Over on facebook, OSS members spearheaded by Clare Woodhead have been working on a Code of Conduct for outdoor swimmers – The Wild Swimmers’ Code – similar in intent to The Countryside Code. The OSS invites all members to abide by the code in order that we may be recognised as the passionate, considerate, safety conscious, sensitive and aware people we know ourselves to be.
The code is open to tweaking over the summer. If you think we have missed any points, or would like to suggest amendments, join the discussion on facebook, or email your comments to: info@outdoorswimmingsociety.com.
The Wild Swimmers’ Code
Consideration for others
- Be considerate of your effect on other water users such as fishermen/women, boaters, nesting birds. Be courteous to them and be courteous of their rights.
- Be as quiet as possible so as not to spoil the enjoyment of others.
- Keep a good distance from anglers and avoid their lines. Leave them ample room to cast. Pass by quickly and quietly, creating as little disturbance as possible and do not loiter in fishing pools.
- Encourage others to participate. Do not force them.
- Be considerate about skinny dipping.
Personal safety
- You are responsible for your own safety. Respect the safety of others and swim responsibly at all times.
- Plan ahead, obtain local knowledge if possible and follow any signs.
- Check the weather beforehand and don’t be afraid to abandon your swim if adverse conditions arise.
- Let someone know where you are going and when you’ll be back.
- Except in an emergency, launch or land only at recognised access places.
- Always swim with someone.
- Be honest about your abilities and understand your limitations.
Look after your environment
- Protect nature and look after the environment you are using, especially around areas of Sites of Special Scientific Interest.
- Do not disturb wildlife.
- Keep clear of gravel shoals and islands during the spring when birds may be nesting.
- Keep clear of nesting birds, areas important for fish breeding and spawning and salient otter sites.
- Do not pick up, uproot, or trample wild plants and trees.
- Do not remove rocks or willfully change or disturb land features.
- Be mindful of bankside vegetation.
- Take care not to disturb waterweed and gravel beds.
- Leave no trace. Take all litter with you.
Local conditions, law and order
- Leave gates and property as you find them.
- Do not trespass on private banks.
- Use recognized paths where possible.
- Keep dogs under close control at all times and on a short lead between 1 March and 31 July as per the Countryside Code.
- Comply with any byelaws.
- Leave the water if requested to do so by an Environment Agency Officer. Such a request will only be made where there is a real risk of disturbance.
Finally…
- Enjoy the privilege of wild swimming!
Anna Morell, July 2009
OSS members flocked to Parliament Hill Lido in London for an OSS fundraiser on 24 June, as we celebrated Midsummer with Pimm’s, the fattest falafel wraps ever, a whole lot of swimming and even more Pimm’s. It was so good to see so many heads bobbing up and down the length of the lido, many clad in signature red OSS swim caps. With Latin-tinged songs and classic pop and rock from two amazing bands, the night was a fantastic success as new friends were made and new swim adventures planned. Many thanks to all those who came!
If you have any feedback or ideas for future events, email info@outdoorswimmingsociety.com.
Anna Morell, July 2009
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Caught by the river is an anthology of thoughts, stories, recollections and experiences on (and in) rivers by a diverse group of writers who have looked into the green, flowing depths, and found themselves, well... caught.
Conceived by Jeff Barrett, Robin Turner and Andrew Walsh – some of the brains behind Heavenly Records – the music label which brought us St Etienne, Manic Street Preachers, Beth Orton and Doves (whose track lends its name to the title) – the book features music industry luminaries such as Jarvis Cocker, Underworld’s Karl Hyde, Orange Juice’s Edwyn Collins and the KLF’s Bill Drummond, all of whom exchange their rock n roll boots for waders.
On paper, it sounds like something written by a backyard Bono – all celebrities trying to jump the green bandwagon. But it isn’t. What makes it work is passion, and a sense that these people are trying to connect with their environment, their families and their friends, through their love of water, and their experience of it. Water binds us, as music does, together. It shares the same adjectives as music – wild, calming, energising, nostalgic, visceral, free.
The majority of this book is set on water rather than in it. Its writers spend a lot of time walking, paddling, floating and fishing around and over their beloved streams.
But beloved they are. You can smell them – clear eddies and stagnant pools. You can feel them – sharp reeds and velvet-napped weed. Sunlight scorches the retina and rain lashes the eyelash, as moments captured – from childhood to the present – grab you and pull you in to rivers vividly remembered.
This book is a stylistically modern take on the age-old tradition of articulating how our country’s waters inspire us and draw us in. It is, in part, a memory map of where we can connect with our waters.
And then there are contributions from the other kind of rock n roll souls – Roger Deakin writing of renegade Fen skaters; Cloud Appreciation Society founder Gavin Pretor-Pinney fighting pride with his pregnant partner in an uncooperative canoe; novelist Irvine Welsh recalling, as a love song, the decay of the urban rivers of his youth. None known for their music, but all sharing in the same spirit of free will, independence and energy, here exercised through water.
Rivers flow through land. But like music, they also flow through people.
Caught by the river is out now, rrp £17.99. Read the blog at http://caughtbytheriver.net/
Anna Morell, July 2009
Going somewhere this summer and want to find a swim?
A group of OSS members have spent hours amassing all their practical experience to put together a comprehensive guide on how to plan a swim.
The guide is free to all members. To receive the PDF guide, just email info@outdoorswimmingsociety.com.
The guide covers the social, practical and legal aspects of finding new swims, and we hope will help broaden the types of swim you feel safe going on. In return, please do email our new map editor Adam Smith after your swim with it’s details so we can put it on the map.
Kate Rew, June 2009
The body modesty that prevailed in the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries inevitably meant that swimming – which it’s often said is best done as nature intended – didn’t enjoy a huge popularity. But as the 19th century dawned, and the Romantic Movement began, the mood changed. People were losing interest in the scientific and the rational; instead beauty, emotions and sensations were the order of the day. Nature was looked at afresh – not at something to explain, but something to experience. As romanticism took hold, water became a popular subject with the typically avant garde art crowd; and they were swimming in it not just studying it.
As a result swimming quickly grew in fashion and the next logical step was competition; if everybody’s at it, you either do it differently or you do it better. In 1844 there was a watershed event; an international race in The Thames. Native Americans took part, swimming a variant of front crawl that stunned the Brits, who decried the splashing as ‘ungentlemanly’. What their stroke lacked in grace, though, it made up for in speed, and it was a visiting Native American who won.
