Simon Griffiths heads to Kemer in Turkey for a 3-day swimming holiday exploring the Lycian coast

Floating in the warm waters off Kemer, with limestone cliffs towering over me and the Taurus Mountains in the distance, I realised this was no ordinary swimming holiday.

Turkey is a popular swimming holiday destination. It’s easy to see why. The water is clear and warm. Food and accommodation are cheaper than some other Mediterranean destinations. It’s relatively easy to reach from the UK with budget flights to regional airports close to the coast. And there’s plenty to see and do in addition to swimming.

Several of the international swimming holiday companies organise trips to the stretch of coastline referred to variously as the Turquoise Coast and the Turkish Riviera. But our trip was with AquaRally, a local swim trip organiser, which added a layer of adventure as well as generous Turkish hospitality.

Coastal welcome

Our first swim was from Kemer to Kiriş, a distance of around 4km. We met our fellow swimmers near the marina in Kemer, posed for group pictures and started getting to know each other. From here, we headed across a bay and around a headland of vertical limestone cliffs topped with woodland. Behind that loom the mighty Taurus Mountains. It’s quite a backdrop.

The pace was relaxed, with plenty of time to enjoy the sights, take pictures and pause to chat. However, apart from Turgut, the company owner and lead guide, I was the only English speaker. But we managed. We all understood swimming and the universal joy it brings. Later, back on land, we made good use of Google translate.

Kemer is a resort town with a full range of international restaurants, but AquaRally have their own local favourites, which we wouldn’t have found on our own. We spent much of the afternoon eating local food and drinking Turkish çay (chai). Then, for something different, we spent two hours hiking up to the viewpoint on the same headland we’d swum around earlier.

Phaselis

Day two was my favourite swim, around the headland at Phaselis. This was a Roman-era port city, with sheltered bays either side of the headland. It’s only around 250m to walk across the headland and through the ruins, but we swam around, which was about a mile. Here, the golden cliffs stood out in contrast to the dark storm clouds looming over the Taurus Mountains. Some of us swam there and back but there was the option to walk back too. We then had time to explore the ruins. Although it was only a short swim, it was fun to combine swimming with sight-seeing.

Later, our fellow swimmers took us out to sample çiğ köfte. This traditional dish used to be made with raw beef or lamb, but this was banned in 2008 because of health concerns. It is now frequently served as a vegan meal made from bulgar wheat and spices. I thought it was delicious and I’m craving some now as I write.

Olympus

Day 3 took us to another ancient town, that of Olympus, which was captured by the Romans in 78BC (Julius Caeser is said to have been part of the conquering army). I learned too that while the most famous Mount Olympus is in Greece, a number of mountains share that title. Also nearby, although we didn’t have time to visit, are the eternal fires at Yanartaş, which will be on my list if I come back here.

This time we swam directly parallel to the beach for 3km until we reached the entrance to the ruins. After a snack to refuel, we spent an hour exploring, before swimming into a cave and then reversing our earlier swim back along the beach. This was our longest swimming day, and I enjoyed the opportunity to finish off with a straight 3k swim.

Sadly, our swimming trip was only for a long-weekend, but AquaRally also offer longer trips, including live-aboard options.

Authentic Turkish experience

Taking a trip with a local operator such as AquaRally perhaps gives you a more immersive Turkish experience. All the other swimmers were Turkish. But while we could barely communicate, they couldn’t have been more welcoming and friendly. We had an extra day after the swims and our new friends took us into the mountains where we enjoyed gözleme (a stuffed turnover) in an amazing local restaurant in a tree house. We then went to Antalya to explore the old town.

On the other hand, you will need to organise more for yourself than you might do with an international operator. There will possibly be occasions when you have no clue what is going on. It happened to us a couple of times, but we allowed ourselves to be swept along. All we really needed to know was that it involved swimming and there was food at the end. And there was plenty of both.

And isn’t it also amazing how you bond over swimming and food, even if you don’t share a language?

Other trips with AquaRally

I did “AquaRally Antalya 1”, a three-day trip exploring parts of the Lycian coast. Other trips on the AquaRally calendar this year include:

• 16 July: AquaRally Foça 1 – 25km over 5 days
• 1 August: AquaRally Assos – 13.9km over 3 days
• 16 August: AquaRally Ayvalik – 8.5km over 2 days
• 5 September: AquaRally Bozcaada – 6km over 3 days
• 10 September: AquaRally Foça 2 – 25km over 5 days
• 25 September: AquaRally Montenegro – 8km over 4 days
• 9 October: AquaRally Bozburun (Liveaboard) – 9km over 4 days
• 18 October: AquaRally Lycian Way 2 – 4k over 2 days
• 24 October: AquaRally Antalya 2 – 10.7km over 3 days (this is a repeat of the trip I did)

For international swimmers, trips generally include hotel accommodation with breakfast and daily transportation to and from the swims. Meals are typically extra. Local swimmers often make their own accommodation arrangements.

Turgut Esen – Aquarally founder

Turgut (above right) started swimming in 1973. Until 1984, he trained up to 10 kilometres per day with double daily sessions. He has participated in the Çanakkale and Istanbul Strait races for about 30 years and is a three-time overall classification winner in Çanakkale (Dardanelles/Hellespont), where he also holds the course record at 39 minutes. He has won his age group five times in the Istanbul Strait. In 2015, he won a medal in the 3km open water race at the Kazan World Masters Swimming Championship. Additionally, he is the president of Marathon Masters Sports Club, which has 90 Master swimmers.

As the founder of AquaRally, he organises swimming events at 14 different locations along the Aegean and Mediterranean coasts in Turkey, as well as in Montenegro.

Find out more about AquaRally at aquarally.org/en

The post Turkish swimming plus Turkish hospitality appeared first on Outdoor Swimmer Magazine.

How can we train effectively and what can we do to improve our speed without compromising our technique and overall performance? Nicola Butler has your guide

In this issue we are focusing on swimming careers and a range of shorter distance goals within swimming. So how does this link with swimming in the pool? Most events this summer will be host a specific distance in open water, either through a triathlon, or a single open water swim. Some sprint triathlons still use an indoor pool or outdoor lido for their swim section, with a distance goal of around the 400m mark. Many single open water events will offer a series of shorter distance swims ranging from 250m – 1k through a series of loops or a long section.

