50 Things Open Water Swimmers Shouldnt Do

The open water might feel freer than a lap pool, but that doesn't mean it's an anything-goes kind of environment.

From animal encounters to restroom emergencies, use this list of 50 things you shouldn't do in the open water to avoid danger and angering fellow swimmers.

Never ever ?.

1. Swim alone.

2. Assume boaters and windsurfers see you and will move for you.

3. Assume conditions get better.

4. Take coral from a reef.

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5. Pollute the ocean.

6. Leave trash on the shore.

7. Skip acclimatization and just "gut it out."

8. Assume additional layer of bioprene (natural fat substance) to keep you warm is good enough without proper acclimatization to cold water.

9. Assume you know more than the local swimmers.

10. Try to outswim a pack of experienced swimmers.

11. Trip on a seashell or in the sand during an onshore start.

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12. Trip and fall short of the finish line on an onshore finish.

13. Miss a turn buoy.

14. Continuously slap the feet of the lead swimmer while drafting.

15. Ignore the shape of the pack while racing.

16. Swallow lots of water.

17. [If an elite woman], go out slowly.

18. [If an elite man], go out fast.

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19. Ignore the command of the referees.

20. Ignore railroading when possible.

21. Bring only 1 pair of goggles to a race/swim.

22. Forget Vaseline or lanolin on possible chafing spots.

23. Get Vaseline or lanolin on your goggles.

24. Zipline another swimmer.

25. Smear sunscreen over your race numbers.

26. Expect toilet paper in a portable toilet minutes before a race.

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27. Ignore or argue with escort boat pilots.

28. Eat new foods on race day.

29. Try a new swimsuit on race day.

30. Talk during the pre-race instructions.

31. Keep swimming if your vision narrows.

32. Ridicule those who wear neoprene.

33. Retaliate.

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34. Ignore your core.

35. Forget flexibility.

36. Breathe only on one side, always.

37. Impede, scratch, pull, cut off, veer into, slap, whack, obstruct, interfere, punch or elbow others.

38. Cross the path of surfers, windsurfers or boaters.

39. Swim behind a boat.

40. Be a pirate swimmer.

41. Not bring food or gels to replenish energy stores on a long swim.

42. Yell shark and point to it from the escort boat.

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43. Urinate on jellyfish stings.

44. Use an EpiPen? (epinephrine) on box jellyfish stings.

45. Draft off a pace swimmer.

46. Argue with a hallucinating swimmer.

47. Shine a bright light on a swimmer at night.

48. Ignore a whistle when swimming in the open water.

49. Touch a Shark Shield that is on in the water.

50. Grab the fin of a baby dolphin.

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