This race seemed to ratify the status of swimming as a past time that had a proper place in the world – something more than a British dalliance – because, shortly after, formal swimming clubs started to pop up. One of the first is thought to be the University of Cambridge club which started life in 1855. A land lover is recorded as describing how, ‘on sunny afternoons, crowds of naked undergraduates may be seen enjoying the doubtful pleasure of plunging about in the narrow muddy stream going head foremost through a coating of terrible looking scum’. The club trained in the river Cam, from their bathing shed base at Grantchester Meadows, where regional group OSS Oxford still swim today.
New clubs swelled the ranks fast, sometimes scrambled together in response to challenges thrown down by existing ones. By 1867 river racing had become so mainstream that a training manual was published by a Charles Steedman, whose somewhat dubious advice included taking medicine to induce vomiting, and meals such as a dinner of ‘a slice or two from a joint of beef or mutton, underdone, free from fat; stale bread, one or two mealy potatoes and a little greens; no pastry or cheese.’
In the late 1800’s the combination of an increase in leisure time and the affordability of rail travel made it possible for people to get out of the cities and into the country on day trips. Swimming had reached such heights that a law was passed in 1885 which expressly favoured open water swimmers. The Thames Preservation Act was specifically directed towards ‘the preservation of the River above Teddington Lock for the purpose of public recreation.’ Swimming events also featured in the 1900 Olympic games, including an underwater race and an obstacle course in the Seine, during which competitors had to climb over and swim under rows of boats.
Swimming had officially become a sporting endeavour and people started to compete against themselves as well as each other, testing the limits of their endurance. In 1908 Jules Paul Victor Gautier achieved celebrity status of sorts, receiving widespread newspaper coverage for his remarkable feat. Manacled, he swam from Blackfriars to Richmond (nearly 16 miles) in 5 hours and 37 minutes. One newspaper described how, ‘with hands and feet tied, he adopted a peculiar stroke, his clasped hands being drawn swiftly downward, while his bound legs performed a fin-like twitch’. He swam in reverse the course of a river race established the previous year, which remained an annual event until WWII concentrated people’s attention on other matters. We suspect that many other river races also went that way for the same reason.
Their popularity remained low in post war years, due to rivers having suffered at the hands of industry and development. Now, though, with 70% of them in good or excellent condition again after our environmental conscience kicked in, we are happily seeing the beginnings of a river racing revival.
As if to illustrate, the Richmond to Blackfriars swim that was forgotten in 1939 recently inspired a new ‘Great River Swim’, which has been going since 2002. OSS member Steve Newell recalls: “It was triggered by a summertime conversation in a restaurant by Chiswick pier, where some sceptics openly doubted that others could swim across the river. The race was set to go across to a buoy and back, at the top of the tide when the water is slack for a few minutes. After that first swim we realised that swimming widths was not physically that difficult but crossing a busy river could be a bit of a nightmare.” The race has therefore evolved into a 1km swim from Chiswick pier to Chiswick Eyot and back, on a quiet stretch of river out of the shipping lane. It is quickly becoming part of local tradition and the next will be held on 5 September. Email greatriverswim@blueyonder.co.uk for details, and look out for the OSS hot tub if you go along.
For more information see:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swimming_history
http://www.wildswimming.co.uk/about.html
http://www.the-river-thames.co.uk/history.htm
http://faculty.deanza.edu/donahuemary/stories/storyReader$700
Madeline Willis, June 2009
Oli Pitt has just found a series in the Hudson river for anyone visiting New York:
“I’d been invited to a wedding in New York and started to plan my six days in the city that never sleeps. Idly looking at the map, my eye was drawn to the body of water around Manhattan Island. ‘Wouldn’t it be cool to swim the Hudson,’ I thought, ‘out of choice rather than due to a bird strike?’ Looking on the internet I came across NYC Swim, who organise everything from a one mile swim to the mighty 28.5 mile Manhattan Island Marathon. I decided on the Park to Park swim, which is on the day of the wedding itself. Urgent emails to the organisers ensured I could get from the end of the course to the hotel in time, so I paid my dollars (60 if you’re interested) and ticked the waivers.”
Wherever you go in the world, chances are the wind will carry one or two other members the same way at some point soon. Share your international swim finds with others by emailing them to info@outdoorswimmingsociety.com and we will put them on site. Our swim events lists are managed by Julian Cooke, a travelling swimmer himself.
Madeline Willis, June 2009
OSS member Nancy Sinclair from Dartmouth based Aune Head Arts has created ‘Immersible [adj. not susceptible to harm if immersed in water]’, a contemporary art project designed to remind us that human bodies are, in fact, remarkably well suited to being under water. From August to November she will lead walks, swims and paddles in the river Harbourne, and participants will be encouraged to produce a creative response to the experience. These will be showcased in an exhibition at the end of the project, alongside analysed water samples. See the Aune Head Arts website for more information.
Madeline Willis, June 2009
Anna Wardley is one of our Channel swimming members and has gone from an occasional pool swimmer to spending hours in frigid conditions. This year she is attempting the BLDSA Double Windermere Race in August and the Channel in September, followed by the Round Manhattan Marathon Swim next June.
Here she shares her tips on what it takes:
- Train in even colder temperatures that the event will take place in. This builds confidence and the water will feel comparatively warm when you come to complete your swim.
- Don’t hesitate over getting it – just do it. It’s never as bad as you fear it will be, even when the outside air temperature is sub-zero.
- Build up the time you are in the water. Start with just a few minutes, gradually work up to doing a long swim of one hour a week, then add an hour per week until you are close to your estimated event time.
- Know your limits – there’s nothing heroic about having to be rescued! The body can acclimatise to cold water amazingly quickly though. If you swim in it 2-3 times a week, within a month you will find your cold water shock response has decreased significantly.
- Although everyone has their own way of coping with the pain and discomfort, positivity and determination is crucial. Remind yourself that it won’t last forever. I visualise succeeding at the swims I have planned, whether it’s imagining swimming under Brooklyn Bridge or feeling the French sand between my toes.
- It’s survival of the fattest! Ensure you eat well if you’re planning to swim in cold water. It’s one sport where some extra body fat will improve your performance. I consume 4,000 calories a day at the peak of my training, cramming in lots of lean meat, pasta, fruit and veg, protein shakes, energy bars and malt loaf.
