CHALLENGE AND ENDURANCE
How to get ready for rough water
When swimming in rough water, expect some or all of the following to happen:
It’s a mental as much as a physical thing, says Simon Griffiths
In my 20s, I lived in West Africa for three years. Whenever I had the opportunity, I swam in the Atlantic. My favourite days were those with an offshore breeze and waves of between about 0.5m and a metre high.
These were the best conditions for body surfing. The waves rolled towards the beach in neat rows. As they started to break, the wind whisked spray from the crests. Catching the wave at the right moment meant an exhilarating ride to the beach, aquaplaning on my hand and chest, water arcing either side of my face.
But often the wind blew from the sea creating messy conditions, chop on top of waves. This made body surfing tricky or impossible. Yet I still wanted to swim, so I swam parallel to the beach, just beyond the breakers, or sometimes in the white water, letting the waves push and pull me as they desired.