I figured out a way to practice swimming without wasting time.
At the end of the night when Im about to log, go to halas and swim into the wall in the lake.... making sure my head is above water so i dont drown. you are still swimming and will go up in skill points, and meanwhile you personally can turn off your monitor and speakers. I have done this to most of my toons, and all of them who are not KOS in halas. It is a great thing to be able to swim away from your enemies if you have to run, and it is useful to have a 200 in swimming at lower levels.