- I always have a hot flask ready for when I get out, but I avoid drinking hot fluids whilst swimming. My mouth and face are often numb from the cold so it would be easy to burn myself, and the heat would also emphasise how cold the water is. I prefer to drink cold isotonic drinks, which rinse away the salt water and give me an energy boost.
- Have plenty of warm and dry clothes ready to put on when you get out. Fleece lined tops and trousers are the best. A personal favourite for when I get out in the winter is a pair of fur-lined snow boots. A hat is also critical as you lose lots of body heat through your head.
- In addition to swimming in the sea, lakes and river, it’s also useful to take cold baths. This is a good way to acclimatise before swimming outdoors as the controlled conditions are much safer. Whilst training for the Ice Swimming Championships, I regularly filled my bath with ice.
- Lewis Pugh has proven that he can alter his core body temperature by thinking about it and this has helped him cope with swimming in extremely cold temperatures. In a recent study at Portsmouth University, my core temperature hardly altered when swimming in water of 12 degrees for an hour. It’s got to be worth a try.
- It’s important to keep moving in the water in order to keep warm. Ask your support crew to monitor your stroke rate. If it starts to falls significantly, it is a sign that you are starting to succumb to the cold. If you are unable to increase the rate, it is time to get out.
- Personally I never wear a wetsuit as I find them uncomfortable and restrictive; they affect my buoyancy and cause chafing. Wetsuits are not permitted for Channel attempts or any BLDSA events, but if you are going to wear one in an event it’s essential to get used to the feeling during training.
- Mix up your training. As well as swimming, I do a variety of cross training including running, cycling, core exercises and weights to increase upper body strength. I spend around 12-15 hours in the water a week, increasing to 40 hours when my training peaks.
- Don’t go it alone. Inform the local Coastguard if you are planning to swim for any length of time and always have somebody waiting to help you when you get out.
- Know what to expect. It’s normal for your skin to be red/blue when you get out in the winter and you are likely to feel extreme pain in your finger and toenails for 10-20 minutes as there is no fatty layer to protect the many nerve endings from the cold. Do not take a hot bath as this sends blood rushing from your core, where it’s needed, to your extremities. Instead get warm and dry, pop on a hat sip a warm drink.
For more information about Anna’s swim and fundraising project, Turning the Tide, go to: www.annawardley.com. Anna is hoping to raise £50,000 for three very special charities. “One of them is the Samaritans in memory of my dad, who I lost to suicide when I was nine years old. The others are Toe in the Water, re-inspiring injured servicemen through competitive sailing and Sail Africa, improving the life chances of Durban’s disadvantaged children through sailing.”
Newdick says he’s neither a scientist nor much of a fisherman so he had considerable help from The Natural History Museum and Freshwater Biological Association. He is, however, an outstanding illustrator and has what he describes as a spiritual feel for fishes. He says, “I’m not a freshwater swimmer but I do love to sit at the edge, watching how fish are almost part of the water rather than an intrusion in it.”
OSS founder Kate Rew recently discovered a copy of Jonathan’s book in Hay on Wye. She was particularly taken by the illustrations and contacted the author about buying a print.
Fortunately most of the paintings survive. Jonathan has dug them out of storage and produced a set of signed limited edition giclée prints (on A3 archival paper with illustrations measuring 210 x 160mm). They’re priced at £120 and anyone interested in owning one should email jonathan@jonathannewdick.co.uk to receive low res images of the selection.
Madeline Willis, May 2009
The Great Swim series of swims from the people behind the Great North Swim has proved massively popular, with new dates added last week as if it were the final tour of a pop legend.
Together with other swim series such as Aqua Sphere Powered Long Swims (4 dates), Scallop Sea Swims (3 dates), BHF swims (2 dates) and new events (One Mile Swim and Big South Swim) it means that thousands of people will be completing a one mile swim this summer, many of them for the first time. See the OSS open water events calendar to find your nearest mass swim this summer, whether you’re looking for a slick event or a more characterful swim such as the Padstow to Rock swim which ends in Sharps brewery or the Topsham to Turf swim which brings out local folk bands and the town crier.
Madeline Willis has been reporting on her experience of training for the Great North Swim as a novice. Here’s her latest update:
I’ve come to the end of my lessons now and there are three things that made front crawl make sense to me: rotation, rhythm and breathing. It is a science, but only to an extent. My advice would be not to get too hung up on that. I did, and experienced analysis paralysis, which has disastrous effects in the water. When someone reassured me, “you’ll find your own style”, I latched on to it and didn’t let go. It gave me permission to relax, which was the only way I was going to learn. It’s difficult to put drills into words so, if possible, I’d suggest spending a bit of time just watching a good swimmer, even if it’s on Youtube (you can watch Dan Bullock, who trains all OSS coaches, and his exemplary stroke here). That said, here are a few drills you might like to try.
Rotation
Rotating your body as you swim allows you to torpedo through the water rather than plough across it like some flat bottomed barge. When I concentrate on rotating, my stroke feels longer and smoother, and it’s easier to turn my head for air.
To practice it, swim with both arms extended in front of you, kicking and raising your head in front of you when you need to breathe. One at a time, stretch each arm forward as far as you can, before returning it to a more relaxed extension. Repeat this drill adding a hip roll. As your right arm reaches to maximum extension, tilt the right hip down slightly and the left up before correcting your body to a neutral position. Vice versa for the left arm. This mimics the way your body should move while your recovering arm is pulling through the water and passing your head.
Stroke Rhythm
Although never consciously, I suppose I used to think that having my arms directly opposite one another in a windmill formation meant maximum speed. To swim efficiently, though, I’m told you should use your momentum to glide until your next stroke is actually needed i.e. do fewer, more powerful strokes. To take advantage of the glide, the hand of your recovering arm should be just past the elbow of your outstretched arm, and about to enter the water again, before you begin the pull.
The ‘catch up’ drill is a good way to pick up the rhythm. Imagine you’re climbing a rope – you wouldn’t let go with one hand until the other had gripped on above it. Applying the same idea to swimming helps you get used to keeping one arm waiting, so do a full stroke and allow your recovering hand to meet your outstretched hand and touch it before you start to pull again. Repeat the drill incorporating the rotation and extension mentioned above, both of which will extend your glide.
