For keeping warm suggest you look at the O'Neill Thermo fleece top designed for cold water swimming, best worn under a wet suit vest, down to about sixty degrees and colder with a full wet suit. This is NOT a wet suit. This is either a short sleeve or long sleeve, very tight fitting, black FLEECE top that gets very wet and good for wearing alone, or under a wet suit vest, a farmer john, or a full wet suit, or under a dry suit (have yet to actually do that).
Sold at Parafunalia in Gilford for about $60 ...... the short sleeve Thermo is the better for swimming .....
https://us.oneill.com/products/5022-2-thermo-x-l-s-crew because your arms are less restricted
Since late May, I've been swimming about 150-yards in 7-acre Corcoran's Pond in Waterville Valley which is about 5-10 degrees colder than Lake Winnipesaukee, especially after a rain fall. This tight fitting, black O'Neill Thermo top gets soaking wet but SOMEHOW, it really keeps in the heat in my chest area where it is most needed and works best under a wet suit vest for water 60+ degrees.
I also use a 28" x 2", $2.99 foam noodle swim belt tied tight around the waist because it is not too safe to be swimming in cold water that is over one's head, alone, and it works good for the side stroke and breast stroke and back stroke. It'll probably be good with the crawl, too.
Swimming Lake Winnipesaukee is more difficult due to the happening, big, wide open water movement from wind, waves and boat wakes.
Some drowning victims are over confident, strong swimmers .....
http://www.twitter.com/NH_StatePolic...77226272239618 ..... (click on photo to see WMUR video short) .....who think they will never have a problem out there. "Hell's bells ..... at age-92 I been swimm'n this here Squam Lake since the Hurricane of 1938 was here ..... which was over 40-years before Katherine Hepburn was here .....
-ayuh!"
What? ...... hoo-yah! .... who me? .... who me end up in the State Police twitter alerts as another drowning death...... no way! ..... not ME! .... not with my bright blue $2.99, 28x2" foam noodle, swim safe belt! ...... hoo-yuh! ....
