearing the water, arcing through the air, and disappearing under the water in a repetitive motion, you can understand what this should look like, and why it is called dolphining.

Repeat until you are in chest-deep water. Then swim. While you are dolphining, dive over the waves in shallower water if the water is not deep enough to dive in front of the wave. But when you are able, dive under the wave immediately before it hits you.

Diving under waves is very simple, but it can be the hardest thing to do if you are afraid of the water. Let me put it to you in simple terms. The water on top of a wave is going toward the beach. The water near the ocean bottom is heading out to sea. By trying to go over the wave, you will be pushed back toward shore. Going under the wave will take you in the direction you want to go. While you are making your way out through the surf, look for the waves. When you are dolphining, look while you are diving. While you are swimming, look as often as every other stroke, like you are sighting the buoy. That way you know when to go under the wave.

From personal experience, I have found the best way to go under waves is as follows. A couple of seconds before the wave is going to hit, take a breath and pull hard toward the bottom. I can do this with one "lunging stroke," and I glide until the wave has passed. If the water is still shallow, grab the bottom and anchor yourself until the wave has passed. Once you have felt the wave go completely past you, push off the bottom and/or kick toward the surface and continue swimming. This whole process takes no more than 10 seconds, usually much less. Continue this process until you are past the waves. If you come up too soon, the wave will pull you back a little. Needless to say, it is best to wait.

Once you are past the waves, just get into a rhythm. It is usually morning when races occur, so the water will most likely be calm. If it isn’t, do not try to fight the swells. Just try your best to get into a rhythm with the swells. When you round the last buoy and start heading toward the beach again, try to lengthen your stroke. What I mean is, glide a little bit more. You will now be going with the swell, so let it do some of the work.

Once you get closer to shore, start looking for waves. Look behind you as part of your breathing stroke. The more experienced may want to try to catch a wave. That takes a bit of practice and some experience. Most of you will want to just go under the water and let the wave pass over you. If the wave looks really big and you are intimidated by it, by all means stop, go to the bottom, and let the wave pass over you. (There is not much power in the wave several feet below the surface.)

The most frequent mistake committed by inexperienced ocean swimmers is to stand up too early, in chest- to neck-deep water. Don't stand until your hand touches the sand while you are swimming. When you do stand, if there is a little wave behind you, ride it in! As it begins to hit you, push off the bottom like you are dolphining and just kick, with your arms straight out in front of you. (When you are catching a wave as it is breaking, farther out, you'll want to ride the wave looking up, and with your arms at your sides.) The wave should carry you in for a ways. Catching the whitewater—an already broken wave close to shore—is called railroading. This will save you a little bit of time. Good surf swimmers can railroad a wave until their noses bulldoze the sand.

You may also want to practice dolphining and high-stepping your way out of the surf. However, from experience, I must say that it is tough to do after swimming. I much prefer riding a wave in.

Like I said in the beginning, the easiest way to get comfortable in the water is to get out there and play! Just go to the beach without the intention of working out, but just to have fun. The ocean is a wonderful playground. It should be respected but not feared. I hope to see you at the races!