OSS member Brandon High reviews Chris Ayriss’ new book.

Hung Out To Dry: Swimming and British Culture is part history and part polemic. Its purpose is to show why open water swimming has become marginalised over the years.

The explicit message of the book is that an understanding of the reasons for open water swimming becoming an ‘eccentric’ activity should help to ensure that it becomes a more accepted recreation. All OSS members should have no quarrel with the polemical part of the book, which is passionately and convincingly argued. The emphasis of Ayriss’ argument is somewhat different from that of Wild Swim. He puts more stress on the water safety and lifesaving aspects of open water proficiency, and points out that most open water accidents and fatalities do not involve swimmers.

His argument that the acquisition of swimming skills in the pool, rather than in open water environments, has restricted rather than enhanced those skills is powerful. In his historical argument, he shows how lifesaving was a significant impetus to the development of swimming in the nineteenth century, particularly among women, who had not previously been encouraged to swim.

His other principal argument in favour of open water swimming is concerned with its social function. He claims that, when open water swimming was permitted, it was an important outlet for working class adolescent boys, and that making it a largely forbidden activity has encouraged delinquency and criminality among them.

Much of the historical argument of the book is concerned with the relationship of working class people to swimming, and in particular how changing trends in recreation and public health affected the popularity of the changing environments in which swimming was pursued.

For example, the increasing approval of sunlight by the medical profession from the early twentieth century onwards encouraged the popularity of sunbathing. This, in turn, encouraged the turn away from river and lake swimming to lidos, as lidos were specifically designed to provide a welcoming environment for sunbathing as well as for swimming. Thereafter, the popularity of package holidays to hotter climates made lidos less popular, as ordinary people became less and less tolerant of the British weather.

He shows, by a detailed study of the history of swimming provision in his home city of Leicester, that river and lake swimming was marginalised and made less respectable by the advent of lidos and indoor pools, and that its survival has always been precarious.

Ayriss’ interest in relating the history of swimming to broader social trends from 1850 onwards is the strongest part of the book. It complements well Christopher Love’s A social history of swimming 1800-1918: splashing in the Serpentine (2008), whose focus is more on the institutionalisation of swimming in schools and clubs and the growing interest of the state in the social utility of swimming.

However, Ayriss’ narrative is less sure when it comes to the earlier development of swimming. He over-emphasises the role of the medieval Church in forbidding swimming (not all clerics were opposed to it), and he claims erroneously that Everard Digby, the author of the first book-length treatise on swimming to be published in England, was one of the Gunpowder plotters.

He does not refer in his text to Nicholas Orme’s Early British Swimming, 55 BC – AD 1719, which is the principal source of information on both these points, and on much else. To be fair to the author, there is still much work to be done on the pre-19th century history of swimming.

It is a thought-provoking and stimulating book, written in an accessible, direct and conversational style. It should be of interest to every outdoor swimmer.

See Chris Ayriss’ short film about the book on facebook.

Brandon High, February 2010

Finnish artist Antti Laitinen caused a splash at the Royal Academy recently with his work 'It's my island'.

For the work, which consists of three simultaneous videos as well as photographs, Laitinen constructed his own island in the Baltic sea, dragging two hundred sandbags out in a rowing boat over a period of six weeks. 

The 'Earth: art of a changing world' exhibition which Laitinen's work formed part of has now ended, but some of the stunning images from it can be viewed on the artist's own website, as well as the Royal Academy site. 

Watery themes have played a significant role in Laitinen's previous work.  For his 2008 video project Voyage, he attempted to row a man made paradise island along the Thames in central London. 

He has said that the starting point for his work is 'the will to build oneself an own independent micro-nation inhabited by a single citizen.'

We may hope to see more of Laitinen in the future: the recent Royal Academy exhibition was his most high profile to date and he has previously exhibited his work at the Nettie Horn gallery in East London. 

Jonathan Knott, February 2010

On Wednesday 10th February the BBC screened OSS patron Robert Macfarlane's documentary on 'The Wild Places of Essex' as part of their Natural World series. 

As part of the documentary, Robert visits the old house of Roger Deakin - legendary wild swimmer and author of 'Waterlog' - who has inspired many to discover wilderness close to home. 

The programme can be seen on BBC iplayer.

In a sign that the message of the OSS is now gaining serious traction, founder Kate Rew was named second place in Monocle magazine's list of 20 people worldwide who it feels deserve a bigger stage in 2010.

The quality monthly magazine, which covers global affairs and culture, was founded by Tyler Brûlé who also began Wallpaper magazine and writes the 'fast lane' column for the Financial Times.

Other people who feature on the diverse list range from politicians and campaigners to designers and entrepreneurs. The magazine's criteria were that all those included could 'offer something that could make the year ahead that bit better'.

Monocle described the OSS as having 'huge potential' and suggested that 2010 could be a key year for the society.

"The society has gone from strength to strength since it started in 2006, and to me this is a great sign that we're suceeding in our key mission - to spread the joy of wild swimming, and enable more people to do it by providing them with the inspiration, information and community they need. All we need now is some public funding and commercial sponsorship to ramp up the rate at which we are making things happen,' says Kate. 'We now have a core team of over 20 volunteers with a brilliant series of campaigns, events and initiatives for 2010 - so if you haven't already, watch this space and jump in and join us.'

Jonathan Knott, February 2010

Olympic silver medallist and open water swimmer David Davies is just one of the many swimmers waiting with baited breath for the 25 February, when the National Assembly for Wales committee announces the result of the public enquiry into access to inland water in Wales. He told the OSS he’s hoping what we’re hoping: that swimmers in Wales will soon enjoy the same right to roam as that in Scotland, with clear rights of access to the public to the rivers and lakes across Wales. Read more.

“Wales is a beautiful country, and has amazing places to go and swim. If this law passes so many people will get the opportunity to swim that I’ve had. I love swimming, I’d recommend anyone to go and do it. It’s a fantastic form of exercise, keeps you active and healthy better than so many other things.

