Brighton and Hove Safe Summer Swimming

Seabirds’ operate as a Community Interest Company that aims to encourage all local residents, of all swim abilities to join us in the sea. Our aim is to create a community space for people to enjoy the water and provide a way for swimmers to manage their mental health and wellbeing. The summer is great time to start as the lifeguard service is available and we have already seen lots of new Salties joining our flock. So as a warm welcome to warmer seas here is an informative blog featuring the iconic ‘Brighton Buoys’ and our summer season lifeguard service.

Normal Operating Lifeguard Service

The ‘SWIM AREA’ buoys arrive in early May ready for the lifeguard season to start on Brighton and Hove’s beaches over the May Half Term. Brighton and Hove normally has 11 lifeguarded beaches covering 14km of seafront from Saltdean to Hove Lagoon.  The swim area buoys mark out an area that is safe to swim in if the yellow and red flags are flying and a lifeguard is on duty.  They are not there for swimmers to swim round although many use them as markers to swim too and roughly measure the distance of their swim. If you were to see a bird’s eye view of them you would see they are never parallel and move around quite a bit in bad weather so it is a very rough measurement.

The season runs from May to September with the outer posts of Saltdean, Rottingdean and Ovingdean opening from July to September, as the schools break up. There can be between 2-4 lifeguards per post depending on how busy that particular beach is. The more popular touristy beaches by the Palace Pier have more lifeguards. All the beach lifeguards are supported by a lifeguarded boat that patrols daily and the Seafront staff and co-ordinators (the staff on the quad bikes).

Buoy Formation

These buoys are not to be confused with the boat lane buoys. These too are yellow but a different shape. However, from a distance, and as the swim area buoys are in a parallel line alongside the boat buoys, it is hard to see the difference. These buoys look like the picture below and are there to indicate where boats can approach to and from the shore. If you don’t want to get hit by a boat – don’t swim in these lanes. The boat lane buoys line up with yellow posts on the beach as per the picture below. This one to the west of King Alfred is by the boat winches and normally has kayaks locked to it. So if you can’t see the shape of the buoy from the shore – look for a post. The boat lanes are very close in proximity to some of the lifeguard posts most notably at King Alfred and Hove Lawns (D5) so please be mindful when you swim there as jet skis and small craft are allowed to launch and land there.

The most common rescue the lifeguards perform is retrieving swimmers from the Swim Area buoys. Swimmers head out for the buoys and when they get there can be too tired to swim back, not realise they made it there on a tidal current or offshore wind and don’t have the ability to get back, or get there and realise how far they are from shore and freeze both in temperature and ability to move. If you want to know more about swimming safely, improve your swimming confidence and technique or join us for a guided swim to enable you to swim safely this summer you can BOOK HERE

We understand, that for some swimmers having goals and targets gives you something to strive towards but this must be done safely. If you wish to increase your time in the water, build up to it slowly and stay close to the shore so you can exit quickly.  Another way to measure your swim distance is to move parallel to the shore and count the groynes. These are roughly 100 metres apart and allow you to stay in shallower water and closer to a safe exit point. If you wish to swim to the buoys consider going at slack tide on a spring low with no wind. Don’t forget to wear a tow float and a bright coloured hat, preferably orange or pink.

The positions the lifeguards patrol are:

Duke’s Mound, BN2 1EN – 10:30am to 5:30pm

East of Brighton Palace Pier, BN2 1PS – 10am to 6pm

Central Brighton, West Street, BN1 2FN – 10am to 6pm

West Pier, BN1 2LN – 10am to 6pm

Hove Lawns Café, BN3 2FR – 10am to 6pm

King Alfred, BN3 2WW – 10am to 6pm

Extended positions for the summer holiday starting late July:

Rottingdean, BN2 7HR – 11:30am to 5:30pm

Saltdean, BN2 8SQ – 11:30am to 5:30pm

They are normally happy for you to leave your bags and belongings with them while you swim. And, they are happy to answer any of your questions or give you advice before you get in the water.

They will have boards close to their posts indicating tide times and sea conditions. There will be increased water patrols on boards and the boat and the new additions of towers dotted along our beaches have made watching beach and sea users much easier. They raise flags at their posts so it is easy to identify where they are and the safe swimming zone. A red and yellow flag indicates a safe swimming area. An orange flag indicates the wind is offshore and therefore inflatables should not be used. A Red Flag means it is dangerous to enter the water – this can be for many reasons and if you are unsure go and speak to the lifeguards on duty.