You may also be training to become a Beach or Open Water Lifeguard, which requires you to swim 400m in a set time. With such a range of distances and goals, how can we train effectively and what can we do to improve our speed without compromising our technique and overall performance?

Speed: a simple formula that explains a lot

Swimming performance in both the pool and open water really does boil down to a simple formula:

Propulsive Force – Resistance = Acceleration

Propulsive force is the forward momentum you create with your arms and legs. Ideally, you need to generate more forward force or reduce resistance to go faster. Most swimmers focus on more power excessive pull and greater effort. Smarter swimming starts with minimising drag. The objective is to create less resistance to achieve more speed from the same amount of effort.

To swim faster and at speed, reducing drag is more effective than trying to increase power.

Now, to improve overall speed, let’s look at how drag occurs in the water and what drills, solutions and sets we can do in the pool to reduce this for shorter distance swims:

Friction drag: This is the water sliding across your skin or suit. It’s minimal, but at high speeds it matters. Solution – shaving key limbs, removing jewellery, wearing tight suits/swimwear and bullet hats.

Form drag: This is the shape of your body in the water. If your head is lifted and hips are dropped, then you’re pushing more water than needed. A long, narrow body moves faster in the water. Drill – practice tight pencil like positions in the water from pencil dives through to simple push and glides off the wall.

Wave Drag: This occurs at the surface. When you push water, you displace it and this results in waves. When you swim at speed, more waves are created. To minimise surface disruption, you must remain more streamlined in the water.

Set & top tips: Short distance sprint training

W/up – 200-400m: Easy as 50fc / 50bk

10-20 x 25m FC power sprints / rest 30 secs: Start from the wall and push off as hard as you can. Aligning the body into a narrow, pencil-like shape, extending arms overhead with hands stacked and locked, head tucked down, and core engaged to maintain a straight line. DO NOT KICK until you resurface (this is a drill). Then sprint as fast as you can with leg kick until you reach the wall. Try not to breath a lot over a 25m sprint. This drill set also helps you to practice sprinting from standstill or in deep water, which replicates many 400m swims/mass starts.

C/dwn – 200-400m: Easy choice stroke

The post <i class="fa fa-lock"></i> Training for speed and shorter distances appeared first on Outdoor Swimmer Magazine.

Adam Comfort tells us about the exciting new chapter in his swimming career

Swimming has always been part of who I am. From my early days as a competitive swimmer to coaching young athletes to school championships, my journey has been about sharing the water and helping others grow. That’s why I’m proud to announce a new chapter – Comfort Academy is officially partnering with NOWCA to deliver the STA Level 2 Open Water Coaching qualification.

My relationship with NOWCA began at Thorpe Lake as a swim coach. Since then, I’ve coached at the Royal Docks, led national swim programmes, and earned qualifications including British Triathlon Level 2 and STA Level 2 Open Water Coaching.

Inspired? Read our Swim Careers issue!

In 2018, I became NOWCA’s Head Coach, a role that allowed me to work closely with swimmers of all abilities – helping them overcome fears, improve technique, and achieve personal bests.

Over the years, I’ve received incredible feedback from swimmers who’ve said I helped them feel more confident, more capable, and even fall in love with open water swimming. Now, I want to pass that on. Through Comfort Academy and in partnership with NOWCA and Love Open Water, I’m delivering training that empowers future coaches to do the same.

For more information about the STA Level 2 Open Water Coaching qualification, upcoming courses dates and to register your interest: nowca.org

The post My NOWCA journey from Swim Coach to Course Leader appeared first on Outdoor Swimmer Magazine.

Guiding swimmers in the water, around the world or locally in the UK sounds like a dream job, but what does it take to be a swim guide and is it as great as it looks? Ella Foote shares what it is like when swimwear is your workwear

If you have ever been on a swimming holiday hosted by expert guides and swim coaches or paid for a swimming experience with one of the many experts we have across the UK and throughout the world, you might have wondered how you could do a similar role or romanticised how a life as a swim guide might look. But behind every Insta-perfect image of a group of swimmers in an interesting location there is a whole lot of work that is unseen by many.

Merging work and pleasure can be both a joy and challenge. If your hobby becomes your job, do you still get the enjoyment and escape from the activity when you are not working? We all know the age-old saying about doing what you love and not working a day… but when money is being exchanged, it doesn’t matter what you do, you have a duty to deliver a product or service. Swim guiding is all of these things – full of joy, community, adventure and growth, but it also comes with a huge responsibility. Yes, pursuing your passion can make work feel less of a burden, but even work you love can still involve challenges, effort, stress and burnout – especially if not balanced with other aspects of life.

What is a swim guide?

In simple terms, a swim guide is a person who leads or supports others in open water swimming experiences like oceans, lakes, or rivers with a focus on safety, navigation, and enjoyment. As outdoor swimming has become increasingly popular, there have been huge developments in products, services and expertise on offer. Like with other popular pursuits, as an industry grows, so do the people in it. There is a blend of psychological, social and economic forces in action when something becomes fashionable and people don’t just rush to participate, but they also are quick to teach or guide others.

When I set up my swim-guiding business, Dip Advisor, in 2018 there was a huge gap in what was being offered to casual swimmers looking for adventure and experiences without the need for long, or challenging goals. Many people could swim but didn’t know ‘how’ to swim in open water and just wanted somewhere safe to swim, play and explore with the knowledge and comfort that someone else had scoped out the risk and was on hand to help if needed. While there is still demand for similar, there are more people who offer experience and expertise within communities. Peer support groups like The Bluetits, Mental Health Swims and open water venues are stepping into this space, which is changing the swim-landscape again.

