Open Water Swimming

Jasmine Bullwinkle
Dec 4, 2023
2 min read

I have lived near a body of water for my whole life. Living a short walk away from the river Itchen and my Grandparents living near the South coast of England meant I have always had exposure to natural water.

One of my earliest memories of the ocean is of my Grandfather. My Grandad and I walked along the seafront, the breakers were displaying their force onto the stones beneath. The sound of a thousand stone chimes singing. He triped over and became entirely engulfed by the rolling swell. Dripping and soaked through to his bones he stood up and walked after me... I laughed like a child does, unable to breathe, the sort of laugh that removes the weight of the world.

I have always been encouraged to take dips in rivers and oceans. My incredible mum always took a hidden set of clothes with her, knowing full well I would be in the ocean or submerged in a deep puddle before any niceties with play mates could even think about being commenced. She rarely told me the spares were there, It would seem that I didn't need any further encouragement.

I learned about 'open water swimming' when I was in university, when a Friend's mum was into it. Up until that point I just thought people swam in the sea, like I did, because it was there. Not an organised sport or 'thing' if you will. It turns out there were organised groups that you can attend to experience swimming in open water!

According to Outdoor Swimming and Sport England there has been an exponential rise in people taking part in open water swimming. The Open Water Swimming Society(OSS) was formed in 2006 with 300 members. According to the Guardian, OSS now has 175,000 members! And there is a good reason for it, benefits include;

-”Joy”

-Cold Water submersion can boost the immune system

- Better Sleep from regulated hormones

-Happiness from boosted dopamine and serotonin levels

Over the Autumn and Winter period open water swimming is not off the cards! But as the water and wether starts getting colder you have more to bear in mind. The RNLI have some great tips for keeping safe whilst open water swimming. COLD WATER SHOCK is a real thing, if you are keen on getting out for a dip check out the RNLI Cold water shock page before you take a plunge, stay mindfull and stay safe- https://rnli.org/safety/know-the-risks/cold-water-shock