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Barton Springs in the winter
It’s November, temperatures are in the 80s, and I swam in Barton Springs Pool yesterday.
I’m starting my third winter of swimming at the spring-fed oasis in the middle of town, where the water hovers around 68 degrees year-round. We slipped into the chilly waters, loosened up as we glided past the diving pit, and hit a rhythm by the time we reached the other end. In all, we made six round trips up and down the length of the pool.
Back when my swimming buddy Brian Vance and I started this weekly venture, I wasn’t sure I could do it. I thought I’d turn into a popsicle.
I don’t do well with cold. My limbs get stiff. I start shivering. I get goosebumps as big as Kansas.
But Brian was training for a 5K open-water swim on the coast of California, and we wanted to do distance work outside of our regular swim team practices.
As it turns out, the pool doesn’t feel all that bad in December and January.
I think it’s because in the summer, the difference between the air temperature and water temperature can be 30 or 35 degrees. That makes for a shock when you plunge into the water. In the winter, when the air temperature is 40 or 50 degrees, the water is warmer than the air. It’s not until you haul yourself out of the pool that you feel cold.
And you do feel cold. That’s why I make a mad dash for the bath house, shuck off my wet suit, and change into sweat pants and a sweat shirt pronto.
The sun factor makes a difference, too. Brian and I have discussed it often. Clouds make the water seem dark and ominous. It’s harder to watch the fish lurking in the deep end. It feels like winter, even if the water’s not technically all that cold.
But when the sun’s beaming, it warms the soul — and thus the body. (At least that’s what I tell myself, over and over, as we soar through the water, over undulating aquatic plants and schools of silvery minnows.)
There are advantages to swimming in the winter: Sometimes the springs steams like a cauldron of soup. Stroking down it, you feel like you’re swimming in a mystical, magical pond.
It’s less crowded, too. Instead of throngs of people, you encounter a handful of die-hards slicing through its water. It’s quiet. Peaceful. Serene.
You see different things, too. Last winter, we watched ducks (cormorants?) dive deep into the pool in search of food.
It’s also free. The pool doesn’t charge admission from November until March. (Other times of the year, it’s $3 for adults, $2 for juniors and $1 for children 11 and under.) This is a bargain worth celebrating!
Barton Springs Pool is located at 2101 Barton Springs Road, in Zilker Park. For more information, call 476-9044 or go to http://www.ci.austin.tx.us/parks/bartonsprings.htm.
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By liz
November 10, 2008 8:58 AM | Link to this
i’m seriously thinking about swimming at barton springs in the winter but i need tips to get started. i love swimming but the thought of jumping in that water frightens me. do you wear a wet suit? should i just jump in and go like i normally do on a summer day? what’s the best time to go? my friend says it’s a little scary at night. this is something i’d love to do to keep up my swimming but i’m a little scared to get started…
By Pam LeBlanc
November 10, 2008 9:44 AM | Link to this
Hi Liz. Pam here. I swim at Barton Springs without a wetsuit. But there’s nothing wrong with a wetsuit, especially when you get started. I think the more you do it, the easier it gets. And yes, just jump in and go. It’s no colder than it is during the summer; you’ll be surprised how pleasant it feels. Go anytime, but I’d recommend sometime when it’s sunny. I tend to feel colder when it’s dark. Nothing to be scared of … give it a try!