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The open water swimming wave hits India
Summary
Open water swimming attracts a niche group of thrill-seekers and triathletes looking for a new challenge
In 2011, Elias Patel encountered a few Brits on Bambolim beach in Goa, gazing into the distance. He learnt that they were contemplating a swim to the pier, about a kilometre away in the middle of the sea. It sounded like fun to Patel, just that neither he nor his new friends had swum in open waters before. They hatched a plan to train together and a few weeks later, returned to finish the swim.
Most weekends then on were spent on pristine beaches, where they worked on their skills and built on the distances. By 2015, they had formed the Goa Open Water Swimming Club, where others who shared their passion could hone their skills.
“Like everyone else, I started out in the pool. Swimming in the sea was for those who wanted to do something different. We started with about 11 swimmers, which has grown to almost 2,000," says Patel, founder of Enduro Sports Goa, a sister concern of Goa Open Water Swimming Club.
Open water swimming remains a niche activity, largely because of the scarcity of dedicated clubs and communities, coupled with limited access to open waters. It has gradually found takers among those who wish to soak in a different experience, besides triathletes looking to master the swim leg that usually unfolds in larger water bodies.
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When Mumbai-based Mehul Ved signed up for his first triathlon in 2013, he had to travel to Kalamb Beach on the outskirts of Mumbai to train. It took a while for him to understand the different challenges posed by the sea, but by 2017, he was an integral member of Mumbai Sea Swimmers, an open water sea swimming club founded the same year. During the early days, they organised swims where a lifeguard would supervise the seasoned swimmers, while a coach would work with beginners in shallow waters. Of late, rules imposed by the local state government have restricted most of their activities to the pool, as they inexplicably equate open water sea swimming with water sports activities.
“A pool presents a very controlled environment since it is a defined area. In the sea, things like understanding currents and knowing how to tackle waves is key. Then there’s the need to learn about rip currents from locals and what you must do if you are caught in one," says Ved.
Bengaluru-based Sucheta Deb Burman, who swam for Karnataka from 1989-04 and has won medals at the national level, switched to open water swimming in 2018. She made a smooth transition to the open waters and over the next few years, pulled off mammoth efforts such as a 62km Palk Strait swim in 19 hours, 21 minutes between India and Sri Lanka, and another 81km swim down the Bhagirathi river in 12 hours, 28 minutes. She is also the founder of the Open Waters Swimmers Foundation and a certified coach.
“In the pool, we do a lot of technique correction, and work on building speed and distance through a combination of endurance and interval workouts. There are also specific skills that we work on such as sculling, treading, egg beater and sighting. This builds muscle and helps you move in a certain way, getting you ready for the open waters," she says.
“Many swimmers tend to get overwhelmed when they move to larger water bodies, even though they’ve spent adequate time learning the techniques in the pool. So as a coach, it’s important to help them get comfortable in the water," she adds.
According to Deb Burman, the prerequisite for anyone looking to attempt a triathlon is a comfortable 500m swim in the pool. She works with minimal equipment like a kickboard to focus on the breathing, and flippers that help swimmers move faster, thereby giving them the psychological edge. But most of her focus is on technique, which she says goes a long way in preventing injuries.
“For instance, we only use specific muscles while swimming. We never swim from the shoulder. So the wrong technique or the wrong use of equipment will certainly cause shoulder pain," she says.
The Goa Open Water Swimming Club conducts a two-day residential camp to give beginners a taste of the sea. After testing them in the pool, they are divided into groups based on their abilities. The first session takes participants into shallow waters to equip them with basic skills. When the wind picks up by the evening and leads to gentle waves, they are allowed to soak in the dynamic nature of the sea. And the following day, they take them out for longer swims based on the level of comfort.
“The paramount focus has always been on safety and our lifeguards, instructors and boats provide a secure environment for the participants. We have 14 instructors who are trained through a government-recognised certification agency, where they learn things like CPR, first aid and how to tackle rescues using different mediums," Patel says.
Enduro Sports Goa has been organising the Goa Swimathon each year. It started with 13 participants and today features around a thousand swimmers. They also conduct camps specifically for first-time triathletes who are participating in Ironman 70.3 Goa, where they are given a feel sea swimming.
“The week prior to the Ironman, we have daily training sessions to get athletes to understand how buoyancy is different in the sea, how it feels to have salt hit your face and eyes, and how waves and currents work. We conduct it at the venue of the race to get them familiar with the conditions," Patel says. He believes that swimming in a pool is like running on a treadmill, while swimming in the sea is like running in the open.
“Sea swimming is dynamic since the conditions change every hour and hence, no two swims are the same. The motto of the club is to replace fear with respect. The sea is a very powerful force, so while you need to understand it, there’s no need to blindly fear it," Patel says.
Shail Desai is a Mumbai-based freelance writer.
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