Outdoor swimming is becoming more and more popular these days. In order to fully understand why so many people have taken it up, you have to appreciate the sense of freedom you feel when swimming in the open sea, crystal clear lake or river. Talking with seasoned swimmers, you can soon pick up a theme, a common reason for a better choice of words, as to why this is becoming so popular nowadays.
So what if you want to try Outdoor Swimming for the first time?
If you decide that you want to try outdoor swimming yourself, you will need to follow some simple guidelines, in order to stay safe and have a fun experience at the same time.
- One of the most important aspects is to remain safe, tell someone where you are going and what time you are coming back, if possible, make sure you go with someone.
- Pick your location carefully, not only do you want to pick a location to suit your mood (for example, a quiet spot or a busy seafront), you need to make sure it is, indeed safe to swim there. You do not want to be swept away by strong tides for example.
- Take what you need. In fact, it is always better to carry more stuff than what you need, than carrying a non-sufficient amount of supplies. In fact, outdoor swimming is a very demanding sport, especially if you practice in a sea full of waves, with some technical spots as well. The Ultra Dry Bags are a great way to carry what you need and if you are not wanting to leave your stuff on the bank, you can even take it with you safe in the knowledge, your change of warm clothes will be dry. The Ultra Dry Bag will also double up as an emergency float if you so choose.
- Take a phone
- Take a warm change of clothes
- Pack a towel
- Take a drink/food
- Do not push yourself, ease into it, especially if the water is cold.
So, outdoor swimming is definitely a very exciting sport, that attracts lots and lots of enthusiasts every single day. The important thing is, however, to practice it in a safe environment and with the right gear. Let us know what do you think about this amazing sport.
There is so much more that we could go into about Outdoor Swimming so why not comment below with your tips, maybe how you get used to the very cold waters?
Ellen Cheshire – Love swimming in the sea (June – October), especially in the evening after hot day in the office. Sometimes you can be swimming in one direction and see the sun setting and in the other the moon rising which is amazing. And where I swim (Bognor) you can have far reaching views of the Rottingdean to Beachy Head coastline one way, and Selsey Peninsula and the Isle of Wight in the other. Fabulous!
I swim as an escape from the everyday stresses, to connect with nature, to challenge myself and enjoy the exhilaration of the cold water. My tips for a newbie would be to find a group of established swimmers to go out with and to gradually build up confidence in the water. Get advice before swimming anywhere new to find out what the potential risks are. Use a tow-float, hi vis neoprene cap, socks/shoes and wetsuit depending on temps. Always have a warm drink to beat the chill. Be safety aware regarding tides, rips, and hypothermia. And enjoy!
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