“Swimming outdoors makes you feel that little bit better about yourself - you need a bit more bravery and courage to go outdoors, it can be a bit cold, a bit choppy, you don’t know what is at the bottom, and then when you’ve done it you get that extra feeling of success and adrenalin.

“I grew up by the sea, and competing outdoors in the 10k has really given an extra gear in my career. I think outdoor swimming should be encouraged and fully support the campaign for better inland access.”

Kate Rew, February 2010

2010 began with a political victory for outdoor swimming, as MPs tabled questions in the House of Commons to defend the historic freedom to swim year round in Hyde Park's Serpentine Lake.

Conservative MPs Desmond Swayne and Edward Leigh (the latter pictured left) enjoy regular early morning swims in the Serpentine, but found their access barred during the recent spell of icy weather.

Mr Swayne, who works for David Cameron as a Private Parliamentary Secretary, arrived at the lake to find his way blocked by a locked gate. He said:

'I had not been the previous week but half a dozen or so others said that it had been locked for several days and that the Park authorities would not give us access until the ice had cleared.'

The two men submitted questions to the Culture, Media and Sport Secretary demanding to know why the lake had been closed and how many times this had happened in the last thirty years. A key was eventually provided, allowing members of the Serpentine Swimming Club to get to the water come what may.

Mr Swayne said 'When I went along the following week I was told that a key had been issued towards the end of the preceding week. The minister's answer that the club had been issued with a key from the outset is incorrect.'

He understood that BBC coverage showing people walking on the ice had prompted the Royal Parks authorities to lock the gate as a precaution.

Support for OSS 'right to swim' campaign

Mr Swayne, who is the MP for New Forest West, also enjoys swimming in the sea and advocates the many benefits of swimming outdoors. He urged officials not to overreact in future, and expressed support for the work of the OSS, saying:

'As well as being great fun, swimming outdoors boosts mental and physical health and encourages environmental responsibility.  I understand that authorities are concerned for public safety, but I think people should be trusted to use their common sense and take responsibility for themselves when minor risks are involved.  I am sympathetic to the the efforts of the OSS to establish clearer outdoor swimming rights for the British public.'

Edward Leigh added: 'I have always been a great advocate of outdoor swimming, the benefits of which are numerous. It is one of my favourite pastimes and when I am in London I try to swim in the Serpentine every morning, rain, shine or snow.'

He thought that the case for closing the Serpentine was 'ridiculous', pointing out that 'people have been swimming there consistently for over 100 years'. 

He is also 'furious' that he has been prevented from swimming in a lake in his Gainsborough constituency on health and safety grounds.

'It amazes me that people have the right to ban others from swimming in outdoor bathing areas, as I am sure that swimming in an outdoor area is not a criminal offence,' he said.

Mr Leigh wholeheartedly endorsed the work of the OSS, saying:

'I agree entirely with the manifesto of The Outdoor Swimming Society and I do hope that in time we shall succeed in making it much easier to swim freely in outdoor bathing locations.'

To see the parliamentary questions on outdoor swimming asked by Desmond Swayne MP and Edward Leigh MP, click here (scroll down about half way).

Jonathan Knott, January 2010

Jack Bright is a British extreme swimmer living in the Czech Republic. He is a documentary film maker and runs the Extreme Winter Swimming website. He shares with us the joy and attitude towards winter swimming in his adoptive country.

It’s been a busy time in winter swimming for me. In January, my friends got married in 1.8c water so we had a winter swimming wedding – maybe a world first. The wedding was featured on Czech TV news (around 4:30mins in). I filmed some of it for a documentary I am making, but that’s another story.

And now it’s late on Wednesday night and I must rise with the lark (if they are about at this time of year) as I must make my way to Lake Bled in Slovenia for the World Winter Swimming Championships. And if you asked me to tell you about winter swimming in the Czech Republic then the subject of the Bled event is a perfect staring point.

I have to say that the Czech Republic is a hotbed of winter swimming but I will be the only swimmer going to Bled from my club or indeed any other club in the CZ. You see winter swimming here is all substance over style. Twenty-five or 50 metres is a short distance and although the 400m race will be testing, here we wouldn’t describe it as an endurance race. A true endurance race here would be 750m or 1000m in still water below 2c. For many of my colleagues the idea of paying a large entrance fee to swim such a short distance just doesn’t add up, as beautiful as Bled undoubtedly is.

We have a 96 year-old man who still swims and in fact he can just about manage 50m in favourable conditions. He is the icon of winter swimming in this small land-locked country in central Europe, where swimming is just swimming, and health and safety – well it doesn’t exist in quite the same way as in the UK. Saying that, we have common sense and all our events are well organised.

Outdoor swimming is wilder in the UK but then wetsuits are common place, with triathlon now so popular. However, with a little ‘Otuzilci’ training you can swim 5km in water of around 15c with relative ease, so do you always need one?

And I hear you asking what do winter swimmers do when the European summer arrives? Do you head off to the South Pole? No, we keep on swimming – for longer periods, and in spring, after a tough winter season behind you, well, you will truly feel new born, which is fantastic in spring as the earth starts to look bright and fresh again.

Try winter swimming. My website www.extremewinterswimming.com has good information about how to begin hardening the body against cold water. The sensation is wonderful and after swimming try very sweet tea with honey and ginger, and remember the best way to transfer heat is body to body!

Happy swimming (in all seasons and weathers)!

Addendum: I am now back from Bled. It was a fantastic long weekend. The best British performers were from the South London Swimming Club as they had great strength in numbers and some excellent swimmers in all the events. The endurance race was a real spectacle for the spectators (which was the impression I got when exiting the water and on viewing some video footage). It was testing in the conditions but a longer distance next year would be amazing and a great addition to the already superb program.

Jack Bright, February 2010

Islands invoke something magical in people’s imaginations thanks to a literary legacy that spans many hundreds of years, taking in castaways and pirates, buried treasure and children who refuse to grow up. From Treasure Island, Robinson Crusoe and The Count of Monte Cristo to Swallows and Amazons, Peter Pan and Lord of the Flies, islands are the stuff of escapist adventure and have kept generations of children turning pages by torchlight well after their bedtimes.   

