Open Water Sighting Training: Don't Get Lost to Swim Fast

Introduction

At the Sun Moon Lake Mass Open Water Swim, many participants only realize after finishing that their GPS track shows a winding route, with the actual distance swum being 200–400 meters longer than the straight-line distance. These extra meters are entirely the result of poor sighting. Sighting is one of the most critical skills in open water swimming, and also one of the most overlooked by beginners.

What is Sighting?

Sighting refers to the technique of briefly lifting your head during swimming to confirm the position of your target (buoy, bridge pier, shoreline landmark) and correct your direction. Done well, it only minimally disrupts your horizontal body position; done poorly, each head lift causes your body to sink significantly, resulting in a noticeable slowdown.

Standard Sighting Technique Breakdown:

1. While swimming, as your right (or left) hand extends forward and enters the water, use the arm’s propulsion to naturally lift your head slightly.
2. Only your eyes need to clear the water—you don’t need to lift your entire head out. Seeing the top of the target buoy is sufficient.
3. After confirming your direction, immediately return your head to neutral and resume your normal side breathing.
4. This combined “head lift + breathe” motion is called the “crocodile sighting”: first lift your head to sight, then turn your head to the side to breathe, forming a smooth, continuous motion.

Sighting Frequency and Timing

Sighting too frequently accumulates significant drag losses; too infrequently and you risk drifting off course. Generally, every 8 strokes is recommended as a starting point, adjusted according to actual water conditions.

Common Mistakes and Corrections

Mistake 1: Lifting the head too high
Lifting the entire face out of the water to check direction causes the hips and legs to sink significantly, requiring 2–3 strokes to recover proper body position after each sight. Correction: Only raise your eyes to the water surface, like a crocodile.

Mistake 2: Stopping the stroke while sighting
Many beginners unconsciously pause their arm stroke during sighting, causing a complete loss of momentum. Correction: During training, deliberately require yourself to keep your arms moving while lifting your head.

Mistake 3: Keeping the head up because you can’t find the target
Repeatedly lifting the head to search for a buoy, each time decelerating significantly. Correction: Confirm target landmarks before the race and choose distant, stable fixed landmarks (mountain peaks, buildings) as auxiliary reference points—they are much easier to spot than small buoys.

Training Methods

Method 1: Pool Sighting Training
While swimming in the pool, swim 6 strokes with your eyes closed, then lift your head to sight the clock or signage at the far end of the pool. After confirming your direction, continue. This drill helps you get used to swimming straight without relying on the lane line.

Method 2: Zigzag Drift Correction Training
Place a target object at one end of the pool. After each sight, note whether you drifted left or right, identify your habitual drift direction, and make targeted adjustments to your stroke power.

Method 3: Open Water Short-Distance Repetition
At Taitung Living Lake or the designated training area at Sun Moon Lake, set up two buoys and perform 100–200 meter back-and-forth repetitions. Each time, calculate how far you drifted off course, with the goal of swimming straighter with each repetition.

Practical Tips

• Choose fixed landmarks: Buoys move with wind and waves; distant mountain peaks or tall buildings do not. Before the race, identify distant landmarks as auxiliary sighting points.
• Dealing with backlight: If a morning race faces east, direct sunlight will hit your eyes. Yellow or orange-tinted goggles can effectively reduce glare.
• Breathing side preference: If you’re used to breathing on the right side, following a sight with a right-side breath is the smoothest; if you’re a bilateral breather, you can flexibly choose based on the current.
• Pre-race reconnaissance: The day before the race, stand at the start and observe the buoy layout and background landmarks, memorizing the distant reference points corresponding to each turn.

Conclusion

Good sighting technique is not innate—it is the result of repeated training. Every deliberate sighting practice in the pool is preparation for a perfectly straight swim at Sun Moon Lake or Taitung Living Lake. Swim straight, and you’ll swim fast.

Related Reading

• Open Water Sighting Complete Guide: Swim Straight Ahead with Fewer Head Lifts
• Open Water Sighting: 750m Without Taking the Long Way
• Open Water Sighting Navigation: Visual Correction and Energy-Saving Strategies for Swimming Straight
• The Science of Open Water Sighting: Head Lift Frequency, Crocodile Eyes, and the Key to Saving 15% of Distance