2020-05-15 - Dover - Further to the government’s latest advice and guidelines the CSA Board can see little possibility of any swims taking place before the beginning of July although much is changing since the lockdown was loosened.

We will continue to monitor the situation, reviewing it again in mid June, looking particularly towards the latter tides in July.

Focus on these things to avoid disaster

Water is perhaps the most powerful force on the planet. It has literally moved mountains, carved valleys, and destroyed civilizations throughout the ages. For swimmers, it’s our element, sure, but it absolutely demands the appropriate level of respect at all times.

Aquatic environments aren’t our primary milieus, and as such, any watery location can turn deadly in an instant. If you’re looking to venture into open water, it’s critical that you understand that Mother Nature always has the upper hand. When selecting a site for open water swimming, choose wisely and steer clear of these three common water hazards.

Rip Currents

When swimming in a coastal location, one of the most common—and potentially deadly—hazards you can encounter are rip currents. Rip currents, also sometimes erroneously referred to as rip tides, are powerful columns of water that can develop perpendicular to beaches. They occur when a sandbar (or other in-water structure) traps water between the beach and itself. That trapped water wants to rush back out to sea and will eventually create a rip across or around the obstacle. Rips can become fast-moving rivers of water that rush directly outward and can easily carry an unsuspecting swimmer well away from shore in a matter of seconds. 

Key safety advice for all open water swimmers has been drawn up by Swim England, British Triathlon and the Royal Life Saving Society UK following the partial lifting of the coronavirus lockdown restrictions.

The bodies have collaborated to draw up the guidance after the Government announced open water swimming would be possible from Wednesday 13 May.

Mental Health, 'Loony Dookers' and Polar Bears

Here in Scotland, ‘Loony Dookers’ dive into the chilly waters of the Forth Estuary on New Year’s Day, whilst members of the Polar Bear Club in New York take an Atlantic dip. Perhaps you did too? Similar events are held all around the world from Vilnius to Vancouver...

Whilst a few hardy souls have always taken to chilly waters all year round, the niche ‘sport’ of swimming in freezing waters is becoming increasingly popular. But why? It’s hard to fathom unless you are already a believer.

An examination of the mental health benefits of cold water immersion

The COVID-19 crisis continues unabated, and many jurisdictions still have social distancing regulations in place. This is concerning, as considerable research indicates that social activities can foster positive mental health.

As such, individuals may need to engage in innovative activities to reduce stress and promote their own mental health. Two activities which may be particularly suitable to some people are cold swims or cold showers; not ice cold, but in the 16-20 Degree Celsius (60-70F) range—as opposed to the unnaturally warm temperatures of heated swimming pools.

Fins and Rescue Flotation Devices: A Winning Combination

Give its extensive history, the fire service is fairly new to the open water rescue. As more people have the means to venture into the open water with wave runners, kayaks, two- day scuba classes, and stand-up paddle boards, firefighters are often thrust into the role of open water rescuer. A few municipalities—Ventura County, California; Bay County, Florida; Kauai County, Hawaii; Pierce County, Washington; New York City; and Sea Bright, New Jersey–have fire departments that have made successful water rescues for decades even before modern lifeguard services were available.

Over the last 20 years several municipalities have absorbed lifeguard operations. City of San Diego, Los Angeles County, and Miami Beach lifeguards perform their duties under command of the fire department using equipment that was designed and procedures that were developed long before falling under the umbrella of the fire service. Whether you are a firefighter rescue swimmer or lifeguard paramedic, rescue fins and a modern rescue flotation device (RFD) should be readily available for open water rescue.

Polly Madding looked out across the Boston Harbor in 2017 and wondered why she couldn’t swim there. A little research later, she learned that she actually could and signed up for her first open water event on June 4, 2017. She purchased a sleeveless wetsuit for the occasion and had a wonderful time, except for the massive chaffing she experienced on the back of her neck.

Since that first open water swim, though, Madding has gradually relied less and less on a wetsuit, and she has set her sights on a few open water swimming events that prohibit the use of wetsuits. She loves the freedom of being in open water without a protective layer of neoprene. “You can feel the water so much better” without a wetsuit, she says.

In an excerpt from her new book 'Why We Swim,' Bonnie Tsui explores the ways that immersion can radically shift our perspective.

Most days, if I’m not in the ocean for a surf at first light, I get into the neighborhood pool by 8:30 A.M. Even when there’s frost on the ground, the water is warm. Unless you’re the lifeguard, blowing the whistle when you want me to get out, I don’t know you exist. For 60 blessed minutes and 3,200 yards, I’m my only audience. In a pool there’s nothing much to look at once the goggles fog over. I have spit and sprayed all manner of antifog fixes into them, and none has kept the mist from creeping up on my vision like cataracts. But I’m OK with that. Sound? The sloshing of water pretty much cancels out everything else. Taste and smell are largely of the chlorine and salt variety—though, at my old pool, I used to smell burgers cooking from the café downstairs. Nowadays I get whiffs of eggs and hash browns from the high school cafeteria next door. Despite all the tech advances of the last few years, you won’t see many swimmers wearing earphones or bone-conduction music devices: they just don’t work that well.