There’s a name for people obsessed with islands, although there are far worse afflictions, I’m sure. “Yes, my name is Matt and I’m an islomaniac!” Like you, I also have a healthy love for open water swimming and a while back I came up with the idea of combining these passions into a bit of a challenge. I decided that I wanted to swim to, from, around 20 islands around the world and write a book about my adventures.

There are approximately 180,497 islands in the world, which means there are an awful lot of islands to chose from and some fairly radical whittling to be done. Of course everyone’s list would be different, but for me it was important that each island had a story to tell. In the first of two articles for the Outdoor Swimming Society, I’m sharing with you five of my European selections, which will hopefully inspire others to share my passion for island swimming. 

BURGH ISLAND, BIGBURY-ON-SEA, SOUTH DEVON, UK (One mile)

Brought to the OSS by local sculptor Kari Furre, Burgh Island has achieved fame in Kate Rew’s Wild Swim and more recently, in Robson Green’s programme Wild Swimming.

This charming tidal island, a stone’s skip away from the small Devonshire seaside village of Bigbury-on-Sea, oozes romance and mystery. Cut off by the tide twice a day, the island is dominated by the Art Deco Burgh Island Hotel. Dame Agatha Christie used the island as the inspirational setting for two of her most popular books, Evil Under The Sun and the oft renamed And Then There Were None.  

According to local folklore, back in the 20s and 30s, floating bars were moored in summer at various points offshore for swimmers and there was an annual round-the-island swimming race, with cocktails served to the winner by waiters in black tie.

The swim is a one to one-and-a-half mile circumnavigation of the island, past imposing cliffs, rocky inlets and mysterious coves. Tides and choppy waters can make for a bold swim, although the lure of swimming past the spider crabs, around Cormorant Corner and through a channel somewhat imposingly named Death Valley add some old school adventure to the mission.

ESCAPE FROM MONTE CRISTO, FRANCE (3.1 miles)

Château d’If, the prison island off the coast of Marseille, became internationally famous in the 19th century when Alexandre Dumas used it as a setting for The Count of Monte Cristo, published to widespread acclaim in 1844. In the book, the Count (actually the commoner Edmond Dantès) and his mentor, Abbé Faria, were both imprisoned on If.

After fourteen years, Dantès makes a daring escape from the castle, becoming the first person ever to do so and survive. He returns to Marseille as a remade man with a fortune bequeathed to him by Faria and with vengeance very much on his mind.

In reality, no one is known to have escaped the island besides the hundreds of people who take part in the annual Défi Monte Cristo swim race. Created in 1999, three races exist – a 1km Junior Challenge and a 2km ‘taster’ on the Saturday, followed by the main 5km race on the Sunday. I am going to attempt this swim in June. www.defimonte-cristo.com

BROWNSEA ISLAND, POOLE HARBOUR, UK UK (4.5 miles)

Brownsea Island is the largest of the islands found in Poole Harbour in Dorset and is now owned by the National Trust. Thankfully the name Brownsea has nothing to do with the surrounding seawater quality, but comes from the Anglo Saxon for Brūnoc's Island.

The island has a fascinating history, which includes Robert Baden-Powell holding the first experimental Scout camp on the island back in 1907. Twenty-two boys from different social backgrounds took part in activities like camping, observation, woodcraft, chivaly, lifesaving and patriotism. Following the successful camping experience, Baden-Powell published Scouting For Boys in 1908, which led to the growth of the international Scouting movement.

There is an annual round the island swim of 4.5 miles run by RLSS Poole Lifeguards. www.rlss-poole.org.uk/brownsea.htm. I will be undertaking this swim on 25 July.

ROUND CHRISTIANSBORG SWIM, COPENHAGEN, DENMARK

How many other European capitals can boast water surrounding their Houses of Parliament that is clean enough to swim in? Slotsholmen (The Castle Islet) is an island in the harbour of Copenhagen, Denmark, and part of Copenhagen Inner City. Sometimes referred to as 'the Island of Power', Slotsholmen houses many of the central institutions of the country.

The course is 2,000 metres long, meaning the 10,000 metre race involves five loops. There is both a competition for amateurs who swim in the afternoon and a FINA 10 km Marathon Swimming World Cup event with US$11,000 in prize money that takes place in the morning. The swim takes place this year on 28 August and water temperatures are 18-22°C.

The nature of the course makes it unusually good for spectators and that combined with the historical surroundings have gained it a reputation as one of the best open water swim competitions in Europe.

MAMMA MIA ISLAND: SKOPELOS, GREECE (2 miles)

The real stars of the hit film mama Mia are not Meryl Streep or Pearce Brosnon, but rather the timeless ABBA songs and the truly stunning location – a small Greek Island called Skopelos. The saxophone-shaped island in the Aegean Sea stood in for the fictional Greek Island of Kalokari in the hit film.

In the film, the cast can be seen dancing across white sand beaches before plunging into a sparkling sea and singing big numbers at epic locations such as the rock top monastery at Agios Ioannis.

Skopelos is the largest of several islands that make up the Sporades group, including Skiathos (which also served as a location in the film) to the West and Alonissos to the east. No organised swim exists, but a swim from Alonissos (with a support boat, obviously) is a manageable two miles, while Skiathos is only for the more serious swimmer at 12.5 miles.

I would love to hear suggestions for other island swims and I have created a facebook topic on the Outdoor Swimming Society facebook page.

Matt can also be contact by email at mattnewbury (at) aol.com. He would also love to hear from any editors who would be interested in publishing any of his adventures, as well as relevant hotels, airlines, sponsors or any benefactors who may be able to support the challenge and the book.

Matt Newbury, February 2010

OSS muse Kari Furre and fellow Devon-based swimmer-artist Amanda Bluglass have created a major new piece of public art which is set to adorn the outside of the newly redeveloped Rebecca Adlington Swimming Centre in Mansfield, Nottinghamshire.

They beat seventeen other artists to win the commission. The work takes the form of a body cast of a female swimmer.

