Many people are now enthusiasts for open water swimming, whether in the sea, lakes or rivers. Swimming is an ideal form of exercise and the benefits for health and fitness are evident. Swimming in the natural environment, ie open water, is understood to have further benefits as well as lots of enjoyment, often with a group of like-minded people.

 

There is lots of information about open water swimming across the Internet. One of the best sources is the Swim England guidance on all aspects of open water swimming here.

 

Safety is an essential feature of open water swimming, including understanding of the conditions, deciding whether you should swim on your own or with others, and also what safety equipment you should have with you.

 

All of these fundamentals are covered in the Swim England information, and it’s the good starting point to understand the essential information on safety parameters. For example, it explains how a swimmer should never enter cold water quickly, but should take their time to let their bodies acclimatise to the water temperature and conditions.