in cold water
What’s your contact with cold water? It’s surprisingly easy to avoid in these days of thermals and centrally heated everything! I’ve been making a conscious effort to seek it out. Walking in the rain, a refreshing morning face splash, 30 seconds under cold water at the end of a shower or a paddle or swim in the sea or river.
It’s refreshing and invigorating. Lots of regular sea swimmers feel that their vitamin sea therapy (vitamin river doesn’t have quite the same ring sadly) really boosts their mental health. I’ve had neuralgia from a young age and the cold water really helps with the nerve pains. I’m no authority on cold water swimming, just an enthusiastic amateur who has seen the changes that cold water has made in my life.
It’s wonderful for watching wildlife and I’ve seen all sorts when I’m sea swimming, spider crab, sand eels, grey mullet, compass lion and moon jelly fish, cormorants and a grey headed seal. I also recently saw a mullet in the river where I swim as it’s at the tidal limit of the Fowey estuary.
Where to swim
I love to swim in the sea when it’s calm and the river when it’s not. I’m lucky enough to live on the Cornish Coast and over the years I’ve swum in sea, rivers and the occasional lake. Before I moved I swam mostly in Bude Sea Pool. It’s a reliable swim regardless of the conditions of the Atlantic. So although it’s often colder than the sea, it’s often a lot less splashy and gaspy. Having migrated over Bodmin Moor to Lostwithiel in East Cornwall I mainly swim in the river and children and husband often come too. I was introduced to the river by Lostwithiel River Swimmers who swim there regularly. It’s currently my favourite swim and I love swimming up river then gliding back down on the current. It’s very magical under the trees.
Here’s Bude Sea Pool
This is a high tide in winter seas and you can see the back edge of the pool semi submerged (hope you enjoy the beautifully drawn arrows!) I decided it was too rough for me that day. It felt like I might be swept over the sea wall and away to Lundy. It would have been perfect if I’d been a few hours earlier or had the patience and the insulation to wait a few more hours.
In the fowey
This is the beautiful River Fowey at Lostwithiel. It’s a 10 minute walk down the hill from my house so I get the pleasure of swimming there every week.
swimming inspired design
Needless to say my love of the wet stuff has inspired my work. Here are some of the products of that inspiration. Cards make a great gift for a swimming friend and the t shirts and hoodies are soft and cosy when you’re warming up after a bracing swim.
If you’d like to see more then here are links to the cards, t shirts and hoodies pages on my website. Do scroll through as they’re organised from XS up to 2XL and as always if your size or colour aren’t there just drop me a message and I can get one printed for you.
What to wear swimming?
I’m a minimalist. I wear trainers and my cozzie. Trainers or sea shoes are great because it means you can walk in confidently without wincing and hopping about on sharp stones, as I figure theres enough to deal with just getting into cold water! I also wear a woolly hat if there’s a keen wind. My husband Tom, on the other hand, is a really good swimmer who’s happy to take on both waves and distances as long as its with a full swimming wet suit, boots and gloves. I think anything goes as long as you feel comfy. But I may be too relaxed about that and rapidly nearing the time when my children will no longer be seen swimming with me.
Spot the trainers! I retire my running shoes to the water.
This actually was one of those amazing days when you can stay in for ages and then come out and air dry without becoming hypothermic! Amazing!
What should i take sea swimming?
Changing towels are great. Thermos. Hat. Hand warmers. Mat to stand on if it’s a muddy river bank.
Warm clothes that are easy to get into when you’re still a bit damp.
Myself and a various assortment of children and animals.
And my dog who doesn’t really like it, so after an initial foray in, just sits on the edge watching me!
Vitamin Sea
I’ve had neuralgia for years and it’s always been triggered by cold winds and rain so I’ve frequently worn a hat in really mild weather to avoid the wind triggering it. I started doing 30 second cold water shower at the end of my warm shower to help me get used to cold water quicker, and a by product of this is that my neuralgia has almost entirely stopped. It was rather miraculous and unexpected. I can now go out without a hat and it no longer causes an attack. Also if I stop the regular cold water I do get signs it’s ready to go again which is sorted with another cold dip. So even though I don’t necessarily get a wet head it seems to have an effect on the nerves in my body which works for my head too.
Mental Health Benefits
I’ll just speak from personal experience on this one. I really look forward to my swim. Quite literally immersing myself in nature feels so incredibly healing and positive. It’s taking a moment to just let everything else go and be present in the water. The cold is wonderful and a bit shocking and makes all other thoughts fade as my body gets used to the temperature and the flow of the water. I love the view down the river as well. It’s like being part of the waters journey for a moment and I get lost imagining where the water has been and what landscapes it’s travelled through before I briefly appeared on it’s route. And when a day or week is particularly challenging if I can possibly make time to go to the river it’s a great respite.
Safety
As with anything like this it’s worth taking a moment to keep yourself safe.
So don’t swim if you feel ill
Let someone know where you’re going and when you’ll be back
Check weather and tide conditions that could affect your swim
Go with someone or find a local swim group if you find strength in numbers!
Check out the button below to see the RNLI advice about rip tides
Happy swimming. I hope it helps you go with the flow :)