Amanda says: “We absolutely love being in the water, and we want the work to reflect the beauty and strength of the swimmer’s body. Rebecca’s success has made swimming very current and we hope our sculpture will help keep that momentum going. We want people to visit the building and be really enthused and fired up by the power of the artwork on the outside.”

The sculpture is a massive 4.5m long and had to be put on a special sledge to be moved during the height of the country’s recent snowfall. Delicately hidden within the main piece is a ‘visual puzzle’: the body of a female swimmer making her way across the wall. The artists worked with a fellow swimmer to cast her body, capturing authentic musculature and movement. The sculpture is made of fibreglass resin. Once completed and mounted on the outside of the pool it will glitter with gold mica flecks, and at night it will be also be illuminated from within by blue LED lights.

A spokesman for the pool says they hope to have the sculpture in situ by 12 February. The pool (already affectionately dubbed ‘Becky’s Baths’ by swimmers proud of their local Olympian) will be officially opened by Rebecca Adlington on 18 February.

Anna Morell, February 2010

In August 2010, six 12 year-olds from Bristol will swim across 21 miles of the busiest shipping lane in the world, battling cold waters, rough seas, darkness and fluthers of jellyfish to enter the Guinness Book of World Records.

The children (who are currently actually 11 years old) are responsible for raising their own funds, and are running a raft of events in support of their endeavour, as well as to raise money for Surf Lifesaving GB and Children’s Hospices UK.

The next event, on 18 March at Clifton Lido in Bristol, is a dinner followed by a swim and sports-themed auction. Members of the Bristol English Channel Swim Team will be there to explain more about this inspiring local event. For details, go to: http://bestswim.co.uk

The website will feature first-person updates from the children from March.

Anna Morell, February 2010

Thank you for the brilliant response we had to the recent call for volunteers. We have eight new recruits who are going to start work on exciting watery projects over the coming months, details of which will be revealed in future newsletters. Some answered our adverts, and some have invented roles from themselves (eg family liaison), and we are looking forward to them joining the team during February.

We are still looking for people to fill key roles (see the jobs page for a full list of positions, if you would like to join the team)

• Swimming coaches – for outdoor swimming fitness courses nationwide
• Member admin – to answer questions people can’t answer on the website and OSS Facebook, and link members to the team where necessary
• Advisors -  we are interested in hearing from anyone who has relevant experience (for example in large volunteer and membership organisations, public fundraising, running not-for-profits, or business expertise) who would like to become one of a panel of OSS Advisors
• Newsletter uploader – to upload and send out monthly news stories and newsletter
• Regional Swims coordinator – to be at the centre of the wheel of regional representatives
• Regional representatives – to stimulate more Social Swims in their geographical area
• Swimming Film Festival organizer – art and swimming, what better
• Policy writer – our growth means we now apparently need to have a constitution, health & safety policy and child protection policies in place. Can you write these for us?

 
The OSS was founded by Kate Rew in 2006. A key aim for 2010 is to introduce a clear structure of volunteers, advisors and a board of directors. Simultaneously, we will generate the small income that is required to staff the hub that enables the rest of the society to operate, and to run the website. This will bring it in line with other successful membership, sporting and campaigning organizations, ensure its sustainable, and enable us to continue expanding the range and variety of free wild swimming open to members, both by providing a community for swimmers and campaigning.
 
Laura Tomlinson, Volunteer Manager, February 2010

700 people took part in the World Winter Swimming Championships in Bled in Slovenia in January 2010. Patricia Baker, a member of the Outdoor Swimming Society and the South London Swimming Club spoke to Anna Morell about the swimmers at Tooting, and the club’s trip to this most extreme of winter sports events.

“We acclimatise by degrees, starting in July. I only manage to get to Tooting once a week, but it helps to acclimatise gradually – by December, Tooting Bec Lido was about one degree.

‘Many of us do it for the camaraderie – to meet, to chat and have coffee. There is a bench at Tooting dedicated to Bob Fitch whose wife Doreen helped keep the Lido open. Bob was 83 when he had a heart attack coming out of pool. He had swam there for over eight years, and that was how he wanted to go. We like to sit on his bench and think about him.

“We go to enjoy ourselves and keep out of hospital beds. One Club member is on crutches. It takes him thirty minutes to get from his car to swim but he does two widths daily. It’s good exercise for the elderly – less effort. We get quite cross when the pool has to close.

“The World Winter Swimming Championships are held every two years. The first one our Club attended was in Finland in 2006. In 2008, they came to Tooting Bec, and in 2010 it was Bled. The pool at Tooting was judged to be too warm (six degrees) for some people at the last Championships, but ironically this year it was colder in London than it was in Bled.

“This year, there will be 30 of us going from the South London Swimming Club, competing with people from around 25 nations. There tend to be be a lot of Americans, Canadians, Russians and Germans.

“We tend to go for the bravado rather than the competition, but there are prizes to be had for the keen. The Championships have a range of categories, but the majority of our Club swim the 25m head-up breaststroke in different age groups. The winners and runners-up of each heat go forward into the finals. I tend to get knocked out in the first round. As for the temperature – what’s one degree? You get on and do it. There is so much cameraderie, and an awful lot of people older than me do it.”

Tooting Bec was originally called Tooting Lake. Doreen Fitch was nominated for Unsung Hero in the BBC Sports Personality of the Year for her work keeping it open.


Anna Morell, February 2010

2010 is the 200th anniversary of the swim to put open water swimming on the map: Byron's epic swim across the Hellespont. Join OSS member Dave Lowe (who won a place as a prize in the December Dip raffle) and other swimmers in a crossing to celebrate it.  See international events for more details.

See the Youtube video.

It’s the simple question that swimmers who attended the OSS Plum Pudding Plunge may have been asked by friends, family and colleagues when they told them what their plans were for the weekend. Why?

Why did you get up on a December Saturday morning to jump into an unheated outdoor pool?  Why didn’t you just stay in bed? 

As they looked over the stainless steel-lined Lido – reflecting back the stark winter sunlight – and saw the temperature reading for the water was six degrees (two degrees warmer than a fridge) it was obviously a question that many people who attended were also asking themselves. 

