Water

Water Swimming

Cold water swimming is all the rage at the moment, so one chilly morning I decided to see what all the fuss was about. During summer, swimming comes easy – what is better than a natural cool off? However, I’m not sure the same can be said for the colder seasons. Truth be told, embracing the cold British waters has never appealed to me, but the activity has evolved from a niche fad into a highly rated outdoor activity.

So, one chilly spring morning, I joined a dozen outdoor swimmers at sunrise and prescribed myself some cold water therapy.

Ill-equipped and unprepared

I attended a sunrise session with the Dawnstalkers, an outdoor swimming community group which aims to encourage people to take to the sea on Penarth Seafront in South Wales. Penarth is easy to commute to from Cardiff, so at 7am, feeling rather tired, I caught the train to the coast.

Professional gear wasn’t an essential requirement, so feeling rather illequipped, I brought what I had – my towel, a bikini and an insulated jacket.

As I approached the group, the hue of the sunrise reflected vividly off the sea. It was beautiful.

I walked over to the huge crowd of brave swimmers, many of whom had already entered the sea. Everyone was open to chat, and with some encouragement from a stranger, I stripped to my bikini and started my descent to the sea.

Matter over mind

I neared the waters edge, already shivering. The icy waters quickly numbed my feet and walking over the rocks felt like a task in itself. One of the group members said it was a case of ‘mind over matter’, but all I could fixate on was the sheer physical pain. With every step the extremity of what I was about to do felt more intense and very uncomfortable.

I immediately felt defeated, but a kind lady offered to walk in with me, so I took her arm and let the cold water slosh against my legs, which intensified the numbing sensation.

When the sea reached my hips, I stood still for a few moments, swayed with the bitter tides, and let myself be. Other swimmers urged me to go to my shoulders, so in a moment of madness, I let go and went under. While the cold feeling didn’t subside, the thrill felt far greater.

After a few minutes I knew I had reached my limit, so I ambled across the rocks and back to the dry land, eager to find my towel.

A helping hand

Wrapped in my towel and shivering to my core, I looked to the coast to reflect on what I had achieved. Some brave souls committed themselves to the icy submersion for quite some time, and others swam as if it was a blissful summer evening.

Nonetheless, I felt an immense sense of pride. I couldn’t have done it without the encouragement of the group members. Regardless of everyone’s individual ability, there was a strong sense of togetherness.

Cold water swimming is certainly not for the faint hearted, but the icy thrill makes it all worth it.

Cold water dip starter pack:

Swimwear

- Bikini, swimsuit, wetsuit, rashvest

Watershoes

- Not essential but highly recommended for safety reasons

A towel or robe

- To change or dry off

Something to stand on

- Bathmat, carpet or underlay