Open water swimming is a different kettle of fish, if you will excuse the pun! When swimming in an open water race (lake, ocean or pond) you take off with a number of people all at once. The best strategy for competitive swimmers is to swim immediately at top speed to get ahead of the mayhem and then settle into your pace.
The next problem when swimming in open water is that there is no lane line to view beneath you which keeps you on track. Instead you must develop a pattern of periodically lifting your head to get your bearings. Lifting your head is very tiring because it breaks your pace and your streamline position which momentarily slows you down. However no matter how straight a line you can swim in a pool you must do these periodic checks in open water. There are so many variables to swimming straight... the current, tide (in the ocean), waves, wind and weather and other swimmers.
Another problem when swimming outdoors is the glare from the sun. You need to wear special UV protection sun googles. I happen to wear these googles even in pools because it cuts down on the glare of the overhead lights as well.
Probably the biggest obstacle to swimming in open water is the temperature. Your body is roughly 98.6 degrees and a warm pool temperature is about 82 degrees. A pool feels cool upon first entering but then you warm up quickly as you swim. Unless you are swimming in tropical waters, the temperature of the water in New England in the summer can range anywhere from 50 to 72 degrees. In swimming each degree cooler is significant. To swim in cooler water (for me anything below 70 degrees) requires additional planning. You can wear multiple suits, a thermal cap and grease your arms and legs. Some swimmers wear long suits which resembles scuba gear but is much lighter.
For me, I'll stick to my indoor swimming!
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