Breathing Technique
Once you’re in the rhythm, your right arm, say, passes your head, enters the water and extends out in front of you, as your left arm starts to draw down through the water. This creates room on your left side for your head to emerge. To take a breath, turn your head sideways and avoid raising your forehead at the same time. I imagine I’ve walked past someone in the street and am turning my head to do a double take over my shoulder. I also focus on resting my head on my outstretched right arm and keeping my chin close to my left shoulder.
To practice the breathing technique in a (relatively) leisurely way, there’s a drill which cuts out every other stroke. Assuming you are breathing to the left, hold your left arm around across your middle and swim with your right arm extended in front of you. Your left arm is out of the way as it would be if it were drawing down through the water. Take a breath to the left and elongate your right arm as you do so, return your head to the water to complete two strokes with your right arm, then repeat. I plan to practice this drill on both sides so that when it comes to the swim I can breathe whichever way necessary to avoid thrashing feet and scrambling hands.
It’s possible to practice some of this on dry land too. Just be inventive with your surroundings – have a go in front of the mirror or lie on your coffee table for a more authentic swimming position!
The OSS is now running popular OSS squad sessions, which are coached fitness courses. One hour a week, eight weeks, a coach, numerous drills and countless lengths will see you swimming further and better. These are for improvers not beginners.Sign up in the events section.
Madeline Willis
May 2009
Founded in 1956, the Association sanctions over thirty lake and sea swims a year. Distances vary from one mile in Dover Harbour to the twenty one mile Lake Windermere two-way swim, but BLDSA President Jackalyn Classen encourages swimmers of all abilities to join in: “We also have one kilometre novice swims, so it’s a very quick, straight swim and these are good for people who aren’t so sure about swimming in open water.”
There is a broad age range too, from juniors as young as twelve to seniors well into their sixties. Jackalyn believes that the camaraderie and friendliness between swimmers is a key benefit: “You meet such a big group of friends. We all support each other and help each other out. It’s amazing how friendly people are, and what they will do for each other.”
Bring plenty of sunscreen, but not your wetsuit. BLDSA rules currently state that costumes cannot go any farther than the edge of the shoulder, or any lower than the crotch. “The swims are for endurance, and coping with whatever the weather throws at you” says Jackalyn, but that may change. “Because of a lot of interest from swimmers who want to swim in wetsuits, we are assessing whether we should have swims alongside ours where wetsuits are allowed.”
This highlights some special training requirements if you plan to enter a BLDSA event. “People sometimes think if they can swim a mile in the pool, they can do the same distance in cold water, and at the same speed. This unfortunately is a misconception”, says Jackalyn. “In order to prepare for a swim, you need to acclimatise to cold water. We generally start mid-May before the swimming season starts. You might only stay in for ten minutes at first, then as the water warms you stay in longer and swim farther. It’s a good idea to time these sessions so you can assess your speed in open water.”
But even with the best preparation, open water swimming can be hazardous. “We are very safety minded, and we do have rules in place to stop swims if the weather is too bad. We have rescue boats at all swims, and we have set plans in place to ensure that if any swimmers are in difficulty, the boats are very quickly there to pick them up.”
So if a well-organised, safe swim with friendly people appeals to you, find out more on the BLDSA website or call 0191 526 4215. The 2009 season begins on 6 June at Wykeham Lake near Scarborough.
John Finch, May 2009
Water users such as river swimmers, lake swimmers and canoeists would welcome greater clarity on public access to inland waters. Scotland has already given outdoor enthusiasts the right to roam, in waters and on land, and the British Canoe Union continue to campaign for a similar right of access in Wales. (England, we hope, will be next).
The Welsh Canoeing Association recently petitioned the National Assembly for Wales, calling for an end to the ‘untenably’ confusing situation. In a nod of acknowledgement to the current problems, Chair of the Petitions Committee Val Lloyd said “different parties in Scotland have been able to leave behind cul-de-sac positions concerning who has which legal rights on their side.” She continued, “the rivers of Wales are a natural gift that everyone should have the right to enjoy.”
The Petitions Committee has recommended that a more thorough enquiry be carried out, with a view to bringing forward legislation. But it qualified that statutory access won’t work without a code for water users that builds in environmental conditions, for example, and allows common sense to prevail.
The Petition Committee’s report is available on the National Assembly for Wales’ website. Could England be next? We would love to hear from OSS members with an understanding of political lobbying, who can help us make it happen. If that’s you, email info@outdoorswimmingsociety.com.
Madeline Willis
May 2009
“A country where we are less wasteful of our water; where we keep our rivers flowing clean and healthy and our wetlands wet; where the water we use is priced fairly and polluters pay; where our waste is properly treated and not washed straight into waterways.” This is the vision of the Blueprint coalition, surprising in its ability to make policy poetic, and its transformation of RSPB and Buglife into unlikely heroes of the outdoor swimming community.
The Blueprint coalition was formed in 2006 by 16 leading conservation organisations. Together they set out 10 steps for sustainable water, the most important changes needed to protect this precious natural resource. Taken from the Blueprint coalition’s website, these are:
- Waste less water – reduce water consumption by at least 20% through more efficient use in homes, buildings and businesses.
- Keep our rivers flowing and wetlands wet – amend or revoke those water abstraction licences that damage rivers, lakes and wetlands.
- Price water fairly – make household water bills reflect the amount of water people use.
- Make polluters pay – ensure that those who damage the water environment bear the costs through more effective law enforcement and tougher penalties.
- Stop pollutants contaminating our waters – introduce targeted regulations to reduce harmful pollutants in water.
- Keep sewage out of homes and rivers and off beaches – upgrade the sewage system to reduce discharges into urban environments and ecologically sensitive areas.
- Support water friendly farming – help farmers prevent pollution and restore degraded soils, rivers and wetlands though advice, training and payments.
- Clean up drainage from roads and buildings – construct modern drainage systems that prevent pollution entering rivers from buildings and roads.
- Restore rivers from source to sea – regenerate rivers, lakes and wetlands in partnership with local communities.
- Retain water on floodplains and wetlands – restore large areas to create vital wildlife habitats, improve water quality and quantity and reduce urban flooding.
Many of the coalition’s recommendations were incorporated into Future Water, the Government’s water strategy for England in 2008, but with targets relating to 2030 the timescales are too long, says the Blueprint coalition. On March 22 it launched ‘2009 the time to act’ – something of a manifesto on water – urging Government to be bolder and more ambitious. Read it here.
