Triathlon coach Dermott Hayes says there’s never been a better time to get involved in the UK open water swimming community, so what are you waiting for?
If you mention the words ‘open water swimming’ in any kind of social group these days, it is highly likely one of the group is an avid open water swimmer, or they know a bunch of friends who are addicted to the buzz that people get from dipping in open water, and they are not slow to tell you how much it has changed their lives. Along with the thousands of people who are self-confessed open water swimmers, there are thousands more who are just waiting to pluck up the courage to take the leap and find out exactly what the fuss is all about.
The Outdoor Swimming Society is a UK organisation that was created in the early 2000s and is focused on promoting the right for everybody to swim in open air pools, lidos, lakes and rivers. Back in 2006, they totalled 300 members but now their membership is over 200,000 and growing.
There are not many things that COVID-19 can be credited with in terms of a positive experience that it gave people; however, during those times of limited social activities being available for people, it was permitted for people to join in open water swimming activities and this saw an incredible spike in the number of newcomers to an activity that was already seeing huge growth year on year since around 2010.
The concept of open water swimming is, of course, not a new phenomenon; many of us will have, at some stage in our youth, spent time bobbing about in the sea, lakes or rivers, not necessarily swimming but certainly enjoying the lack of constraints that swimming pools offer and, indeed, the fact there were no costs involved – just a pair of swim trunks or a swimsuit and maybe a rubber ring.
“An entirely different spirit is generated when fitness is not the greatest determinant of ability.”
Modern-day open water swimming is a different concept, with organised venues offering swimming in a safe and controlled manner, although there are a very high number of people who still prefer the complete freedom of a river or the sea. In its most basic form, open water swimming relates to using rivers, lakes or the sea for swimming of any form. There is no set timeframe; there are no specific end goals; no minimal distance must be covered; it simply allows people to do what they want to do in an incredibly non-judgemental manner.
It does not have to be an elite past-time for sports people and, in fact, in the last 10-15 years this area has become densely populated with people of all ages, all sporting backgrounds (including no background at all), all abilities and all socio-economic groups. The bare minimum you need to be an open water swimmer is a set of trunks or swimsuit and you’re ready to go.
If you managed to find a venue or club that hosted open water swimming 15 years ago, it would most likely be targeted at those using it for more of a performance training nature, such as triathletes or club swimmers. In the past five years this has changed to such a degree that the performance swimmers now make up no more than 25% of who you would find at a lake on any given weekend. Instead, the water will be full of people using it for wellness, cold water immersion therapy, transitioning from team contact sports to a lower impact activity and, maybe most importantly, becoming a part of the community that it offers.
There is an entirely different spirit that is generated with an activity where fitness is not the greatest determinant of ability. You are more likely to find people who swam as children and would like to improve their general level of fitness through an exercise that is achievable for all and can be done where they do not feel as though they are the slowest in the group. Open water swimming is an activity where there are no preconceptions: participants are doing it for a vast array of reasons, and they have the opportunity to exercise outdoors and maybe even have some time to themselves. The fact that, in the majority of situations, there is no prerequisite of skill required and, in many cases, only the very basic of swimming ability is required to get started, it really does mean this is an activity that is wholly inclusive.
Get started in open water swimming
As an operator of an open water swimming facility, we ask that all new swimmers complete an induction where they are informed of safety protocols and they need to be able to swim approximately 250m unaided. There are no time limits, just the knowledge that all swimmers know what to do should they get into difficulty. This form of induction is very common at the majority of organised swim venues in the UK. Regardless of prior swimming experience, it should be expected that, if attending a new venue, you take the time to understand how that venue operates.
Starting your journey as an open water swimmer could be as simple as heading to a river or lake and finding a safe place to get in and away you go. However, there should always be an element of caution attached, you cannot be entirely sure as to the safety of the body of water you are entering, especially in terms of its cleanliness. The minimum that would be advised is that you always have a ‘swim buddy’ who is there with you and you work as a team to look after each other.
