Issue link: http://www.wacmagazine.com/i/1462648
APRIL / MAY / JUNE 2022 37 I'm 77 and started open-water swimming two years ago. It's fun, challenging, and great for your body and mind. It can also be dangerous. Many swimmers are comfortable in a pool but feel immediately unnerved in open water. Before you take up the sport, check with your health practitioner to make sure that the activity is consistent with your overall health. Second, make an honest assessment of your swimming ability and comfort zone. If you're just getting back into swimming, start in the WAC pool. When you're ready to jump into the open water, put safety first. Find a swimming buddy or group and invest in a swim buoy, which gives you something to hold onto if you need a break (or worse, in an emergency) and also allows boaters to see you. It's also a good idea to swim in popular spots. In Seattle, Magnuson Park, Green Lake, Alki Beach, and Madison Park are good choices. You'll also want to invest in goggles and a wetsuit. Earplugs and booties are also a good idea along with a bright swim cap. e amount of neoprene in your wetsuit and cap will depend on the water temperature and the duration of your swim. Too much neoprene can interfere with good swim technique. Too little can find you shivering. For your first few swims, parallel the shore. At many local beaches, you can get in a good workout without venturing into deep water. is will add an extra feeling of safety and allow you a quick exit if you get too cold. When swimming in saltwater, it's also a good idea to invest in a tide chart and plan your workouts around slack tides. Once you're in the water and swimming, pay careful attention to your breathing and where you are. Focus on technique and staying afloat. If you feel yourself getting tired or cold, exit. It may take many swims to get comfortable in open water. For those who take up the sport, however, the mental and physical benefits cannot be overstated. —WAC member Jim Falconer (1972) lives and swims on Lopez Island. His open-water swimming routine was featured in e Wall Street Journal's "What's Your Workout" section. You've got to be able to hum it. It's called the "Old Gray Whistle Test." As legend goes, back in the day in the record factories, the guys on the floor pressing the physical records wore gray smocks. e head office would play unreleased music over the PA system and wait to see which ones the Grays would whistle, thus deciding the next single. A strong tune can stand alone. It could be accompanied by an 80-piece orchestra or played around the campfire by a single guitar. You'll recognize the tune and be able to sing along. Strength is in the melody, not how you dress it. at said, the easier to sing along, the better. Lyrics are where it gets personal. ere are aspects of the human condition that are universal. e listener gets to decide what the tune is about. If you can speak to the way millions of people feel, you're on the right track. Stir the soul. Déjà vu in a can. e secret sauce. is is the beautiful mix of poetry and musical notes that turns a song into part of the musical canon. It's oen intangible—and only the best songwriters can do it time aer time. Yes, it makes you hum and sing. But it also makes you dance or maybe cry. And if it's done just right, someday your song will drive someone crazy when they can't get it out of their head. —WAC member Tim McCormick (2019) is an artist and producer with Hit Happens Music. HOW TO START OPEN-WATER SWIMMING HOW TO WRITE A MEMORABLE SONG G R A N T H I N D S L E Y