Never Swim Alone………..Really?

The term “Never swim alone” crops up in lots of safety information, often from really big, high-profile organisations. It’s a bit too abrupt and bossy for my liking. I suspect it partly originates in water safety advice we give to kids. That makes sense, children often haven’t yet developed the skills to assess risks properly …

Group Swimming………….The Joys And The Challenges

This is a mirror piece to Never swim alone.......really? on solo swimming. It’s written from the angle of informal swimming groups. Swim venues, organised training sessions or being out with a swim guide or coach are a different environment. Whoever’s organised it has a clear responsibility to you as a participant. However, much of what …

Swim Failure………..What Can Happen When You Get Too Cold

This is the second in a series of three about the basics of what can happen to your body when you swim outside. It's based on years of experience as an outdoor swimmer, coach and wild swim guide. This blog talks about swim failure, a potentially scary phenomenon associated with getting cold whilst swimming. Swim …

Afterdrop……….The Post Swim Shivers

This is the third in a series about the basics of what can happen to your body when you swim outside. It's based on years of experience as an outdoor swimmer, coach and wild swim guide. This blog talks about afterdrop, a sneaky little treat that can hit us after a swim. Afterdrop can happen …

Cold Water Shock

This is the first in a series of three about the basics of what can happen to your body when you swim outside. It's based on years of experience as an outdoor swimmer, coach and wild swim guide. This blog talks about cold water shock, that initial smack in the chops when you get into …

Small Glimmers and Silver Linings

I think it’s fair to say 2021’s been an odd year. I’ve found coming out of lockdowns as hard as going into them in some ways. It’s been great to have more freedoms again but I feel like I’ve forgotten how to socialise and be around people. Covid 19 is still very much here and …

Hmm, The Winter Swim Challenge……..

I’ve recently completed a dip a day in November challenge. I’d done it back in 2020 to stave off the boredom of lockdown mk2 (the weird one that wasn’t really a lockdown). A self set challenge that I thoroughly enjoyed. Whilst I knew I’d be busier and would struggle to fit it in this year, …

Getting Older

Last week I started to notice my age. Old isn't the right term, I'm still only 40 after all, but the changes that come with age. Not the bad ones, I mean the richness of life and people that comes with time. Is aging all that bad then or does it bring greater joy to …

Sea or reservoir. Which one might be safer?

I think we have a topsy turvy approach to hazard perception when it comes to outdoor swimming in the UK. It’s OK to swim at the coast where conditions continually change with the tide and weather, there are waves, obstacles and creatures that will sting you but it’s not OK to swim in inland water’s …

Environmental Consideration and Outdoor Swimming

As an inland outdoor swimmer in England there are very few places I can swim without the threat of being asked to leave. Landowners can and do restrict access to water, I‘ve talked about this before here Breaking the Law to Swim. One of the reasons that’s often used to exclude swimmers is the potential …