Swim in cold water

Swimming in a cold water.

The buzz among swimmers in the days before the 8th annual Lowcountry Splash Open Water Swim surrounded the relatively chilly water.

Chilly, that is, for the Lowcountry in late May.

The week's cloudy skies, cool nights and rain had dropped water temperatures several degrees. Waterways ranged from 68 degrees to 74 degrees, depending on where you measured.

At race time, race officials said the Charleston Harbor water temperature was 71.8 degrees.

As swimmers jumped off the floating docks at Hobcaw Yacht Club in the Wando River, some reacted with screams and shudders. One older man swam back and got out, shaking his head.

But that seemed to be the worst of it, and this year's Splash, a 2.4-mile swim from the yacht club under the Cooper River bridge and past the aircraft carrier Yorktown to Charleston Harbor Marina, actually set registration and finisher records at 482 and 466, respectively.

About one-quarter of the participants donned wetsuits. At post-race festivities, few complained of cold conditions.

Kristen Phillips, 28, of the Greenville Splash masters swim club, was among a contingent of 24 adult swimmers who were spending the weekend in Charleston because of the Splash and initially was apprehensive about the water.

"They were saying how cold it was and I never swam in cold water before. It was cold in the beginning, but it wasn't bad after we got started," said Phillips, who started swimming in March in preparation for a half Ironman-distance. "I'm really glad I did it because it was a lot of fun."

Because this year's race started during a slack tide, instead of when water was flowing out of the river and harbor, swim finish times were significantly slower than in past years.

While the top male tends to finish in 35 minutes, this year's winner, rising Wando High sophomore Jonathan Lierley, came in at 41 minutes, 43 seconds. He edged Peter Shelbourne by a split second in a thrilling sprint finish that made a case for open water swimming being a contact sport.

The top female swimmer was Gracie Herlong, who recently graduated from Bishop England and will swim for College of Charleston. She finished in 45:26 and was a bit surprised by her win.

"I followed a couple of girls, but I thought they were too far ahead for me to catch up to them," she said.

Lowcountry Splash founder and co-director Mark Rutledge said Saturday's event raised more than $20,000 in swimmer entry fees. Proceeds go to the Logan Rutledge Children's Foundation, a non-profit organization named in memory of his late infant son. The fund supports programs of MUSC's Neonatal Intensive Care Unit and swimming programs for underprivileged children in Charleston.