Suzanna Cruickshank, known as Suzanna Swims, is an outdoor swim guide based in the Lake District and author of Swimming Wild in the Lake District. She set up her business in 2016 and has seen many ebbs and flows in the industry since. “The best thing about the job is facilitating experiences for people who wouldn’t otherwise do it – those who are anxious, inexperienced and those with a lack of local knowledge,” says Suzanna. “Seeing how your skills and knowledge make a positive difference for people is really rewarding. However, it can often feel like it isn’t a legitimate way to earn a living and you are doing it for altruistic reasons even though the set-up costs are eye watering. Now there is also competition with an overwhelming amount of content on social media, with dangerous online advice from inexperienced influences and there is a trend for confidence over competence.”

Why would you pay someone to swim outdoors?

On a recent trip with SwimQuest, another tourist stopped to chat to ask what we were doing and when I explained we were all on a swimming holiday they seem surprised.

“Why would you pay for someone to take you on holiday to swim,” they said. “Just go on holiday and then go swimming,” they continued with a laugh. It isn’t the first and won’t be the last time I am challenged about the need for a swim coach, guide or expert and perhaps you agree. But here’s the thing, when you have confidence in your own ability, or have a decent amount of personal experience in any discipline, it is easy to forget what it is like to be a beginner or unskilled in your chosen activity.

Today, we have access to a huge amount of free information, instruction and lessons. If you don’t know how to do something, you could search the internet and there will be someone telling you how or showing you on a video. But with swimming, especially outdoors where the environment and conditions can change in an instant, there is a level of risk that, thankfully, many people are not willing to take without proper guidance.

Swimming guides, experts and coaches don’t just rock up and take you swimming. A good guide will have a wealth of experience and skills they have learnt by doing and learning through qualifications that can keep you and them safe. A fellow swimmer may be kind enough to take you to a swim spot they wish to share, or keep you company on a more adventurous swim, but what if something went wrong? Do either of you have the knowledge and skills to make a risk assessment, rescue, problem solve or administer basic first aid?

Too often, especially in spring and summer, we read headlines about swimmers getting into difficulty and often fatalities could have been avoided with some basic information or consideration from those involved. A good guide will have a lifeguarding qualification that meets the needs of the location they are swimming, will know first aid including CPR, will understand and have knowledge of outdoor environments and how to mitigate risk. They will have insurance, perhaps a swim teaching or coaching qualification. They will know their own abilities and limitations and will take time to understand yours. Their role is to facilitate the best and most joyful experience but also keep you safe.

Location, location, location

One of the best things about swim guiding is being able to support and offer swimmers opportunity to swim in beautiful, adventurous, challenging and exciting locations. This could be a simple dip in a new-to-them location or supporting a personal challenge like crossing a Channel or swimming the length of a lake. There are some brilliant swim-holiday companies across the world such as SwimQuest, The Big Blue, Strel Swimming Adventures, SwimTrek and Active England Tours. These all offer longer swims between islands, encounters with local wildlife, swimming in clear-blue waters, companionship and support. These business spend time scoping out locations, mapping swims, risk assessing, training and organising clients. People who attend these trips often talk about life-changing experiences and meeting new friends, all while doing what they love – swimming.

Paul Parish is a swim guide and coach for SwimQuest as well as supporting swimmers who take part in charity swims for Aspire. Paul was late to learning to swim properly, not mastering a proper stroke until his late 30s, but perhaps that is what makes being supported and guided by him so enjoyable. This year Paul is taking on his own solo crossing of the English Channel, which is fitting after he has supported so many other swimmers with their goals. “I love seeing the transformation in swimmers over the course of a week on a SwimQuest trip,” says Paul. “People really grow in confidence and by day three you begin to see people transform and realise their own potential. Often people will say: ‘I can’t believe I did that / swam that far/ kept up with the group / learnt that.’ You really feel like you have been the catalyst for good.”

Blame it on the weatherman…

Working outdoors in the elements isn’t for the faint-hearted. As well as learning, understanding and scoping out forecasts and conditions leading up to a swim and before anyone dips a toe, you also have to be actively monitoring the situation as soon as swimmers enter the water. When you start really examining a swim location, you will see and understand there are often thousands of risks to people when swimming outdoors. A swim guide’s job is to mitigate the risk and in some cases, not allow swimming to take place at all, which for clients can be disappointing and frustrating. “There’s nothing more frustrating than knowing the swims you could offer but can’t put into practice because there’s a force seven blowing across the sea and all you can do is try to be creative with guests in other ways,” says Paul.

It’s difficult to disappoint people when they have paid good money and are willing to get in the water regardless. But a good swim guide puts the wellbeing and safety of the group above all else. As frustrating as it can be, there is always another chance to swim or a different way to enjoy a location; it is truly better to be safe than sorry. Because, bluntly, the alternative is putting people in danger and having to deal with a fatality. I have often made decisions that have been on the edge of what might be seen as unsafe by some but overly cautious by others. Making a risk assessment is about so much more than the swimmer and the location. It is about people’s ability to cope in the conditions based on their skill and experience. It is about ever-changing conditions and environmental factors, some you can see, some that may be upstream or across the ocean.

Gilly McArthur (pictured above left) is a cold-water swim coach working predominantly in the Lake District and Scotland. “I love finding opportunities to create work in the outdoors on my own terms,” she says. “I love giving people that first experience in cold water; it’s like throwing a pebble into still water and seeing where the ripples go. Helping people believe they are greater than they think and can achieve more is a true gift, and I never tire of seeing people’s faces light up with that experience. But, the paperwork, risk assessments, health waivers and keeping up with relevant qualifications can be arduous. The weather, especially in the north, can be tough. Sometimes, I simply don’t want to be outside getting wet with strangers!”

Sounds wild, I want to do it…

There isn’t an exhaustive list of qualifications that you need to be a swim guide, coach or expert. That is the scary thing, there isn’t one governing body to monitor, protect you and/or your clients, which means it is your job to do the research, work and qualifications required in the places you wish to guide. If you want to take people up a mountain to find remote swim spots, a mountain leader qualification is probably a good idea as well as a lifeguarding certification. If you are hoping to largely work in and around an ocean, you will need a different set of skills.