As someone correctly said: “It’s freezing just standing here”. 

No one denied that the water was stingingly cold, one person even described the feeling induced as being “concerned that you might die”, but this very fact led to people emerging energised and revitalised. 

‘Exhilarating’ was a frequently used word, and another swimmer, Suzanne, a Londoner, justified the swim on the grounds that its cathartic effect was ‘cheaper than psychotherapy’. 

In the conditions, two widths were enough for most people, although not all. Lee, Fi and Tom from the OSS East Anglia group nonchalantly confirmed that they had each completed about 18 widths. As regular cold water swimmers, they were acclimatised to the temperature and assured me that after a few widths the initial shock subsided. 

The social aspect of the event was also important. Another London swimmer said that it was good to be around “lots of other people that don’t make me feel too mad”, while Ray, from the East Dorset Open Water Swimming Squad, as well as enjoying the swim itself, saw the occasion as “a good excuse for a pint of Guinness”. 

Ultimately, all who attended had done so simply, in the words of one swimmer: “for the sheer fun of it”. And given that, in the euphoric glow post swim, not one person could be found who regretted jumping in, those who wondered: ‘Why?’ would perhaps have been better off asking themselves: ‘Why not?’ 

There’s always next year…

Jonathan Knott, January 2010

There is a man from Yorkshire who walks up a hill every day. At the top of that hill he finds a beach. At the edge of that beach he finds water. Every day – whether he needs to apply sun cream to his skin or an ice-pick to the surface of the water – he jumps in for a swim.

Gaddings Dam is one of a pair of early 19th Century industrial reservoirs high above the Pennine town of Todmorden in West Yorkshire. Dating from the reign of William IV (1830-37), The Dams were built originally to supply water to local industry and are reputed to have been built using convict labour from Manchester – indeed, some of the stones in it are said to still bear the Government arrow. Since then the dam has been used for a variety of purposes including being used as a venue for a prize fight between two men from Whitworth in 1890 (36 rounds), and as a target-practise rifle-range for the troops during World War 2.

Today, the Friends of Gaddings Dam are still very much active in the upkeep and restoration of the Dam, and it is not unusual to spot one of them up there diving to the bottom for rocks to maintain the wall or similar. They are understandably cagey (health and safety) about the Dam’s function as a venue for outdoor swimming, but the swathes of folk who wander up there prove the swimming purpose clearly enough. While there are no formal events which take place there, the weekends preceding any big national swims show the Dam to be well used by outdoor swimmers from all over the north. 
 
If you fancy a dip, you must park your car about a mile away, strap on your walking boots and ascend the hill – it usually takes about 15-25 minutes. If it’s a particularly hot day, you might find when you get to the top that several others have the same idea as you. Some may be naked. Some of the naked ones have been known to be able to offer you a cup of tea freshly made on a camping stove in exchange for a wee natter.

To be a Friend, visit http://www.gaddingsdam.org.uk/ and email one of the members. You will be asked for a donation of £10 to go towards the upkeep of the dam, and in return they will send you a copy of their newsletter, keeping you up to date on new developments the group has undertaken, such as the recent addition of a measured circuit (500 metres).

Nadine Pitman, January 2010

Sarah Tunnicliffe is a key member of the OSS Team, galvanizing swimmers to meet up with her all round the country. Sarah is also building up a Lakes and North Yorkshire network for the OSS, organising swims in the sea, rivers, lakes and tarns in the area, as well as galvanizing the OSS facebook group with her bright ideas and swimming vim. She tells us what her New Year’s swimming resolutions are.

2009 – the year seems to have gone by so fast again.
 
At the OSS festive swim on Sandsend Beach near Whitby on Boxing Day last year I decided upon a different New Year’s Resolution for 2009: to do as much outdoor swimming as possible in lots of different places.
 
I’ve kept a journal of all the swims I’ve done this year and what a brilliant set of adventures I’ve had, meeting some great people across the country and making firm friends along the way. From swimming in the River Thames passing through snow covered meadows, with seals in the sea off Norfolk, former glacial lakes, challenge distance swim, tarns and under the full moon, each having been memorable in different ways.
 
As the end of 2009 approaches I’m still getting out the swimming kit (admittedly with the wetsuit now) and heading out. As I head back to Sandsend Beach again on Boxing Day for the next OSS festive swim one thing I will be taking forward into 2010 is my resolution. Come join me, the water’s lovely.

Sarah Tunnicliffe, January 2010

Wild swimmers with exceptional tales to tell mingled with the crowd at the OSS Plum Pudding Plunge at Parliament Hill Lido. Wearing red aprons, their mission was to inspire and enthuse others to undertake new adventures in 2010. They didn’t disappoint. Here are some of their stories.

Richard swam up the Thames from Lechlade to Teddington in a week. He completed the 125 mile journey in five days, spending approximately 13 hours in the river daily, covering 25 miles and stopping every hour to eat in the water. 

The Thames appeals to him over other rivers because of its sense of history. Far from being polluted, the river is, he says, ‘a lot clearer than you would imagine’. The only obstacles to progressing all the way to the mouth are gaining permission from the relevant authorities (for some stretches, you might have to ask the Prime Minister) and navigating past any boats that might get in the way. 

Julie Pickard completed a four person channel relay swim, where she swam for one hour intervals before handing over to another team member. Far from being intimidated by the unknown depths, she finds it ‘lovely’ that you don’t know how far the ocean stretches beneath you. She is now tempted to take on the ultimate challenge of a solo channel swim. For more on Julie‘s swim, see the story ‘Swimming a channel relay’ which we ran in November 2009.

Frank Chalmers is the only person ever to have swum the treacherous eight-mile Hell’s Mouth crossing between mainland Scotland and the Orkney Isles. Warned about the dangers of killer whales, at one point he shuddered to see a shadow beneath him. As the shape grew nearer, however, it became clear that it was a seal – which, after inspecting him sceptically, decided to swim alongside him. It was joined by others to provide some unexpected company for a stretch of the crossing. 

Despite the arduous physical and mental demands placed on these swimmers, it was obvious that the delight of being outdoors and close to nature was still uppermost in their minds, and one of the main reasons they kept getting back in the water. 