As RNLI Ambassadors we help share key messages about swimming in the sea safely. Below are their top 4 tips for using the beach safely and advice on what to do in an emergency.

Four Key Beach Safety Tips

1. Choose a lifeguarded beach. Swim between the red and yellow flags.
2. Don’t use inflatables in the sea. You can easily be blown out to sea with no way of getting back to shore.
3. Take a phone. In an emergency, dial 999 for the Coastguard.
4. If you’re in trouble in the water, remember #FloatToLive Lean back and use your arms and legs to help you float.

What to do in an emergency

STEP 1: Call for help. Keep an eye on the casualty, call 999 and ask for the Coastguard.

STEP 2: Talk. Talk to the casualty, encourage them to keep calm and float. Reassure them that you are getting help.

STEP 3: Reach. Try to reach them from the shore using any lifesaving equipment available. Do not go in the water yourself.

STEP 4: Throw. Throw a line to the casualty and pull them towards the shore if possible.

Other Useful Resources

• How to read sea condition forecasts – & Reading Forecasts for Sea Swimming
• Other useful apps are windguru, buoyweather and Imray
• The seafront has a number of webcams to get an idea of the sea conditions before you leave home. They can change quickly though so be prepared to change you plans.
• The Outdoor Swimming Society has lots of useful articles on swimming safely.
• Water quality is measured by various organisation around Brighton and Hove. Surfers Against Sewage have a Safer Seas app that provides warnings if the water quality is low.
• Seafront Office are happy to give advice. They cannot give you individual advice on whether it is safe for you to swim but can provide answers to general queries around water quality, sea temperature events etc. Their contact details are; 01273 292716.
• The Royal Life Saving Society has great resources and go into more detail about using the beach safely and what to do in an emergency.

Is it safe to swim in the sea?

Swimming in cold water and outside of the ‘bathing season’ is very different to summer swimming. Lower air temperatures, storms are more likely, no lifeguards on the beach. It’s no longer just a case of grab your cossie and head out the door. People asking each other if it’s ok to swim. We get asked a lot, both online and on the beach, ‘is it safe to go in?’ And our answer is we don’t know.

We’re not saying that to be unhelpful, unkind, smug or territorial.  It’s just that we don’t know. In most cases we have never met the person asking before. So we have no idea of their swim ability and more importantly experience of sea swimming at that particular location. We also have no insight into their physical and mental health at the time of asking and time of potential swimming.

Part of the joy of swimming in the sea year round is getting to know your swim spot, your limits, your abilities and your swim buddies intimately. By going in regularly at different tide states, tidal flows and temperatures you will begin to get to know yourself and what you are capable of and comfortable with. Do this gradually and safely, there is no rush, the sea is not going anywhere. 

In addition to reviewing weather forecasts, sea conditions, tides before you swim you need to review yourself and your swim buddies. This is only possible by being honest and realistic about your capabilities and relying only on yourself to make decisions about whether it is safe to swim. Trusting your swim buddies to make the right decision for only themselves too. The decisions may be different for all of you. And that’s OK. Many times I have chosen not to swim in challenging conditions because I do not want to influence my swimming buddies by going in. Many times I have chosen a more sheltered spot because the forecast predicted unsuitable sea conditions where I normally swim. Many times I have just waited for a different day.

Whenever we swim somewhere new, we research the local conditions, tide times by asking locals. Whenever we swim in our usual spot we review for topographical changes each time we arrive. Whenever we swim anywhere we check our swim kit, swim buddies, forecasts before we leave the house, conditions when we arrive at the beach, entry and exit points, for hazards and most importantly how we are feeling. This ‘checklist’ is by no means exhaustive but demonstrates the need for safe choices being based on careful consideration and sound sea knowledge. 

In the winter you can’t always swim on a wim. There is a degree of planning involved before you even leave the house. You need to know what the weather, the waves and the tides are doing. Find the apps or websites that work for you. When making decisions affecting your swim don’t rely on a single source of information. Check a few, make sure they are all saying the same thing, build a picture of what the conditions will look like based on the forecast information. 

But remember nothing beats actually getting to the beach and checking again. Forecasts are exactly that, forecasts. Someone’s best predictions based on a multitude of factors. What is going on locally, in reality, can be different or you may have read the forecast wrong. It happens. Be prepared to abandon or adapt your swim plans when you arrive at your swim spot based on what is actually before you. 