Here are some organisations to explore:

Swim teaching and coaching
• STA (Swimming Teachers Association), sta.co.uk
• Swim England, swimming.org

Lifeguarding and water safety
• RLSS (Royal Lifesaving Academy), rlss.org.uk
• RNLI (Royal Lifeboat Institute), rnli.org
• Surf Lifesaving GB, slsgb.org.uk

Mountain & outdoor skills
• Mountain Training, mountain-training.org

Boating & motorcraft
• RYA Royal Yachting Association, rya.org.uk

The post <i class="fa fa-lock"></i> So, you want to be a swim guide? appeared first on Outdoor Swimmer Magazine.

Sometimes the dreams that get away make the best books, as Simon Griffiths finds out from sports presenter Vassos Alexander during a swim in the Thames

Vassos Alexander had a simple plan: swim the English Channel and write a book celebrating his triumph.

Minor spoiler alert. He didn’t manage to swim across the English Channel. But he did write a book. Not the book he had promised his publisher but, in his assessment, a better one.

You might know Vassos as a sports presenter on Virgin Radio. You may have read his running books. I read his Don’t Stop Me Now: 26.2 Tales of a Runner’s Obsession long before I met him for the first time.

His new book, Swimmingly: Adventures in Water, is the result of Vassos not swimming the English Channel. It chronicles his journey into swimming, starting from childhood memories in Greece, where he associated swimming with freedom and adventure, to rediscovering the joy and challenge of outdoor swimming during the pandemic.

In Swimmingly, the Channel serves as a MacGuffin – something that drives the plot forwards, is essential to the protagonist, but turns out to have little relevance to the book’s core themes. Instead, it’s the journey that matters and the self-discovery, friendships and adventures that it enables.

I met Vassos for a swim in the Thames near Teddington Lock. It’s a spot he’s familiar with as he restarted his connection with swimming here during the pandemic and now occasionally swims with the local Bluetits group. It’s immediately clear that he’s evangelically passionate about swimming outdoors, in all its forms.

“I love it,” he says, with huge emphasis on the word love. “Yes, I’m a runner, but I’m equally a swimmer now. I find myself swimming more and more. It’s just lovely. It’s life affirming. You’re right there, in nature. Right in nature. And you come out feeling reborn. Every time. As you can tell, I’m a bit besotted.”

He tells me that he’s become especially attached to cold water swimming. So much so, in fact, that he feels melancholic for winter when spring rolls around. He’s even installed an ice bath in his garden so he can continue getting his cold water fix in the summer.

Out of time

We then spoke about the strangeness of his experience of time on long distance swims. For Vassos, the first 20 minutes or so of a long swim are a struggle and seem to take for ever.

“They’re horrific,” he says. “But then something happens in your brain. You sort of become at one with your stroke, the water, the feel of the water over your skin, and then hours can go by in what feels like seconds.

“It’s sensory deprivation. You can’t see. You can’t hear. It’s just, your stroke and your breath. I lose myself. It’s like magic.”

Respect

Vassos confesses that he didn’t give the English Channel the respect it deserves and put on the weight he needed to. As an accomplished endurance athlete he believed his mental strength and staying power would carry him through.

He says, “I thought I could haphazard my way through the Channel, as I do with the rest of my life. But it turns out, with the Channel, you can’t.”

All through training, and writing the book in parallel, his assumption was that it would end with him standing on a beach in France, arms raised in triumph.

Instead, he says the book has turned into a celebration of swimming and the many swimmers he spoke or swam with on his swimming journey.

“And it’s better for it,” he says.

A leisurely dip

For our swim, I wasn’t sure if Vassos wanted to pound out a training session or enjoy a leisurely dip and chat. His swimming costume choice of baggy beach shorts suggested the latter, but then he pulled out a pair of serious looking googles and a swimming cap, and I started worrying he wanted to get a few miles in. “They’re for the photos,” he explained, when he saw my apprehension.

It turned out it was his second swim of the day and he’d also been in the gym for a workout. I was also just back from the pool. We swam a few minutes of head down front crawl, just to prove we could, and then, by mutual unspoken agreement, switched to head-up breaststroke. We pottered and chatted for around 20 minutes, then went for a cup of tea. It was one of the most pleasant interviews I’ve ever done.

Vassos Alexander’s new book ‘Swimmingly: Adventures in Water’ is published by Bloomsbury

The post <i class="fa fa-lock"></i> It’s all going swimmingly for Vassos Alexander appeared first on Outdoor Swimmer Magazine.

The first Swimmable Cities summit was held in Rotterdam in the Netherlands last month. It started with a ‘big splash’ on International Bathing Day. Ella Foote jumped in and discovered there is hope for our waterways. 

It wasn’t just world leaders gathering in the Netherlands in June, over 200 representatives from over 20 countries united and plunged into the water at the world’s first Swimmable Cities Summit in Rotterdam. British Olympian Toby Robinson and American Ultramarathon swimmer Katie Pumphrey were among the delegates who started the summit with an ‘opening splash’ into Rotterdam’s Rijnhaven, one of the oldest ports on the south bank of the Nieuwe Maas River. The summit was held less than a year into the beginning of an international alliance that includes 153 organisations across 83 cities and towns, and 30 countries.  

The Swimmable Cities alliance was formed after the project to clean up the River Seine climaxed at the 2024 Paris Olympics. The summit builds on work done in Paris and across other European cities to create a global network of swimmable urban waterways. “Last summer, I took part in one of the most significant and talked about swims in history – the marathon swimming event at the Paris Olympic Games,” says Team GB athlete Toby Robinson. “That moment demonstrated to me that The Olympic Games can be a force for change, inspiring tangible action to make cleaner, healthier waterways for entire urban populations and this week I was at the summit to put my weight behind this important global movement.” 

A three-day programme of presentations, workshops (with swimming breaks) brought together government, grassroot communities and business leaders to explore the development of urban swimming. As cities and communities across the world face climate change, biodiversity loss and increasing urbanisation, people are rediscovering and reclaiming their rivers and harbours. It isn’t just the UK that has seen an increase in wild and outdoor swimming, there is a growing international community who love to swim. But many of the world’s waterways remain unsafe, unhealthy and inaccessible for swimmers and wildlife. There is an urgent need for better collaboration around improvement strategies and, crucially, better data to determine the ‘swimmability’ of the world’s urban water.  