A poll commissioned to mark the launch of ‘2009 the time to act’ found that while 94% of people often visit a stream, river or lake to relax, 52% of people think their local river is too polluted to swim in. It doesn’t always have to be that way: we hope OSS members will spread the word that our rivers and lakes are cleaner than ever before, and that they can keep on getting cleaner with public action.
Madeline Willis, May 2009
- Reduce your water footprint. The Environment Agency says a maximum of 130 litres a person a day is sustainable, but the average in the UK is 148, rising to 170 litres in the South East. The Thames, Severn, Wye, Mersey, Medway, Exe, Humber, Trent and Tamar rivers have all been identified as rivers suffering from ‘water stress’ (low flow) due to over abstraction. Showers use 4-12 litres a minute, depending on the shower head. A bath typically takes 80 litres. A running tap can use 5-9 litres a minute. Simple measures like turning off running taps and using a water jug in the fridge rather than running the tap every time you want a glass of water can rapidly reduce your consumption. See What is water stress? and How can I use less water now? For more information. DEFRA also has water saving tips.
- Install a dual flush loo. OId style loos use up to 13 litres a flush, whereas new dual flush loos use 4-6 litres. See What water saving devices are available? for more information.
- Use greywater in the garden. Plants don’t need to be fed tap water! The easiest way to do this is to let shower or bath water cool, and then transfer straight to the garden using a pump and hose or a bucket. See How do I use greywater in the garden? for more tips (not all water is suitable for use in areas children play or vegetables grow, for example).
- Don’t dispose of paints, garden chemicals, petrol or oils in drains or sinks, either directly or by washing down driveways.
- Be a greener gardener. Many pesticides that are used freely in gardens carry labels that warn of their toxicity if used in inappropriate quantities. Follow instructions or turn to greener gardening methods to reduce the pollutants that seep into groundwater. Fertilisers also damage aquatic environments by leading to overgrowth of certain plants: use wisely.
- Turn taps off while brushing teeth.
- Convert to eco-friendly cleaning products, and use only what’s necessary. The wastewater system relies partially on a ‘dilute and disperse’ process in our waterways, but the proliferation of both strong chemicals (such as those used in oven cleaners, power creams, and limescale removers) and persistent chemicals (phosphates in washing powders) place stress on rivers and may damage fish and plants. Try a little parsimony and elbow grease instead. For more, see Am I pouring bad things down my sink?
- Bag and bin fats and oils, and scrape plates and wipe frying pans before washing. Poured down the sink, fats and oils block sewers and can lead to the release of raw sewage on beaches. Each year the disposal of fats and oils via sinks and drains is believed to result in between 80,000 and 100,000 blockages in the Thames water region alone, Thames Water said in 2005; studies suggest 75% of sewer blockages and pollution incidences are down to fats, oil and grease.
- Don’t flush rubbish. If it has not passed through you, and isn't toilet paper, it shouldn’t be flushed down your loo. Condoms, cigarette butts, cotton wool, facial cleansing wipes and sanitary products have no place in the wastewater system – they block sewers and sometimes ends up on Britain's beaches (Keep Britain Tidy collects and analyses marine rubbish and lists all these items as persistent offenders).
- Harvest rainwater – a steady natural supply of water for garden plants. See How can I harvest rainwater? for more information.
Reducing our public water waste – the amount we use needlessly running taps, watering gardens or running water-inefficient washing machines – is key to keeping our rivers full. Do your bit this summer!
The Big Jump is coming up on 12 July: organise one with friends, it’s the perfect opportunity to make people think twice about their water consumption.
Kate Rew, May 2009
In an innovative new project, artist Alex Murdin from University College, Falmouth, is proposing we bring derelict lidos and tidal pools back into use to contain invasive species and conserve rare ones. He also suggests turning them over to fish farming in an attempt to solve the problems caused by overfishing in natural environments and conventional fish farm escapees.
There is sometimes a divide between outdoor swimmers who like their swims truly wild, and those who prefer the comfort of a wall. But in Murdin's vision for our disused lidos and tidal pools, the two worlds collide.
In his Immersion report, launched on 20 April, Murdin says “we urgently need to raise awareness of biosecurity in this country as native species are being wiped out.” He proposes we bring derelict lidos and tidal pools back into use to contain invasive species and conserve rare ones. He also suggests turning them over to fish farming in an attempt to solve the problems caused by overfishing in natural environments and conventional fish farm escapees.“Many of these lidos and tidal pools are masterpieces of period architecture, ripe for regeneration … These facilities could be self funding tourist attractions if they allowed people to come there to fish, dive or swim next to the wildlife”, Murdin continues. He envisages clear partitions being installed to separate off a swimming area, reviving the facilities for recreational use and introducing a new educational element.
Since the launch of Immersion, Murdin’s plans have come under a fair amount of scrutiny. In a statement the Environment Agency said that one “possible snag” to the plans is that it is illegal to keep some non native species, although Murdin points out that ‘some’ is the operative word. The practicalities of doing this on Crown owned foreshore have also been questioned, and some swimmers have expressed distaste at the thought of hanging out with their dinner. Murdin remains undeterred though. He does understand people’s reluctance to get up close and personal to food but muses, “people aren’t that bothered about things without fur. Fish and water life in general are part of another scarier world. You only have to look at most aliens in movies to see that a lot are based on marine species.
As a keen surfer brought up in Australia and taught to fear sharks and Portuguese Men O War, Murdin has found the project cathartic. It seems that getting up close and personal with our biodiversity really could be the first and most important step to protecting our biosecurity.
Madeline Willis, 24 April 2009
During April, trees burst into leaf with such verve that woodland flowers rush to bloom and pollinate before they’re plunged into darkness under a dense canopy. Ransoms, or wild garlic, run amok, easily identified by their pungent smell and dainty sprays of white flowers on the top of long stalks. Bluebells follow later in the month, often in magnificent carpets of vivid blue.
In meadows and grasslands, the honeyed scent of yellow cowslips carries on the wind that sets the heart shaped leaves of delicate violets racing. Coaxed awake by the sunshine, butterflies go in search of spring blossom nectar. The peacock butterfly’s four ‘eyes’ blink in flight, peering dark and brooding from its deep red wings. Meanwhile the elegant orange tip flits around, showing off its art deco detailing of orange and brown on white wings.