Preferably new open water swimmers will do their research into a safe and managed area of water before they enter. There are now hundreds of venues across the UK that offer the chance to swim in water that has been quality tested and has a safety team onsite, and these can be found with a simple google search or through the many social media groups set up to promote the benefits of open water swimming.
Organisations such as the National Open Water Coaching Association (NOWCA) are committed to working with private owners, organisations and local authorities to enable more access for people to swim in safely managed environments. At the current time they offer over 45 venues in their network and they have a membership base of 45,000, with 35,000 of these being active regular swimmers. These facilities offer exactly the space for new swimmers to start their journey; in the majority of cases, the team leading the swims will comprise experienced swimmers themselves with a depth of knowledge that is difficult to gain online. The open water swim community is a very inclusive group of people that enjoys seeing others join them and is a font of knowledge for new starters.
When looking for the right group or club to join then ask around, do your research and find out the reputation of the venue before committing to an experience that may put you off.
What kit do I need?
As with many endurance sports, there is a basic level of equipment that will help you get started. Some of it is essential and, after that, it depends on how deep your pockets are or how much you believe the sales pitch about how much faster a piece of equipment will make you. The very basic is a swimsuit, plus goggles if you intend to put your head in. If you are swimming in a body of water where there is no safety team, then a tow float is strongly advised; this is a very lightweight float that flows behind the swimmer and can be held onto to stay afloat if getting tired or needing assistance.
“Have a ‘swim buddy’ and work as a team to look after each other.”
It is very common to see lots of open water swimmers wearing wetsuits that help a swimmer achieve a better body position in the water, as well as keep them warmer. The vast range of wetsuits available can range from £80 to £800, so know what you are after and have a budget – you will find something that’s right for you. Many companies now also offer male- and female-specific sizes and also breaststroke-specific wetsuits because not all swimmers are bothered about the performance of a suit. Other accessories may include neoprene socks and gloves that allow swimmers to stay warmer for longer, especially as the water temperatures drop later in the year. It can seem a little overwhelming but remember you can just start with the basics and pick things up as you continue your swim journey.
Competitive swimming
Despite the fact that, as mentioned, the majority of the open water swim community is involved for personal wellbeing and general fitness reasons, there is also a thriving competitive section that uses open water as an introduction to sports like triathlons or for swim-specific racing. In tandem with the huge growth of open water swimming generally, there has been the creation of many events across the UK, with racing distances varying from 500m up to those who may attempt to swim the length of Windermere at a full 18km and, of course, those with aspirations of swimming the English Channel.
A host of race organisers offer events that include lakes, rivers and sea swim racing and this has become a real area of growth in the mass participation market, while many other endurance events are struggling to attract numbers. One reason for this could be the fact that the cost of a swim-only race is significantly cheaper than a triathlon. Another angle for the open water swimming community for competition is that of Swim England, which hosts annual Open Water Championships for youngsters through to masters, with race distances of 2km, 3km and 5km. These provide the option for club standard swimmers to continue to race competitively but break away from the confines of the pool.
There has never been a better time to be involved with the open water swimming community in the UK. The number of well-managed venues is increasing each year; the number of organisations that offer a pathway to start your swim journey is increasing and their knowledge is always developing; the standard of equipment at reasonable prices is challenging the larger, more expensive brands; and the number of events and competitions has never been as high.
Pluck up the courage, grab your swimmers and head down to a venue near you. Come on in. The water’s lovely.
Useful links
Swim England: https://www.swimming.org/openwater/
NOWCA: https://nowca.org/
Outdoor Swimming Society: https://www.outdoorswimmingsociety.com/
Dermott Hayes
Dermott is a full-time triathlon coach and has been involved in delivering open water swimming since 2010 at a host of venues. He has coached in the region of 4,000 different swimmers. Currently Dermott manages a venue through his own business www.beenduranceopenwater.com and delivers a number of multisport race events.
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