The summit was held on the banks of the Nieuwe Maas River in the Rijnhaven which is now home to a floating park and designated swimming area, the only legal place to swim in Rotterdam’s city centre. It is a great example of what a city can do when it commits to water management and climate change. “Rotterdam is a city shaped by water – and increasingly, reclaimed by it in the best possible way. Hosting the world’s first Swimmable Cities Summit reflects our deep commitment to creating healthy, inclusive and climate-resilient urban environments,” says City of Rotterdam Vice Mayor, Pascal Lansink-Bastemeijer. “This summit is not just about swimming – it’s about restoring our relationship with water, and leading together toward cleaner, more liveable cities for future generations.” 

The summit explored several themes which included, governance around the right to swim and nature rights, waterway restoration and water quality, swimming communities, investment from public and private partnerships, water literacy and education and water diplomacy across nations. “Access to water should be a civil right, not a nice to have” says Toby. “Nothing is free in London, but here anyone can turn up and swim, for free, in the Rijnhaven and as a result the area is buzzing with energy. Local restaurants, cafes and bars are full, it isn’t just healthy for the community it is healthy for the local economy too. If swimmers are thriving, then their city is.” 

“Every citizen should feel that urban waterways are theirs to experience and protect,” says Oumaima Ouaissa, Youth Leader at Wavemakers United, a non-profit community of students, young professionals, and athletes with a passion for water. “Clean and safe urban waterways are not just environmental assets, they are vital spaces for connection, health and wellbeing.”

The Swimmable Cities alliance has launched an international research initiative to establish a baseline for the swimmability of urban waterways worldwide. This means collaboration across environmental science, urban planning, public health and community engagement. It is about establishing ‘swimmability’ as an indicator for urban liveability; with specific criteria to benchmark waterway health, accessibility, biodiversity, and social impact. The process will allow cities to measure progress, share best practices, and accelerate the transformation of polluted or neglected waterways into safe and swimmable public spaces. “This Summit demonstrates that city swimming is not just possible, it’s a right.  By the time a city is swimmable, it is more climate resilient, healthier and more equitable,” says Matt Sykes, Co-Founder & Convenor, Swimmable Cities. 

While the UK is plagued with media reports of ecologically dead rivers, dumped sewage and poor water quality, you could assume we are alone in our issues. But not only are Brits world-famous for their love of wild water, we lead when it comes to community groups connecting and swimming regardless. The act of swimming has become an act of protest, whether that is for access to water, clean bathing areas or protection of our environments. The summit highlighted common issues across borders and rather than that feeling bleak, it felt quietly hopeful. If water can bring us together from our local communities to form a global bond, then Swimmable Cities could be a strategy for our world leaders to pay attention to. It demonstrates that urban swimming is not just a passing trend but a movement that could have social, economic and climate benefits. 

Swimmable Cities Charter 

The purpose: 

– Making peace with nature 

– Promoting the rights to life 

– Empowering people in practice 

– Swimming to sustainable development 

– Investing in a better future for all 

– Connecting south, north, east & west 

Founding Principles 

1. THE RIGHT TO SWIM: 

Safe, healthy and swimmable waterways should be accessible to all people. 

2. ONE HEALTH, MANY SWIMMERS: 

Swimmable urban waterways are vital to the liveability of cities and communities, as shared civic places that promote the health of people 

3. URBAN SWIMMING CULTURE: 

Urban swimming culture is a unique expression of life in cities and communities, reflecting the distinct interplay of sports, recreation and tourism. 

4. WATER IS SACRED: 

Urban swimming should celebrate natural waterways as living, integrated entities that nurture communities, promoting universal accessibility and peaceful coexistence inclusive of religious, cultural and gender diversity. 

5. REWRITING THE RULES: 

Urban waterway swimming should become part of a new status quo in public access standards with governing authorities swiftly amending legal and regulatory frameworks to enable citizens access to its benefits. 

6. DEMOCRATIC PARTICIPATION IN SWIMMING PLACES: 

Urban swimming places and experiences should be planned, designed, made and operated through inclusive, integrated water management approaches. 

7. RECONNECTION & RESILIENCE: 

Urban swimming places and experiences should be invested in as an innovative way to enable resilient communities to adapt and thrive in a changing global climate, environment and economy. 

8. NEW ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES 

Urban swimming development models should balance social, cultural, ecological and economic values, creating new jobs, careers and livelihoods in regenerative professions and industries. 

9. SHARING WELLBEING BENEFITS, CULTURE & KNOWLEDGE: 

Urban swimming should create wellbeing benefits to local citizens, ecosystems and economies; enhanced by the respectful sharing of Indigenous, traditional and Western water culture knowledge. 

10. STEWARDSHIP FOR TODAY, TOMORROW & FUTURE GENERATIONS: 

Urban swimmers are stewards responsible for protecting the health of their local waterways, working alongside Mother Earth’s closest carers, such as Indigenous peoples, rangers and waterkeepers as well as urbanists, architects, social changemakers, educators and policy-makers. 

For more information or to get involved, visit swimmablecities.org 

The post <i class="fa fa-lock"></i> Swimmable Cities: the urban swimming movement appeared first on Outdoor Swimmer Magazine.

It’s a mental as much as a physical thing, says Simon Griffiths

In my 20s, I lived in West Africa for three years. Whenever I had the opportunity, I swam in the Atlantic. My favourite days were those with an offshore breeze and waves of between about 0.5m and a metre high. 

These were the best conditions for body surfing. The waves rolled towards the beach in neat rows. As they started to break, the wind whisked spray from the crests. Catching the wave at the right moment meant an exhilarating ride to the beach, aquaplaning on my hand and chest, water arcing either side of my face.

But often the wind blew from the sea creating messy conditions, chop on top of waves. This made body surfing tricky or impossible. Yet I still wanted to swim, so I swam parallel to the beach, just beyond the breakers, or sometimes in the white water, letting the waves push and pull me as they desired.