High above, incoming summer migrants cross paths with the outbound swans, geese and waders that wintered here. They provide the soundtrack to the season as they wage their charm offensive on potential mates. The reed warbler is often heard singing the can-can from reed beds, although it’s seldom seen. Swallows swoop where open pasture meets water, flashing their bold red necks and swishing their long tail feathers with abandon. The cuckoo plays its distinctive two note call on loop, while the melodious nightingale sings with a range that few can match from deep within thickets.
Most birds are scouting for nesting sites and some sea birds, like the shag, will have already hung their hat and made their home in a cliff face cranny. Down at sea level, food gathering missions are industriously scuttled by the wonderfully oxymoronic velvet crab. Red eyes protrude from a shell covered in fine hair, but its downiness belies a feisty character.
Around freshwater wetlands, tadpoles emerge from the water for their new life as frogs – an incredible metamorphosis that, were it not for our childhood familiarity with it, we would probably find it impossible to comprehend.
Swimming outdoors is about experiencing the untamed and discovering the untouched. Never is a landscape more untouched than when it’s buzzing with spring energy.
Madeline Willis
March 2009
Swim improvement specialists, Swimfortri, have an 100 per cent safety record maintained over six years, with lifeguards, qualified coaches and the St John’s Ambulance present at all of their outdoor training sessions. Despite their obvious regard for the safety of their swimmers, finding sites to train at is an uphill struggle.
Dan Bullock is Swimfortri’s Director. He has approached lakes, reservoirs and docks, all of which have sailing clubs, but all of which have refused to permit swimming. Responses commonly cite danger and concern about getting sued.
“People see it as a hassle, and they don’t want hassle. But when you sail you run the risk of toppling in. So, logically, anywhere you can sail you should also be able to swim.”
True, there may be drains, aquaducts and weirs, all of which do present risks. But if these risks have been identified, and proper safety measures put in place, Dan sees no reason not to open the water up for use by swimmers.
In Dan’s experience, some of the difficulties lie in the fact that these bodies of water are often run by organisations other than the owners. He suspects that the owners set out what the water can and can’t be used for, and when the people responsible for the day to day running are approached about something that’s not on the list, ‘no’ is just the easiest answer. Perhaps with direct access to the owners the outlook would be better, but it’s sometimes almost impossible even to establish who they are.
There are also cultural factors at play. In Europe, swimming in lakes is actively encouraged. Take Lake Wothersee in Austria, for example – showers, sundecks and changing facilities are provided to encourage year round use by the public. Dan can’t understand why there’s such a different mindset here.
“We all go to the beach and jump in the sea – which is so potentially dangerous – without any qualms, yet it’s an alien concept to see people swim in a lake.”
As Dan points out, that’s an attitude held by the authorities not just the man on the street.
“If you look at the fitness section of the British waterways website there is no mention of swimming, which is almost comical.”
With the Olympics coming home in 2012 there are high expectations of British athletes, but coaches just aren’t being given the chance to give promising swimmers a chance of their own. Over the last eight years British swimming has really taken off but, with so little structured open water training, Dan fears swimmers just won’t make the move from the pool to outdoors.
The OSS wants to see greater freedom for swimmers. As part of our Right to Swim campaign, and with pro bono legal support from Berwin Leighton Paisner, we are seeking to support Dan both by trying to access new sites, and by developing legal disclaimers that will give landowners the confidence and legal security to open more sites to swimmers. If you have a place that OSS swimmers can have a squad session once a week, for example, then please let us know.
Madeline Willis, March 2009
Training for one of the many open water swim events being held around the country this summer? Madeline Willis has been reporting on her experience of training for a one mile swim. This is the second installment in the series.
Last month I said my priority was to “get my stroke sorted with a few front crawl lessons.” After one such lesson I realise that I had my priorities right, but this was sublimely blithe comment! I’ve learnt that effort doesn’t mean speed like it does on land. If you can’t swim 400m without feeling tired then there is something wrong with your stroke – you’re either creating drag, failing to propel yourself efficiently or, like me as it turns out, both.
I’ve never felt graceful doing front crawl but usually manage to overtake a few people in the pool so I thought it would be easy enough to take things up a notch or two. Instead I’ve taken them down a notch. I’ve been doing simple drills that, with lots of practice, will help me get the fundamentals of the stroke right. I need these to be second nature if I’m going to be able to cope with the elements as well, so fitness training is banned until I get to that point.
Drills break a stroke down into its constituent parts, allowing you to practice and perfect one at a time. The drills I’ve been doing so far focus on finding your centre of buoyancy and improving your balance. Here’s an attempt to put them into words.
- Pull your arms, legs and head into your body and turn yourself into a tight ball. Take your feet off the floor and see what happens. The bit of your body that emerges from the water is your natural centre of buoyancy (it should be the back of your lungs). The point is that you float naturally, so don’t fear the water or feel that it has you in its clutches.
- Repeat the exercise, but this time just let your arms and legs dangle downwards and face the bottom of the pool. To get your head in the right position, do exactly what you would do to give yourself a double chin. You should find the same bit of your back emerges, and the water line cuts across your ears.
- Repeat again, this time with your arms out ahead of you at shoulder width and your legs straight behind you. You should be floating completely flat, facing the pool floor. This is the ideal swimming position. When completely flat, your natural buoyancy will help you swim. As soon as your head is titled upwards, even slightly, your hips and feet will drop creating drag. Float and just get used to the feeling as your head may be further under than you’re used to.
- The better balanced you are, the more easily you will glide through the water. To master your balance cover lengths of the pool using just your legs to propel yourself. Get into the flat swimming position and cover two lengths with your arms straight out ahead of you, not moving. Breathe on every sixth kick by lifting your head and looking straight ahead. Notice how your hips drop when you do this and how it slows you.
- Repeat the exercise with your arms at your sides, and again with your arms in front of your chest, straight not crossed, elbows as close together as comfortable and palms facing towards you. With each change you lose more of the ballast-effect that your arms provide.
- Another way to practice your balance is by placing a float under your hips when you are in the flat swimming position. Stretch your arms ahead of you, touching your hands together, and stretch your legs out behind you to really elongate the body. This time there is no forward movement to disguise any wobbles. This is also a good position in which to practice regulating your exhalation of air without the aerobic demands of actually swimming.
Madeline Willis, March 2009
As Toad appreciates in Wind in the Willows, there is nothing so much worth doing as messing around on the river. On 5 February the Environment Agency had a Toad moment of its own when it launched an ‘Enjoying Water’ strategy for the South West, which may spell good news for outdoor swimmers as well as other water users.