Webcams are looking at the water from a high vantage point which can distort our ability to assess wave and swell height. Even standing on a beach doesn’t really provide an insight into just how big a wave looks.  When you are in the water, can’t touch the seabed, your head is in a trough and a two foot wave is bearing down on you it seems huge. If you are cold and tired it can look like a mountain. When only your head is above water, it’s all about perspective. And this can cause panic!

The wave seems bigger when you are in the water

This is particularly important when you are planning your entry and exit points. When you enter cold water your breath will be robbed. On flat calm you can enter gradually. This is also true of shallow waters. Rough high water swims mean you are going to get wet quick. Timing your entry is everything and fast immersion is inevitable. 

But more importantly you need to plan your exit. 

Waiting for a break in the waves to get in when you are standing on dry land and  you are warm and full of anticipation energy is a completely different experience to getting out of the sea. You will be cold. You will be tired. It may not be the same spot you got in. You may not be in your depth and able to plant your feet on the sea bed and will be treading water for a while. You need to look out to sea and back to shore alternately and you assess when it’s good to get out. You may need to go back past the break line a few times until it’s safe to get out which can zap you of energy. You need to time it so the energy of the wave carries you in without dumping you unceremoniously on the shore. Can you do all of this? If you can’t don’t go in. 

You need to check your swim spot and yourself before you go in. Have a good look around and look at yourself. When else do you get to stand still and just take stock? Hardly ever right? So embrace it and take advantage of this quiet time to give yourself an ‘MOT’ and connect with your surroundings. 

Looking outward, what is the state of the beach? What is the state of the sea? Are there any structures likes harbour walls, groynes, rocks, piers? Are there any other water users like swimmers, fishermen, kite surfers, surfers, paddle boarders, the much maligned jet skiers? Is there slippery seaweed, flotsam, run off, litter? Looking inward, what state are you in. Did you sleep well last night? When did you last eat? How is your mental health? Do you have any injuries? And keep looking outward and inward through your swim and be be prepared to alter it so you stay safe. 

Always be prepared to abandon your swim, before or during your dip. 

Find a swim buddy or group to enjoy your sea swims with. They are not your lifeguards, your safety cover or your spotters. They are your company, your confidants, your community. My ‘swim wife’ knows me in a way my husband doesn’t, she is more aware of my abilities in the sea than he is, the signs that I’ve stayed in a tad too long, or if I’m procrastinating on the shoreline for longer than usual. Yes in an emergency they may be able to get help. But don’t rely on them to do that. The idea of swimming with others in the colder months is to build an intimate trust between each other. These are the the people that may spot the signs of cold water incapacitation in you and kindly but firmly tell you to exit the water. These are the people that help you get dressed when the after drop hits. These are the people who loan you a spare brightly coloured swim hat to keep your head warm and you seen. These are the people that support your safe swim decisions and share your winter swimming experience with. These people are not there to tell you whether it’s safe to swim. Only you can do that. 

What you wear into the water is entirely up to you and there are adaptations you can make to your normal attire depending on the entry/exit point water temperature, and type of swim you plan to do. For example, I am a year round skin swimmer. Most of the time I don’t wear boots or gloves just a cossie and a brightly coloured hat.  My feet have adapted to the shifting shingle of my local swim spot and my hands seem to manage without gloves. Many of my peers who have the same experience as me always wear something on their feet and hands. It’s just personal choice. And my choices are based on my knowing my limits and keeping my safety at the forefront of my decisions. In the coldest months I’m dipping for a few minutes no more so I’m just in my cossie but keep myself seen with a brightly coloured hat. 

I wear a brightly coloured hat all year round! Be safe be seen – no one can help you if they can’t see you.  It needs to be pink like a fishing float marker, yellow like a swim buoy, or orange like a lifeboat – colours chosen for the purpose of being seen at sea. Blue, white, black just cannot be seen even in relatively flat seas. If there are waves I occasionally put neoprene boots on so I can place my feet on the seabed and time my entry and exit with a modicum of certainty or run like Billy O away from a breaking wave. If I am swimming at a new spot I most definitely put something on my feet as it’s unfamiliar territory. If I’m coaching in autumn, winter and spring, I will wear a water sports wetsuit so I remain warm whilst I am responsible for others and myself. If I’m swimming any kind of distance I may chose to wear a swimming wetsuit, and always a tow float so I can be seen and stay warm. Different swims and different conditions warrant different decisions. 

Photo Credit Julia Claxton

You still gain the cold water benefits when wearing a wetsuit and if that’s what is needed for you to be able to get in the sea, put one on. There’s no room for purists when it comes to safe sea swimming. 