Jonathan Knott, January 2010

New OSS member Mary Webb decided to prepare for the Plum Pudding Plunge by joining the South London Swimming Club on their annual winter lido crawl. Here, she shares the highboards, the lowboards, the swans and the dives with us.
 
Thanks to seeing it in the OSS newsletter, I decided, in my dubious wisdom, to go along to the winter Lido Crawl organised by the South London Swimming Club (SLSC).
 
I have to tell you that I am a bit of a novice when it comes to cold-water swimming. My one and only venture into this almost-unknown territory was the Great London Swim this year. I enjoyed it so much that I decided to join the OSS and try to do more outdoor swimming.
 
I'd already signed up to do the Plum Pudding Plunge, but was a bit apprehensive about jumping into a lido in December with you guys without taking at least one plunge before the event.
 
And, lo and behold, the opportunity arose with the SLSC Lido Crawl!
 
We met at Tooting Bec Lido at about 7.30am for the first dip. I was warmly welcomed by the members of the SLSC and coldly welcomed by the water – eight degrees and very cold for a beginner like me.
 
A quick change and a kindly offer of a lift to the next venue and we were off to the Serpentine. We had quite a wait whilst the club members finished their races, but then we were in – mass-jumping from the jetty and swimming with the Canadian geese (which stubbornly refused to get out of the way, making the swim a bit slalom-like at times!)
 
Another quick change and another car ride to the next lido. Some members cycled from place to place, and weren't very far behind those in cars!
 
The Parliament Hill Lido is a joy. Stainless steel-lined and HUGE – we had a most enjoyable swim there. Hot drinks and carbohydrate snacks were provided (I wish I'd found out who made the brownies - they were amazingly good!) and we were joyously welcomed there as well.
 
The final swim, for most of us, was a short walk away over Hampstead Heath. We were privileged to be allowed to swim in the Men's Pond after sending in an all-male advance party to pre-warn those already there. Much amusement was had, with the guys (and some of the gals) showing off on the springboard and the higher-level platform. For me, this was the most enjoyable and beautiful of the swims. Maybe because I'd got used to the cold water by then and it was, officially, the last swim of the day.
 
One final change and my kind chauffeur took me back to Tooting Bec, where I'd left my car. Foolishly, I happened to mention that as we were going back to Tooting Bec, maybe we should do one final, swim there, just to get one over on the rest of the gang. I was joking. He wasn't. So in we went again to take one, last, shivering, exhilarating, amazing swim.
 
Acclimatised and exhilarated, I couldn’t wait for the Plum Pudding Plunge.
 
Mary Webb, January 2010

If you had to assign one attribute to the kind of people who jump into ice-encrusted lakes for fun, it would probably be: weird. But, if pushed for a second, I bet it would be: healthy.

Overweight, lethargic, bad skin, thin hair. These are not adjectives often associated with those crazy cold water enthusiasts. Try: athletic, youthful and toned with good complexions and lots of energy. So, what's their secret? What are the real health benefits of regular exposure to cold water and are they available to normal people without masochistic tendencies?

1. Boosts your immune system

For your body, a sudden and drastic change in temperature constitutes an attack – as anyone who's ever fallen overboard in British waters will concur. And, whilst “attacking” your own body may not sound like a good thing, there is no harm in keeping it on its toes. In fact, quite the opposite.

Scientists from the Czech Republic immersed witting subjects in cold water for one hour, three times a week and monitored their physiology. They found significant increases in white blood cell counts and several other factors relating to the immune system. This was attributed to the cold water being a mild stressor which activates the immune system and gives it some practice.

2. For an all-natural high

Winter swimmers talk a lot about the ‘high’ they get from cold water – a feeling of wellbeing that's so encompassing that it becomes quite addictive (who doesn’t want to feel truly good, at least once a day?) The cause? Endorphins.

Endorphins are the body's natural pain killers and, in the case of a cold dip, it uses them to take the sting away from your skin. So, to get high on your own supply, all you need to do is jump in a river.

And if you think that sounds dangerously close to the pleasure/pain barrier then you're probably right. The two other primary causes for endorphin release are pain and orgasm.

The cold will also stimulate your parasympathetic system, which is responsible for rest and repair, and this can trigger the release of dopamine and serotonin. These neurotransmitters are a vital part of keeping us happy and low levels of them are linked with depression. Couple this effect with the endorphin rush as you take the plunge and it should make for a warm glow and a wide smile when you re-emerge.

3. Gets your blood pumping

Being hot brings blood to surface. Being cold sends it to your organs. Both extremes work your heart like a pump. That's why the whole sit in the sauna, roll in the snow, sit in the sauna thing makes people glow. But why is increased blood flow good for you?

Well, it helps flush your circulation for starters, pushing blood through all your capillaries, veins and arteries. It will exfoliate your skin and flush impurities from it, thus helping your complexion (firm-bodied women of all ages around pool sides say it stops cellulite). Evidence also demonstrates that your body adapts to the cold with repeated exposure and this may improve your circulation, particularly to your extremities - no bad thing in the winter months.

You could get these benefits by switching between the hot and cold taps in your shower (or the sauna, snow, sauna thing) but that doesn't sound nearly as fun as quick dip in your local pond followed by wrapping up warm afterwards.

4. Improves your sex life

The suggestion of a cold shower might bring forth images of hot-headed young men trying to quell wanton urges but research paints a different picture.

In a study with a similar format to the one described above, participants took daily cold baths and were monitored for changes. In addition to some similar results to their Czech counterparts, these researchers also found increased production of testosterone and oestrogen in men and women respectively.

In addition to enhancing libido in both sexes, these hormones also play an important role in fertility. In fact, one technique recommended for men looking to fatherhood is to bathe their testicles in cold water every day.  Whatever your procreative desires, a dip of a different sort certainly could add an edge to your sex life.

5. Burns calories

We all know that swimming is great exercise but there are some extra benefits from doing it in the North Sea that you just won't get from a warm wade in the Med.