The five year strategy is aimed at creating more opportunities for people to enjoy water-based activities. Richard Cresswell from the Environment Agency said: 'Our rivers, lakes and coastline are cleaner and healthier than they have ever been… As well as being responsible for protecting and improving the water environment, the Agency has a duty to promote water related recreation.'
The strategy is based on DEFRA funded research by the University of Brighton. Similar research projects are in the pipeline for the rest of England, and the resulting strategies will be rolled out across the country by 2011. The South West is the first region to benefit, though, with the following having been identified as priorities:
- Opening up inland water bodies for use. There is no specific mention of swimmers so it is unclear whether this is just for sailors and paddlers or swimmers too.
- Ensuring that ‘blue space’ (i.e. water) is factored into plans for new developments and regeneration programmes in the way that ‘green space’ has long been.
- Improving facilities to make it easier for people to access the water – better parking as well as extended footpaths and cycle tracks.
- Providing better information on access points, codes of conduct and restrictions so that people know exactly what options are open to them. This will help to avoid the overcrowding of some places and under-use of others.
- Piloting ways to improve the availability of water-based activities, including new approaches to landowner liability issues and voluntary payment schemes with the money ploughed back into environmental improvements.
The Telegraph report that specific measures that are being considered to improve the outdoor swimming experience include the creation of inland beaches and the installation of river-cams, making it possible to check conditions without leaving your house, but we have been unable to verify this with the EA so far.
However, this is heartening news on many levels. The Environment Agency simply couldn’t risk encouraging use of polluted sites, so it’s a clear indication that talk of cleaner waters is to be believed. It’s also a welcome move in terms of curbing the bureaucracy around legal access that is so at odds with the sense of freedom that outdoor swimming is all about.
- Read more about how the strategy originated
- Read more about the University of Brighton’s strategic planning of water recreation
- Read more about the Environment Agency’s recreation role
Madeline Willis, March 2009
OSS regional groups are emerging up and down the land, with bands of swimmers meeting on OSS Facebook and arranging their own calenders of outdoor swims. In February we bought you OSS Oxford (see the entry below for an update on what they've done this month). This month we bring you OSS Lakes and North Yorkshire. Unconstrained by county borders, these swimmers are enjoying a whole swathe of the country’s waterways together.
The group was born out of the success of the Lake Coniston swim, a one-off social event organised by OSS members in September 2008. Twenty five swimmers turned out for it, despite white horses on the lake. Sarah Tunnicliffe was one of them and she enjoyed herself so much that she was inspired to arrange more regular social swims. Just a few short weeks after Coniston she reunited some of its veterans at Crummock Water and Watenlath Tarn, followed by a festive dip at Sandsend. Sarah says:
“The swims were easy to organise as everybody accepts responsibility for themselves. After deciding on the swim spot, date and time, I checked local conditions and put a discussion thread on OSS Facebook inviting others. On the day we talked over the route and people’s swim strengths before setting off.”
It’s that simple! Good friendships have already been formed within OSS L&NY, but they would love to welcome more swimmers into their fold. The gang is planning a river swim at Kirkham Priory on 21 March. See OSS Facebook for details.
Contributions from Sarah Tunnicliff, March 2009
'By nature I’m more of a splasher than a serious swimmer when it comes to open water, but I’ve resolved to make 2009 the year I do my first competitive open water swim. Personally I’ve signed up to do the swim leg of the London Triathlon in August and also hope to do the Great North Swim in September. There are, however, many more events out there if these don’t take your fancy. Have a look at the OSS national and international swim lists for inspiration.
As a total novice I turned to OSS coach Dan Bullock from Swimfortri for some advice. Here’s what I learnt:
- Your training plan has got to be realistic – if you can’t easily fit it in around work, the pub, the dog etc. it will fall to the wayside.
- Two to three sessions in the pool each week should be sufficient. You need to be able to swim further in the pool than you’ll have to in the race, as it’s harder going in open water. Generally, though, the fitter you are the more you’ll enjoy your race so there’s no reason to ease off when you hit your target.
- Vary your sessions to keep things interesting as well as making sure you condition yourself properly. Interval training (short distances at speed with rests in between) should be combined with endurance training (a long, steady, continuous swim), as well as sessions where you spend time focusing on your technique.
- Set yourself relevant tests, for example swim one session without ever touching the wall, or in another lift your head out of the water once every length to look at the point you’re swimming towards.
- It’s not necessary to do your main training in open water, but it’s definitely advisable to build some open water sessions into your plan. Join the OSS swim squad sessions or tri-specific sessions during the summer that cover the challenges of racing (mass starts and marker spotting) as well as those of open water swimming (wetsuits, getting your head under).See the OSS list.
- There are so many events these days that, with a little travelling, you could race most weekends. Signing up to a few of these in advance of your main race is an ideal way to practice what you learn in your coached session without having to worry about researching your own swim site.
- Join an open water group if you feel that swimming with others would make you feel more motivated, secure and, of course, sociable! They tend to meet from May to October and there’s a list at the back of Kate Rew’s Wild Swim, which is a good starting point.
Any London swimmers in the same boat – do get in touch via the ‘London-based training for a one mile swim’ discussion thread on the OSS Facebook page.
Madeline Willis
February 2009
Swimming outdoors is sometimes best enjoyed with a companion or two, which is why members are using the OSS Facebook page to arrange swims. There will be times when you want a peaceful, private swim but local friends can expand the type and regularity of your aquatic adventures. The nature of OSS groups will inevitably vary according to the interests of their members but company and fun are two things they will all offer.
Tim Bond set up the first regional group, OSS Oxford, in 2008. Here are his tips on how to make a regional swimming group work:
How it all started
Oxford is a great city in which to be an outdoor swimmer. Blessed with the wide, smooth stretches of the Thames and ideally situated to get anywhere in the country, the Oxford outdoor swimmer is spoiled for choice.
No wonder, then, that Oxford seems to have an unusually high concentration of outdoor swimmers. The first 2009 swim gave testament to this - a bright and sunny but definitely chilly Sunday morning in mid-January saw five swimmers enjoying a splash in the Thames. Suitably invigorated, swimmers and supporters alike adjourned for an excellent Sunday pub lunch and general conversation.
