How to Sight & Stay on Course in Open Water

By Rebecca Wetten, Co-Founder & Head Coach at Catch

If you’re swimming the Great North Swim, sighting is one of the most important open water skills you can learn. Good sighting keeps you on course, saves you energy & stops you accidentally swimming extra distance.

Here’s how to sight properly, stay straight & feel confident on race day.

Here’s the full video lesson: Watch here.

What is sighting?

Sighting is when you lift your eyes out of the water to see where you’re going. In a pool you have lane lines, walls & markers. In open water you rely on buoys, kayaks, landmarks & your own awareness. Learning to sight well is essential for navigating the Great North Swim course smoothly.

When to sight

The most efficient way to sight is to time it with your breath: sight, then breathe to the side.

  • If you breathe every 3: sight on stroke 3, breathe on 4
  • If you breathe every 2: sight on one stroke, breathe on the next

This rhythm keeps your stroke smooth & stops your legs from sinking.

How to sight

Keep it simple:

  1. Lift your eyes just above the surface

  2. Spot your target

  3. Turn your head to the side to breathe

Avoid trying to lift & breathe at the same time - it’s tiring, inefficient & breaks your rhythm.

How high to lift your head

  • Calm water: aim for crocodile eyes - just the eyes above the surface
  • Choppier water: lift slightly higher to see over waves

Lift only as high as you need. The lower your head stays, the more streamlined you remain.

How often to sight

Sight every 3, 4 or 6 strokes depending on conditions.

A great technique is:

  • One sight to find the buoy
  • A second quick sight to confirm you’re on track

Sight often enough to swim the most direct line & avoid drifting or colliding with other swimmers.

How to practise (pool-friendly)

You don’t need open water to learn good sighting. Practise in the pool by:

  • Swimming front crawl as normal
  • Every few strokes, lift your eyes to the end of the lane
  • Then turn to breathe to the side

Once spring arrives, transfer this into open water & practise with real targets, chop & varying visibility.

Quick recap

  • Sight, then breathe to the side
  • Lift your eyes only as high as you need
  • Sight every 3, 4 or 6 strokes
  • Practise in the pool first, then outdoors

Want help mastering open water skills for GNS?

If you want to feel confident & well-prepared for the Great North Swim, the Catch app can guide you from now until race day: https://www.catchswim.com

With Catch Gold, you’ll get:

  • A personalised training plan for your GNS distance
  • Weekly video lessons for open water front crawl
  • Unlimited coach support from me
  • A supportive community to keep you motivated

Use code GNS26 for:

  • A 7-day free trial of Catch Gold
  • £5 off your first 3 months

It’s the simplest, most effective way to get race-ready.

Sign up below. See you at the start line.

Written by Rebecca Wetten, Co-Founder & Head Coach at Catch.

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