I wasn’t training. I was just messing around in the sea, having fun. But years later, I realised this experience had given a solid grounding for swimming events in the sea or any time conditions get a little rough.

Go and play

When swimming in rough water, expect some or all of the following to happen:

• You turn to breathe and get a mouthful of water
• You lift your head to sight and get smacked in the face by a wave
• Your recovering arm gets bashed by a wave that messes up your stroke
• You catch air or foam instead of water
• You can’t find your usual swimming rhythm
• You feel like you’re not getting anywhere

The way to deal with these things is to relax, stay calm and keep swimming. But don’t be a rag doll. Hold your core for stability and to help you cut through the water. If you miss a breath, you just have to hold your breath until your next stroke. If you don’t see what you’re looking for when you sight, keep trying until you do. If your stroke doesn’t connect, try again.

But that’s just in theory. In practice, you don’t want to overthink it. You need to swim and stay in the moment. Ideally, your responses should almost be on autopilot. 

The way to achieve this is to swim a lot in a wide range of conditions. A fun way to do this is simply to go and play in the waves. Swim in and out, left and right. Dive under them. Try to swim over them. Surf them. Let yourself be knocked around by them. Experiment.

Here are some things to try:

• When swimming parallel to incoming waves, first breathe towards them, then away from them. Which do you find easier?
• Can you adjust the rhythm of your stroke to the pattern of the waves?
• What works best for you: short speedy strokes or long powerful ones? Does it vary depending on the conditions?
• Pay attention to your hands. Does lifting them higher make any difference? 

As you practice, you should find that swimming in rough water becomes intuitive. Instead of resenting or fearing the waves, you’ll enjoy them. Instead of fighting the water, you’ll feel at one with it.

Can you practice for rough water in the pool?

You may have come across attempts to simulate swimming in rough water in the pool. I’ve seen coaches put their swimmers into two rows, either side of a lane, and asking them to use kick-boards to churn up the water. Swimmers then take it in turns to swim down the middle through the churned-up water.

I can see this might be fun (although it doesn’t appeal to me) and if you have no access to natural rough water, it may be better than nothing.

However, your time in the pool is probably better spent refining your technique and building your fitness. Good technique in the pool carries through to the open water, even when the waves are doing their best to mess it up.

Up your mental game

As well as training your body to manage rough water, you can prepare your mind. With practice, the two develop together, but see if you can do the following too:

• See rough water as a challenge, not a threat. It’s an opportunity to test your swimming skills against nature.
• Stay in the moment. If you find your mind asking “when will this end”, divert your attention to your breath or catch or something to focus on now rather than thinking ahead. 
• Be the calm at the centre of the storm. Let the water rage while you glide calmly through it.
• Be grateful you have the opportunity to be where you are. Not everyone can do this.

Stay safe

Rough water increases the risks involved in swimming. Here are a few things to think about to stay safe.

• Stay close to your fellow swimmers and check you can see them every few seconds. It’s easier to get separated in rough water and harder to find people.
• Stay away from reefs and other hard objects. The sea will throw you about. You don’t want to be dragged across a barnacle encrusted rock.
• Take extra care getting into and out of the water. On a beach, waves can knock you over or slam pebbles into your toes. Watch the waves and pick your moment.
• When body surfing, a breaking wave can tumble you over and push you under. Hold your breath. In a few seconds, the wave will leave you behind and you can surface – but watch out for the next wave.

The post <i class="fa fa-lock"></i> How to get ready for swimming in rough water appeared first on Outdoor Swimmer Magazine.

The longer we can keep our gear going, the less we need to produce, say Lee Newby who runs a makers and repairers brand from Bude, North Cornwall

Please can you introduce us to Rooted Ocean…

Rooted Ocean is a makers and repairers brand founded in 2014. The initial concept was to create a manufacturing and repair model that wasn’t really seen in the outdoor world at the time. We loved to surf and hang out in the sea and so it was obvious that we needed to make surf and outdoor inspired gear that would last. After a lot of thinking around permaculture, the earth and other aspects, we realised that repairing not only what we make, but products by other brands, was the way forward. We started with wetsuits and grew the offering as it was required. We now pride ourselves on a full lifetime repair warranty on all our gear and operate a Repair Centre from The Workshop in Bude.

How does the Repair Centre work?

The Repair Centre is a simple feature within The Workshop. You can either book online or stop by to book your repair. Our team offers a 7-10 day turnaround and caters for pretty much everything, but primarily wetsuits (mainly rips, tears and zip issues) as well as zips and patches on changing robes, backpacks and boardbags. 

Why is it important to make our swimming gear last longer?

Historically, ocean going gear isn’t that environmentally friendly. Neoprene, while vastly better in the last few years, has notoriously bad eco credentials in terms of its production, working conditions and the carbon footprint of shipping it around the world. There are some interesting companies making real changes but we must do our bit as consumers, to make sure we keep our kit going as long as possible. After all everything, no matter how ‘eco’, is still a product! The longer we can keep our gear going, the less we need to produce.

What are the most common repairs needed on wetsuits?

The main repairs we see are connected to zip issues or rips; these usually require a patch. We remove the problem area and glue, stitch and tape in a new piece of neoprene, using salvaged neoprene where possible.

What happens to wetsuits after they’re thrown out?

There are some great wetsuit recycling companies now. Generally though, it requires shipping the waste suits around the world to get recycled. It seems counter productive, especially if the upcycled product then needs to be shipped out again. If a wetsuit can’t be fixed, we’ll still find a solution. We take a huge number of wetsuits in for salvage, stripping them for neoprene to use on other repairs. We’ve also recently launched a range of dog leads with waste neoprene in the handle.  

Do you have any tips for making a wetsuit last longer?

Keep it clean! Storing it in a bucket covered in sand doesn’t help with longevity. The zips corrode, and the nylon on the rubber perishes. Keep it clean and dry. If you’re storing it, a little spray of lubricant on the zip will help. The big one is: don’t leave it until the wetsuit needs five patches and a new zip before you book it in!