So, a long established Oxford swimming group? Actually, no! The genesis of this little band of aquatic adventurers was the Outdoor Swimming Society's 'Big Jump' at Dorchester on Thames in summer 2008. Yours truly enjoyed himself so much that he decided to see if he could help Oxford swimmers get in touch with each other and coordinate their plans for companionable local swimming.
The seed of an idea germinated through late-summer of 2008, and by the time the weather was cooling down a dozen swimmers were in touch with each other via the OSS Facebook group. After a quiet end to 2008, New Year's resolutions proved a great opportunity to get the ball rolling and the first January swim was a great success, a good time being had by all.
OSS is growing fast, and local groups are a great way to get outdoor swimmers in touch with other likeminded swimmers in their area. So how would you start to get people networking where you live? In sharing my experiences of getting swimmers in touch with each other I hope to encourage you to do the same.
1. Care about swimming – enthusiasm is catching
First of all you need to care about outdoor swimming, and need to share that enthusiasm with others. Lots of people swim on odd occasions - a dip when they're at the beach, a summer day by the river - but lacking other likeminded swimmers to share the fun they don't make a habit of it. If they pick up some of your enthusiasm whilst swimming alongside you there's a much greater chance that they will decide to come swimming again and meet other swimmers!
2. Make it clear you are not responsible for people’s safety
An important consideration, unless you're a professional outdoor swim coach, is don't take personal responsibility for anyone else's swimming. Whilst you can certainly make their swim a lot more fun with good company and local knowledge of what to look for along the riverbanks, it's important that the decision that they're going to swim is theirs alone.
3. Be prepared to swim, a lot, as you start building up a network
A good method of meeting local swimmers and introducing them to each other is to let people know when you plan to go swimming. And there's the second point - be prepared to swim. A lot. This is both the easiest and most difficult part of the networking process. It's easy, as you're doing something you want to do anyway, and having fun. It's hard, as you need to be flexible enough that, if a potential new swimming buddy lets you know when they're planning to swim, you rearrange your schedule to get out swimming the same time they are. Be prepared to do shorter and easier swims than you might prefer so you can swim with people who are new to outdoor swimming and don't have your confidence, and if you know a few swimmers with similar tastes in swimming put them in touch with each other!
4. Plan your swims, announcing a date, place and time in advance
On to point three - plan your swims! Letting people know where and when you're planning to swim some time in advance increases the chances that they'll choose to make the same plans. If you're not swimming at a site many times a week take the time to go along the day before and check the site access is clear, both getting to the water and getting in and out of the water, and make sure the water itself doesn't have any hazards since you were last there. If you're going to a new site, check it out thoroughly beforehand, both early on so you can explain the location and logistics of your plan to others and again the night before to make sure it's still good to swim. Walk the length of the swim and visually check for any hazards, particularly making sure you can spot landmarks around the exit point - think about what you will be able to see from water level.
5. Take photos and share how it went with other swimmers
Take a camera so you can get some photos of the swim site to look through once you get home. Wearing a good pair of wellies is generally very worthwhile at the planning stage as walking the swim site can be both wet and muddy – good squelchy fun as long as you're prepared for it! And once you've done a swim, write a quick report - it's up to others if they use the information you write up but there's a very high chance that your experiences might be useful to other local swimmers. Sharing information around the local swimming network is the name of the game here; don't forget that you're not advising people, you're just letting them know about your swims and it's up to them how they use that information.
6. Use OSS Facebook on a regular basis to keep things moving
As for how to get in touch with other local swimmers - use the OSS Facebook site, and keep in contact with all your swimmers on a regular basis. Many of them will check the forums and post there regularly - make sure you do too, keep the ball rolling, answer questions when they're asked and keep telling people about swims you're going on. Don't forget to be social too - evenings in the pub are a good time to talk about swimming! Some people don't check Facebook unless they get a notice in their email, so if you've not heard from someone in a little while drop them a message letting them know when you're swimming and see if they have plans - that might be all it takes to remind them they'd intended to go swimming next weekend. It's a few minutes of your time each day to keep in contact, but can make a big difference to the number of regular swim buddies you have!
7. Enjoy yourself!
A final, critical point - make sure you are enjoying yourself! Building links with other local swimmers should be a lot of fun, a great way to socialise and make new friends, the perfect way to enjoy getting outdoors and indulging yourself by spending time in the water. Keep that in the front of your mind and you'll find that helping is extremely rewarding.
Have fun, and see you in the water!
Tim Bond, January 2009
Through 2009 the OSS is running a ‘Right to Swim’ campaign, which aims to increase the amount of lovely outdoor water that swimmers can enjoy unchallenged. This story was launched in the Times on Boxing Day 2008.
There are several different parts to the campaign: changing public perception (where people assume outdoor swimming is both prohibited and dangerous so tell you off for doing so), encouraging swimming (by sharing great places and networking swimmers), and clarifying and challenging the law about where the ‘right to swim’ exists.
On that last front, law firm Berwin Leighton Paisner (BLP) have taken us, and our legal issues, on as a pro bono client. Partner Nathan Willmott has three initiatives on the boil that will help us swim more freely.
Some nervous landowners fear legal comeback if they allow swimming in their water and something goes wrong, so BLP are developing a template disclaimer letter for OSS swimmers to provide them with. Over the last 20 years the English courts have upheld the rights of a number of people to assume full responsibility for taking part in activities, such as swimming, which carry inherent risks. The disclaimer letter will confirm that the swimmer understands the risks and state that they assume those risks themselves, officially releasing the landowner from any liability. Landowners feel more reassured and relaxed, swimmers get their swim, everyone is happy.
BLP will also be putting together some guidance notes to help swimmers identify spots where it’s legal to swim. In England and Wales the rights over different types of waterway are currently pretty complicated: we have a right to swim in most (but not all) coastal waters and navigable rivers but not non-tidal rivers or lakes; in some areas local by-laws prohibit swimming and in others the right to swim in privately owned water has grown out of nothing more than historic usage. BLP’s guidance will help us work out what’s allowed and what’s not.
Sadly when the ‘right to roam’ was introduced in England and Wales in 2000, the ‘right to swim’ was expressly excluded. In 2003, though, Scottish folk were granted a ‘wide-ranging right to swim’, so the OSS will be campaigning for the rights that exist in Scotland to be extended across the rest of the UK. BLP will be advising us along the way to make sure the campaign has legal clout as well as plenty of passion behind it.
Contributions from Nathan Willmott
Updated February 2009