Swimming in cold water will make your body work twice as hard to keep you warm and burn more calories in the process. For this sort of exercise, fat is your body's primary source of energy and the increased work rate will increase your metabolism in the long run.

Tim Moss runs adventure website www.thenextchallenge.org and got into outdoor swimming when he had to cross the Solent as part of a charity triathlon last year. We’re hoping for more of his research into swimming in the next few months.

Tim Moss, November 2009

On 12th November the Outdoor Swimming Society gave evidence at the Welsh Assembly in favour of the right to swim. See BBC Democracy Live to watch the footage. (The OSS appears at minute 47, but you are warmly encouraged to listen to the session right through to the end). 

In England and Wales there is no clear right to swim enshrined in law: while walkers, climbers, cyclists and other lovers of outdoor spaces have good clear access to the countryside, swimmers and water users have little clarity about where they can and can't legally enter water. (Owning a riverbank, riverbed or fishing rights does not mean that you own the water, and the right to swim in it).

In Scotland, the 2003 Land Reform Act gave Scots the right to roam (which encompasses the right to swim) and the National Assembly for Wales is currently considering adopting a similar legal framework. We are strongly in favour of this. It would open access to miles of beautiful inland waters, bringing, we believe, benefits to water users (health, happiness) and the Welsh economy (thought increased tourist revenue).

In September OSS lawyer Nathan Wilmot, from Berwin Leighton Paisner (BLP), submitted written evidence in favour of the implementation of this new statute that would ensure that everyone has access to inland water in Wales, on an equal footing. You can read the submission here (PDF format).

You are urged to add your voice to the debate (which is currently dominated in Wales by anglers and canoeists) by:

• Encouraging everyone who loves swimming who you know to sign up as members of the OSS at www.outdoorswimmingsociety.com NOW! The bigger our membership base, the  louder we will be heard).
• Visit the Welsh Assembly bus at the following locations on the 20th and 21st November, where it is gathering video evidence, and speak up for swimming. At these sessions the Committee are keen to hear from people who have not previously given evidence to the Committee on this topic. 

1. 1. Friday 20 November  - Gwydyr Hotel, Holyhead Road, Betws y Coed between 11.30 and 12.30 AMs present: Mick Bates and Brynle Williams
   2. Friday 20 November - Queens Square, Wrexham between 16.00 and 17.00. AM present:: Mick Bates
   3. Saturday 21 November - Guild Hall Square, Carmarthen between 9.30 and 10.30. AM present: Mick Bates
   4. Saturday 21 November - Welsh Assembly Government Office car park, Merthyr Tydfil between 14.00 and 15.00. AM present: Mike German.

Thank you to Nathan Wilmot and Adam Jamieson at lawfirm BLP for making our presentation valuable and possible. And thank you to all our fundraising members who enable us to carry on with our work.

PLEASE EMAIL THIS COPY TO FRIENDS!

Place your vote for the right to swim now!

Love swimming?  Want to see fewer 'no swimming' signs tacked on to trees (poor trees)? Then place your vote for swimming now by signing up to the Outdoor Swimming Society.

The OSS is campaigning for greater access to water for swimmers, so water lovers enjoy the same freedom to enjoy the outdoors as walkers, climbers and cyclists. 

On 12th November the OSS gave evidence to the Welsh Assembly in favour of a new statute that would ensure everyone has access to inland water in Wales. Scots already have this right. We would like it in England to. Vote for swimming. Join the OSS.

The more members we have, the more loudly we will be heard.

Join OSS! 

Kate Rew, November 2009

The poor, humble, sidestroke. It just doesn’t seem strenuous enough. Elegant enough. Popular enough. Mention sidestroke, and the average swimmer lumps it together with doggy paddle as a faffy, go-nowhere stroke.

But sidestroke is actually an extremely efficient stroke, beloved of US Navy Seals, lifeguards and long distance swimmers. It was an Olympic stroke until the mid-1980s and in winter it comes into it’s own, keeping the face and head away from numbing freeze as you glide along, with a great view of migrating birds and bare trees.

The power in sidestroke comes from two places: a strong scissor kick and a broad sweep of the uppermost arm. As you swim, remember to enjoy the glide.

To begin the stroke, the swimmer should lie on one side, stretching the underside arm out as far as possible above the head, keeping fingers straight and holding the hand with its edge towards the water’s surface. The other hand goes across the chest, its back against the lower pectoral.

Legs are scissor-kicked, with the lower leg working the hardest. The underside arm is brought round in a broad sweep, until the palm of the hand almost touches the underside thigh. At the same time, the left hand makes a similar sweep, but is carried down towards the legs, as far as it can go. These motions are repeated. The swimmer can switch sides periodically according to personal comfort.

Youtube has a sidestroke tutorial here and an underwater view of sidestroke here.

Mastering the stroke will give a good view any time of year and may have added benefits: writer Charles Sprawson (author of Haunts of the Black Masseur) always uses the stroke over deep water, on account, he says, of being afraid to look into its depths.

Anna Morell, November 2009

Want to make keep up to date with open water legislation and make some noise about what is happening with the management of our wild water? From access to cleanliness, here’s a round up of the main pieces of water-related legislation currently making waves in government:

Welsh Assembly Inquiry into Access to Inland Water

In Scotland swimmers have the right to swim, which may hopefully be given to Welsh swimmers soon. To read more about this see the Welsh Assembly’s Inquiry into Access to Inland Water. The OSS submitted a response to the Inquiry and you can read the submission here (PDF format). Kate Rew has been invited to give evidence on behalf of the society at the Welsh Assembly’s Sustainability Committee  on 12th November.

Environment Agency report

The EA has responsibility for keeping British rivers clean,and recently published an Environment Agency (EA) report on their cleanliness. The report reveals that seven out of 10 English rivers and nine out of 10 Welsh rivers achieved ‘good’ or ‘very good’ status in terms of chemical and biological water quality in 2008 and that water quality is the best it has been for a quarter of a century.

The Guardian drew some different conclusions from the data, reporting that out of 6,114 English and Welsh rivers, only five meet the criteria affording them ‘pristine’ status.