The post Need a wetsuit repair? Meet Rooted Ocean appeared first on Outdoor Swimmer Magazine.

Prevent water and bacteria from entering the ear canal and reduce the chance of ‘swimmer’s ear’ with our pick of the best ear plugs – and alternatives for those who don’t like to wear ear plugs

SURFEARS 4.0

£54.95

Pro: Doesn’t block sound
Con: Pricy but built to last
We loved the new SurfEars 4.0 ear plugs! Designed for surfers, they’re built to last. In the pool, they felt soft and exceptionally comfortable. Designed to keep water out while allowing sound in, we could still hear our coach. Most importantly for open water, they’re on an adjustable wire so you won’t lose them. They’re also made from recycled ocean plastics and repurposed silicone, and come in a nifty case, with ventilation holes, a magnetic snap closure and carabiner. JT

Buy now

HAPPY EARS Ocean Plastics Discovery Pack

£26.50

Pro: Pro: Made from ocean plastics
Con: Tiny case, might be easy to lose
The earplug business is a dirty business; more than 1 billion single-use ear plugs are thrown away every year. Happy Ears are the first eco-friendly earplugs made of ocean plastics. The ear plugs come in three sizes; the Ocean Plastics Discovery Pack lets you to try all three. The plugs have a neat design: a soft oval part with a short stem designed to replicate the inner ear canal. They’re tiny, but they stayed put during our swim, kept water out and felt comfortable. They also soften with wear, are washable and durable, so should last well. JT

Buy now

EARVOLUTION Putty Buddies Floating Ear Plugs

Pro: One size fits all
Con: Block sound as well as water 
Putty Buddies are made of soft and moldable silicone. After working the putty a little, you flatten it over the ear opening to create a water- and sound-proof barrier. They were the most effective in blocking water and sound although, personally, we prefer to be able to hear a little. We liked the fluorescent colours, which would be easy to spot if they did fall out. Although, wearing them with the Ear Band-It ULTRA headband, a soft neoprene headband shaped to cover the ears, they weren’t going anywhere.

Buy now

ORCA Neoprene Headband, £14

£14

Pro: Good solution if you don’t like ear plugs
Con: Doesn’t keep 100% of the water out
Super stretchy and comfortable, this 2.5mm neoprene headband covers the ears really well, protecting them from cold water and keeping ear plugs in place. A Velcro strap at the back allows you to adjust it for the perfect fit. They also worked well for those of us who feel dizzy swimming in cold water but don’t like wearing ear plugs. Whether it was because the tight-fitting headband kept most of the water out or because it warmed the water up, we found it had a noticeable effect on reducing dizziness in open water.

Buy now

All products were chosen independently by our editorial team. This review contains affiliate links and we may receive a commission for purchases made. Click here to subscribe to the magazine. Read more Outdoor Swimmer gear reviews.

The post Best swimming ear plugs (and alternatives) appeared first on Outdoor Swimmer Magazine.

What’s the best sunscreen for outdoor swimmers? We put ten sun lotions, mineral sunscreens and zinc sun sticks to the test

GREEN PEOPLE Mineral Sports+ SPF30 Sun Cream

£30

They say: Conquering your next run, diving into the waves or enjoying the thrill of horse riding? If you’re spectating or participating in outside sport, this mineral SPF is the one for you. Rich in ray-reflecting Zinc Oxide that offers high-factor defence against UVA and UVB sunlight, this sports sun cream is great for all skin types. There’s no need to wait about for your sun filters to absorb, this SPF protects from the moment you apply it! Did we mention it’s reef-safe, water repellent and has great staying power too, perfect for swimming and water sports.

We say: This was a dream to apply and smelt amazing. We wore it on an hour-long sea swim and it left our skin feeling moisturised and smooth. Knowing it’s ocean-safe is important for us swimmers as we want to protect the water we swim in. It also didn’t clog the skin, meaning our tester didn’t break out in the usual heat bumps. The light, non-greasy formula means it’s ideal for the face and can be worn daily.

Buy now

STREAM2SEA Every Day Sunscreen SPF 45

£25.95

This is a 100% mineral sunscreen, so you can wear this in protected waters where sunscreen is banned, like Hawaii. I really liked the feel on the skin, not claggy or greasy. Like many mineral creams, it does leave a slight white sheen on the skin, but it is a great protection and perfect for swimming. Apply before heading outside for best results.

Get 10% off with code OUTDOORSWIMMER

LIFEJACKET Sun Protection Spray SPF50

£24

They say: A quick-dry and water resistant SPF 50+ sun protection spray for body, face and scalp. Originally designed for people with thinning or bald heads, the fluid get straights to your scalp, dries quickly and doesn’t leave any residue or whiteness. No hassle, no stinging eyes and no stickiness, the quick-dry oil spreads easily, glides onto the skin, absorbs quickly and doesn’t get stuck in hair. Perfect before a long period of sun exposure or if going out on the water because it doesn’t come off easily giving you strong protection no matter how hard you push it.

We say: This is a lovely light oil that does as exactly as promised, spreads easily and is quickly absorbed. The fact that it isn’t sticky meant our hands were free to adjust goggles and tow float on our river swim. We also tested the hair application, which works as well as it claims without being oily. The only thing we didn’t like was the direct spray style, more of a squirt than a mist-style spray.

Buy now

SHADE All-Natural Sunscreen SPF25

£12.75

They say: Award winning product Shade All-Natural Sunscreen is an effective, natural mineral sunscreen. With only 4 ingredients to moisturise and protect skin from the broadest spectrum of damaging UVA and UVB rays, Shade has been developed to keep your skin naturally healthy whilst blocking rays that can burn and cause sun damage. Suitable for all skin types and all ages.

We say: We were intrigued by this mineral-based sunscreen, which contains only four ingredients – shea butter, coconut oil, zinc oxide and bees wax – yet promises to offer SPF25 protection and reflect 96% of harmful sun rays. The solid block, which comes in a metal tin, smells like coconut sweets and is easy to apply, leaving a matt sheen. Unlike other sunscreens we tried it’s not tested for water resistance, so while the high level of oil and wax means it stays on your skin in water, you need to reapply generously afterwards. It also doesn’t degrade neoprene!