What you wear after your swim requires the same consideration. Nothing tight fitting and lots of loose layers. Buttons can bog off along with bras and tights and knickers are unnecessary. Have your clothes ready in the order you are going to put them on. I pity the person that tries to put on an inside out pair of trousers in the wind and rain. When you get out of the sea you need to be able to get into your clothes quickly. 

A few hacks include;

1. Keep your dry attire in an insulated shopping bag with a hot water bottle.
2. Invest in a haramaki – it can be worn as a bra substitute or a core warmer and you can tuck another hot water bottle inside it – be careful not to burn yourself! 
3. Do the zip half way up on your swim robe before you go into the sea so you can simply step into when you get out and not rely on numb fingers to do it up. 
4. Bring two woolly bobble hats – one to wear in the water and a dry one to put on when you get out
5. Bring something to stand on and keep your kit dry. The ground can be freezing, wet, sandy….. my favourite bit of kit is a mat I can stand on with a waterproof base that has drawstrings and handles to carry my wet stuff home in. It can also be used to cover up my kit and keep it dry while I swim. Game changer! 

You need to get dry and warm fast. 

So to answer the question is it safe to swim in the sea? The answer is not a simple yes or no. Find your own sweet spot, somewhere between being safe and being spirited. You’ll know it when you find it. It’s all part of the adventure. And if anyone asks you if it’s safe to swim you know what to say! 

Be kind but be firm that you cannot make that decision for others, only yourself. Look after each other – but most of all look after yourself! You are not responsible for anyone else’s swim decisions and they are not responsible for yours.

Author: Seabirds CIC

The “Pass the Salt” Seabirds Blogs include; Stories from the Sea, Advice for safe swimming, Swim kit recommendations and Wellbeing and Water reflections. Use the category menu on the home page to search for many more ……. happy reading and happy swimming. If you enjoyed this blog and/or others and have shared them please consider donating the cost of a hot drink or slice of cake to our Community Fund using the buttons below. The Community fund pays for swimming lessons, swim kit, transport etc for people in our local area that would benefit the most from sea swimming as a way to manage their wellbeing, but are under-represented in the outdoor swimming community. THANK YOU!

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Further reading;

How swimming into winter in a wild swim community ensures you are looking out for each other physically AND mentally.

Separating fact from fiction and dispelling the many myths that surround cold water swimming

Introduction to Winter Sea Swimming

Chilled Swimming

Winter Swimming; The Waiting Game

Cold Water Swimming; Kill or Cure?

The Great Neoprene Debate

Are you skins or suit is pretty much the first question fellow outdoor swimmers will ask you. And my answer is both. I have been swimming in the sea, year round, for 10 years. The first 6 in a very thick 5mm wetsuit, gloves, boots and hood and skins for 4 years, the last one forgoing boots and gloves too. I choose what to wear depending on my swim. I have a 5mm watersports wetsuit for teaching children in, when I can be in the water for up to 2 hours in the middle of winter. I even wear my swimming wetsuit when I am coaching in the summer a lot of the time so I am warm and prepared to deal with emergencies should they arise. I also wear it when I swim alone for long distances, again for the same reason, I want to be safe. But most of the time I swim in skins. And it isn’t because of the faff. After decades of putting wetsuits on and taking them off I’m pretty quick at it and I have plenty of space to dry them. It’s just because now I associate my wetsuit with work or a work out and I associate skins with fun!

IT DOESN’T MATTER WHAT YOU WEAR AS ALONG AS YOU GET IN

Wetsuits

Wetsuits work by trapping a thin layer of water between your body and the suit, that your body warms up, so you need to get wet! Wetsuit wearers tend to gasp when the water finally trickles from the neck down the back. So you see, it does not protect you from cold water shock and you still get that initial ‘getting in’ screeching feeling, but you will be kept warmer over all by the neoprene. Neoprene is made of small closed cells that are filled with air which provide insulation against cold water by trapping heat in. The thing that they do need to be is tight. It will loosen a wee bit in the water, as it expands, but it does need to be close fitting without constricting the movement of your swim. Can you wave your arms about and do some squats is a good way to test it out for size. Too big and it will just fill-up with too much water to warm up, so pretty much pointless. If your core is kept warm by a wetsuit, a noticeable difference will be you hands, feet and head stay warmer for longer and so you may be able to swim head in and without the faff of socks and gloves as temperatures decline.