Water Framework Directive

The EA is working towards the EU’s Water Framework Directive, which the British government signed up to in 2000, Under this directive Britain is legally required to ensure that 95% of its rivers are in what the Framework terms ‘good’ condition by 2015 – the bar for which is set higher than the EA’s current definition of ‘good’.

The River Basin Management Plans is part of work towards this directive, and the final version of this will be released on 22 December. You can view the draft plans here.

Our Rivers campaign

Our Rivers is an umbrella campaign supported by the RSPB, WWF, The Angling Trust and the Association of River Trusts, which allows local swimmers and other water users to ‘adopt a river’ and feedback to the site on it’s condition.

They are hoping to encourage people, by adopting their rivers, to become more environmentally aware and when necessary contact  MPs, local media and the Secretary of State for the Environment, the Rt Hon Hilary Benn MP

The campaign, invites people to stand up for their local rivers. Its website has a river map of the UK which allows users to add a map pin with comments about their local river’s cleanliness and.

Marine and Coastal Access Bill

The Marine and Coastal Access Bill is a huge piece of legislation covering all manner of marine management. For coastal leisure users, it is intended to “ensure clean healthy, safe, productive and biologically diverse oceans and seas, by putting in place better systems for delivering sustainable development of marine and coastal environment.”

While there is a general right to swim in coastal waters, it remains subject to (a) access rights from the shore, which may be restricted; and (b) any byelaws or specific legislation that may prevent swimming in certain areas - in particular in ports and harbours.

The Coastal Access Bill will reduce shore restrictions, opening up more of the sea to swimmers. 70% of our coastline is currently accessible to walkers, although access is sometimes poor. (A map of current accessibility can be seen here). But the Coastal Access Bill will give us full access to the coast. It’s expected to take at least a decade to become a reality, but the first major new rights of way are expected to be opened by 2013. 10% of the coast is likely to remain off limits because of genuine inaccessibility. Exactly how much more swimming this will give us remains to be investigated (access to a coastal path will often be on a cliff), but it can only be a move in the right direction.

The Bill also pledges to introduce new tools for the conservation of marine wildlife to protect marine biodiversity and promote recovery where practicable, support healthy functioning and resilient marine ecosystems and ensure environmental considerations are at the heart of decision-making processes.

The Bill is in its final stages of development, with the Lords set to consider Commons amendments made at the end of October on 11 November.

Anna Morell, November 2009

Julie Pickard joined the OSS as a novice outdoor swimmer in July 2007. Two years later, she swam the English Channel as part of a relay team. Here, she shares the story of her swim, from inspiration to completion:

“I joined the OSS in July 2007, taking part in the OSS Breastrokes swim in the Serpentine and the OSS December Dip, and  then the next summer I joined an OSS trip around Burgh Island and down the Aveton Gifford Estuary. I had never done anything like this in my life – it was a huge leap for me, racing, being in the cold, wearing a wetsuit, and swimming in the sea. Burgh Island swim was my first-ever sea swim, and I was nervous swimming out from the shore to the island. But I really enjoyed it and they were instrumental in leading me to explore more.

Soon after the Burgh Island swim I was invited to join a Channel swim relay team. I began focusing on my training that September, swimming at Parliament Hill all through the winter, wetsuitless, and staying in for as long as I could each time. I also swam as often as possible without gloves or socks. I’d met a swimmer called Sally Goble at the December Dip and she was a real inspiration to me -  I kept thinking that if Sally could spend all those hours in the Channel then surely I could do one more width… then length…

I did a diving course, not so much because I wanted to dive off high boards, but because I 
was afraid of jumping off the boat into the Channel and thought this might help me to get over the fear. Jumping off the three-metre board was one of the scariest things I've ever done. I was convinced I'd die before I got to the water. I never made it to diving off the three-metre – jumping was enough!

And I did the OSS advanced coaching session with OSS Patron and Olympian Cassie Patten in London Fields the next January. Something she said in the session proved to be crucial for me on my first swim in Dover Harbour. She talked about using the forearms for pulling, not just the hands. What I absorbed from what she said was that for the pulling part of your stroke you should use the whole forearm and hand, not just the hand. She also gave me some tips about sighting and general body position in the water.

I continued on through the winter at the Lido, as well as sessions once at week with Cally Masters over at Cally pool in Islington. Even though I could only go once a week, these fitness swims pushed me far beyond what I ever imagined I could do, in terms of time and stamina and overall fitness. I started swimming at Dover Harbour in May. It was brutal: the sea water is 10-11 degrees and you start off swimming for 20-30 minutes – none of this five or ten minute stuff that you might do at Parliament Hill! You also don't wear gloves or socks in the harbour and you can't get out in a hurry either, so it's a whole different concept of mental toughness and endurance. I was terrified.

It was on my first Dover Harbour swim that Cassie's advice really kicked in. First, when I was out 
near the west wall of the harbour, my hands went numb. But then they began to feel as if they had no bones and were completely powerless. I was quite a distance from shore. There was nothing to do but swim into shore and my hands were temporarily useless. It was the longest I'd ever been in at that temperature and that far from shore. Then I remembered Cassie's comment about forearms. And that's how I got back to shore – by ignoring my hands and thinking about and using my forearms. It was only on this first session that my hands got that cold and blubbery-like (they looked completely normal though). I adjusted, both physically and mentally) and the water got warmer too!

I continued with sea swimming as much as possible: Brighton Beach with the Brighton Swimming Club, the east coast of France, the Bournemouth Pier to Pier (truly wicked conditions this year) and at Dover Harbour as much as possible.

With encouragement and direction from Freda Streeter down at Dover Harbour, I pushed my training up to doing a three-hour non-stop swim without any feeding and then a four-hour swim with feeds starting at two hours.

I never let up, I just kept pushing harder and harder. It was actually quite difficult to wrap my head around this as I've never done triathlon or other competitions. I've swum for enjoyment, for relaxation, but realised that to do the Channel I really had to step up more than a few notches.”

To read what happened on the day, see A description of the Channel Swim is on the swim map.

Julie Pickard, November 2009