Buy now

PELOTAN SPF 30 Spray + 50ml Roll On

£30

They say: Pelotan is high-performance sun protection designed specifically to improve performance, maximise comfort and allow athletes to spend more time doing what they love without risking skin damage. Designed for use by athletes, it has been laboratory tested as lasting up to 8 hours at SPF 30, even with sweat. It is engineered for use in sports where the skin’s ability to breathe and sweat effectively is absolutely paramount. Pelotan’s unique formula binds with the skin without blocking pores, meaning your body can effectively regulate temperature.

We say: We tried Pelotan SPF 30 Spray and Roll On. Both are easy to apply and have a light coconut scent. Unlike some sun creams, it rubs in quickly and doesn’t leave the skin feeling greasy. We tested it before a run on a hot day. If we weren’t paying attention because of the test, we would have forgotten we had any on. Sweating was normal. It’s a good choice for long swims and multisport. We will definitely use it for our next swimrun event.

Buy now

ORGANII SPF 50 Sun Milk

£27.95

They say: The perfect sun protection for the whole family. Our certified organic SPF 50, fragrance free, mineral Sun Milk is suitable for babies, children and adults and will protect the most delicate skin from the harsh sun rays. It blends effortlessly and is quickly absorbed, leaving more time for fun in the sun. The high-protection formula has a fluid consistency so there is no residue left on the skin after application, while protecting your skin from the UVA & UVB rays naturally and safely. Non-nano Zinc Oxide and non-nano Titanium Dioxide sit on top of the skin, reflecting the Sun’s rays and creating a protective barrier.

We say: As you might expect from a SPF 50 mineral sunscreen, the Organic Sun Milk applies thickly and leaves a white cast on your skin initially, but it soon absorbs and we were surprised to discover that our skin felt soft rather than sticky. In fact, it did seem to have a lasting moisturising effect, thanks to the nourishing natural oils, which we felt grateful for after a lido swim. Although it’s pricey, you only need to use a small amount on your skin.

Buy now

SUNTRIBE Zinc Sun Stick

£16.31

They say: An all natural zinc sunscreen that stays on in both big waves and sweaty activities on land. Doesn’t contain any questionable ingredients and free from chemicals that harm coral reefs, it also won’t cause a mess on your fingers or sting if it gets in the eyes. Made with Non-Nano Zinc Oxide, this reef safe sports sunscreen creates a protective shield on top of your skin from the first moment of application. Unparalleled water resistance and high performance functionality loved by professional athletes and everyday adventurers.

We say: This water resistant and sweat resistant Zinc Sun Stick is a push-up stick, that you can apply to key areas of your face that might get sun damage while in the water such as the nose, cheeks, ears and lips. It comes in five colours, which show on your skin rather than being absorbed. We tested the ‘mud tint’, which is a discrete brown tone that blends in with your natural skin tones. Easy to apply, it didn’t leave us with sticky hands to smear on our goggles and the precise application meant it was one of the only sunscreens tested that didn’t cause issues for nose clip wearers.

Buy now

THE INTREPID EXPLORER Travel Size Sunscreen SPF 50

£16.99

They say: Embark on sun-soaked escapades with our SPF 50 Moisturising Sunscreen. Our special broad spectrum cream formula not only protects you from the sun, but keeps your skin nourished. Designed for maximum protection against UVA and UVB rays. Good for the whole family including sensitive skin. The Travel Size (60ml) is practical and lightweight and ideal for cyclists, campers, climbers and other intrepid explorers, weekend adventurers and daring day trippers who need a natural hair and body wash but need to travel light.

We say: Although still offering a SPF 50 protection, The Intrepid Explorer Sunscreen had thinner consistency to other liquid sunscreens on test, which meant that it rubbed in instantly and had a barely-there feel. Without having to check with friends if you still had a white layer sitting on your skin, this sunscreen felt much quicker to apply and left less of a sheen. Our skin felt soft and moisturised and we weren’t left feeling sticky.

Buy now

SEVENTY ONE The Invisible Face Sun Stick SPF50

£17.90

They say: At SeventyOne Percent, we are proud to offer you natural and environmentally friendly sunscreen products. We use natural ingredients such as karanja oil, shea butter and coconut oil to protect your skin against harmful UV rays. The Invisible Face Sun Stick SPF50 is high invisible sun protection for outdoor enthusiasts. It has an ocean-friendly eco formula developed and tested, is very resistant to water and perspiration and has an invisible and non-sticky texture.

We say: This handy sun stick is super easy to apply – especially on young children as you don’t need to rub it in – doesn’t feel sticky and is immediately transparent. It’s ideal for applying to sensitive areas such as the face, lips, shoulders and scars and is very water resistant. It also smells delicious and has a moisturising effect thanks to the mango butter, jojoba and mimosa wax. We liked its convenient size, which fits easily in a pocket.

Buy now

GREEN PEOPLE SPF15 Sun Cream with Natural Insect Repellent

£30

They say: Demand more from your sun care when you choose this dual-action certified organic sun cream with natural insect repellent. Designed to ‘do it all’, SPF15 shields against sun damage while DEET-free Citrepel 75 provides PMD-powered protection against mosquitoes, midges and more for up to 4 hours. And that’s with just one application! Non-whitening, non-nano SPF15 Zinc Oxide provides medium mineral sun protection against UVA and UVB rays. Perfect for early starts and evening strolls!

We say: Insects can be a nightmare beside the water in summer, so we were excited to test this on a hot day in Finland. While the product isn’t water resistant (you will need to apply after your swim) it was ideal for before and after. Not only is it moisturising and leaves skin smelling fresh, it also kept biting insects at bay with its DEET-free formula. Ideal for kids, as you don’t have to apply lotions twice.

Buy now

All products were chosen independently by our editorial team. This review contains affiliate links and we may receive a commission for purchases made. Click here to subscribe to the magazine. Read more Outdoor Swimmer gear reviews.

The post The best sunscreen for swimming appeared first on Outdoor Swimmer Magazine.