Swimming In Open Water - Are You Ready?
Open water swimming puts you up close and personal with the elements, providing a different sense of challenge and fulfilment to swimming up and down a calm, chlorinated pool. Diving into the oceans and lakes requires a little bit more preparation and considered equipment.
Swim cap : You want to be spotted out in the seas. Get the brightest one you can find.
Swim goggles : An obvious one, but well-fitting goggles are essential. A spare pair in your swim bag doesn't hurt either.
Swim buoy : Whatever you call it - safety buoy, tow float or swim bag - it's an essential item. Helping boats and other swimmers to spot you out in open seas. You can float on it to rest if needed and some come with storage which can serve as a mobile locker to keep your phone, wallet or snack with you.
Vaseline : under arms to prevent chafing. It may lower risks of jellyfish stings too.
Wetsuit : an essential in colder weather.
Platysens Marlin : This light device, invented by a triathlete, attaches to your goggles and gives you voice guidance of your pre-planned route to assist in improving your performance. GPS module provides accurate tracking and navigation for open water mode. Get your stats when you're back on dry land.
你是否已準備好出海自由暢泳？
比較在游泳池，在公開水域游泳讓你的身心更接近大自然。能無拘無束在大海中暢泳實為人生一大樂事，帶給人無窮的滿足感。但隨之而來的卻是有可能遇上一些危險或意外，所以必須有充足的準備和所需裝備。
顏色鮮艷的游泳帽：你需要在海上突出你自己，讓其他人如船員在遠遠的距離便能看到你。
不可或缺的游泳鏡：除非你可以在海中長時間睜開眼看東西，不然的話，一個配戴舒適及功能配合的泳鏡將不可或缺。如有近視，可選購有近視的游泳鏡，但相信精明的你不會選用浮潛或潛水用的吧。
開放水域用的浮標：無論你叫它安全浮標、防水袋還是甚麼，它都是開放水域游泳的必須裝備。跟游泳帽一樣，它可以令其他人在遠遠的地方留意到你的存在，而且可以放置一些個人物品如電話、銀包、食物等；當然不得不提的功能就是在你萬一抽筋或受傷時當作水泡用，保障生命安全。
凡士林：防止手部大腿摩擦和被水母螫傷。
潛水衣：潛水衣有提供不同厚度，可避免因為長時間在浸在水中而失溫。
Marlin：Platysens所設計的Marlin，機身輕巧，由一位三鐵運動員研發，配備GPS功能。安裝在泳鏡後，它會以語音功能為使用者提供預設的導航信息，避免在公開水域中迷失。完成後再配對手機應用程式，使用者的游泳過程，速度等資料便一目了然。
