A Less Strenuous Surface Swim

Hi,

During the courses we learned different kicks how to swim under water but I cannot recall any suggestions, how to make a better surface swim. I wonder, are there any recommended methods, how to swim on surface? I always find it more strenuous, especially in waves. Thanks for your wisdom!

I like to swim on my back. The weight of the tank is in the water, the wing pushes me out, face well out of the water, fins completely in the water for more efficient kicking...

Johanan,

Water conditions determine what you can do but I would suggest that the overall goal is to avoid physical exertion unless a situation requires it such as a rescue.

a) For slow and steady I inflate my wing and rest on my back. When swimming I use a thrusting movement dropping my shoulders and head down and allow my feet to go up and down ie a dolphin kick on my back or ... moderators please forgive me - a humping action in the water.

b) For speed, I deflate the wing - I use a small amount of gas to keep myself comfortably buoyant but I rotate my body to the side so that my face/mask is below the water line and 1 arm is as long as I can make it. The kicking action is a sideways flutter kick.

My descriptions probably do not make much sense - I admit - the key point is using your body as much as possible to reduce drag and provide propulsion.

In heavy seas, I go on my back and use point a). If you're on your back, waves go over the top of your head but you can still breathe with your regulator clipped off. When you get back to the boat for example you can stick the reg in your mouth.

All this will work equally well with a snorkel if you carry one - I don't usually, but now and again, I do snorkel ...

Thanks, guys! I'll make a try.

I also swim on my back, but my friend HBDiveGirl, who lives in LA, where they do RIDICULOUS surface swims, gave me some tips on being more efficient: If you are swimming on the surface, put your head back and try to get as flat in the water as possible (this may be difficult in rough water). The flatter you are, the more of your kick pushes you along the water instead of kicking you up. Also ride as low in the water as you can without getting your face wet -- the higher you ride, the more difficult it is to keep your fins in the water, and any time they break the surface, you've lost power.

If the sea is really calm and is a long swim, one can also push the equipment in front, using it as a raft with the arms on top of it and swimming on one's front. It's a comfortable position.

Low in the water while on one's back, as TSandM said, is good to prevent the fins coming out of the water, but creates more drag. A sort of frog kick can also be used and the fins don't come out with the wing more inflated.

Minimize the amount of air in the BC, lay on your back, look straight up and occasionally at the clouds or shore or stars for some reference point to keep your path straight. If you are curving all over the place, that wastes more effort than anything.

Also, how the heck do you use a snorkel when laying flat on your back... That position will put the snorkel underwater for me?

Looking underwater is a lot more interesting that staring up at the sun. Put a little air in your BC and a snorkel in your mouth. On the west coast, looking forward makes it easier to avoid swimming into patches of kelp.

Akimbo:

Looking underwater is a lot more interesting that staring up at the sun. Put a little air in your BC and a snorkel in your mouth. On the west coast, looking forward makes it easier to avoid swimming into patches of kelp.

Click to expand...

I prefer to know what is below me in the water and there is no way to avoid swimming into a man of war while laying on your back with water splashing over your face.... So I will normally swim face down using the snorkel. But for raw efficiency, laying on my back seems faster.

Thanks again everyone! What kind of kicks do you use for your surface swims? Is it more like frog or flutter kicks?