So what type of wetsuit? Oh and there are so many. So work out what kind of swimming you want it for and how you deal with cold temperatures. So you can opt for a swimming wetsuit or a watersports wetsuit. A swimming wetsuit is specifically designed for front crawl, lots of shoulder and arm flexibility, a smooth surface and it makes your bum buoyant to achieve correct body position. They can rip and tear easily so you need to be very careful when putting it on and it can make your neck and shoulders ache if you are wearing it to do head up breaststroke as you are fighting against a floating derriere. (There are also tri-suits which are specifically design for triathlons and transitions ). A watersports wetsuit is more robust but much less flexible making front crawl a lot of hard work. It is perfect for bobbing and head up chatting swimming though.

How thick should my wetsuit be? The thicker the suit’s neoprene, the warmer the suit will be because it has more heat-trapping insulation. However it is a trade off so the thicker the neoprene the less flexible and more constricting your suit will be. The normal range of thickness for swimming outdoors in the UK goes from 2mm in the summer to 5mm in the winter. The thickness various across the suit as it is thicker on the torso to aid with body position and keeping the core warm and thinner on the limbs for freedom of movement. You can of course opt for sleeveless, shortie, vest, cossie, zip up jacket, leggings….the list is endless. All aimed at keeping your core warm the difference is simply down to personal choice.

Neoprene vest and costumes are good options for keeping your core warm and still skin swim

Accessories

Gloves
Many skin swimmers opt for neoprene accessories, like gloves when temperatures really begin to drop. Some swimmers suffer from Raynaud’s Syndrome, Cold water Urticaria and chilblains. For them gloves are a game changer and allow them to continue enjoying cold water swims. Indeed it allows most skin swimmers to continue as the hands feel the cold strongly and after a prolonged period in the water warm blood is redirected away from them to keep your core warm making them colder still. Much like your choice of wetsuit or neoprene core warmer the right gloves for you will depend on what kind of swimmer you are or swim you plan to do. If you wish to continue head in front crawl throughout the year then you need a thinner glove with good flexibility so you can continue to feel the water and adjust your stroke accordingly. It you plan on a head out breast stroke you may be happier with a thicker choice. What ever you choose the advantage of wearing gloves is that you are able to get dressed and warm quicker after your swim than someone with numb lobster claws.

Thick gloves for winter dipping

Flexible gloves for front crawl

Gloves vary in thickness and therefore flexibility

Socks/Boots/Shoes
These are all slightly different and again should be selected for the swim you want to do or the swimmer you are. The purpose of neoprene shoes is to protect the sole of your foot but not keep your feet warm. The purpose of the neoprene sock is to keep your feet warm but not protect the soles of your feet. The purpose of a neoprene boot is to do both. Both the shoe and the boot will affect your ability to swim as they will make your feet too buoyant but a good sock should allow you to swim normally regardless of which stroke you are doing. Again they need to be tight fitting or they will end up full of water some have additional fasteners to keep them flush to your skin. The boots can be awful to get on and off but there are some that have zips to make it easier. All offer some form of protection, for example, allowing you to enter and exit the water safely if it is a steep shingle beach and stopping shar objects from cutting your feet. So some form of neoprene on your feet is a good option for swimming year round!

SHOE – protects sole

SOCK – keeps feet warm

BOOT – protects sole and keeps feet warm

Choose shoes, socks or boots!

Hats/Headbands/Caps
It is a bit of an old wives tale that your body loses a lot of its heat out through the head. However as normally the only bit of your body that experiences the sea temperature, air temperature and wind chill while swimming outdoors it is a good idea to keep it warm. Again there are few options for swimmers to chose from. Whatever you wear cover your ears, they definitely need protecting from the cold water and ear infections and swimmers ear can keep you out of the water for long periods of time, so cover them up with some neoprene. Like gloves and socks, choose the thickness that is right for you. If you wish to continue front crawl swimming into the winter months, or handstands, the heat tech cap is the one for you.

Keep those ears warm!

Aftercare
Neoprene is not cheap, and it goes through more stress than normal fabric, constantly being submerged in water, which in my case is salty. It is held together by a mixture of glue and stitching which don’t take kindly to be roughly treated. So look after it. Turn them inside out if you can and give them a rinse in fresh clean water. I put my watersports wetsuit on a gently rinse cycle in the washing machine, my swimming wetsuit I do not, it’s too fragile. If they really pong you can add a bit of specialist gentle detergent. To dry them, inside out again if possible, remembering to turn them the right way when they are dry to the touch and allow them to dry again. Outside in the wind is always best. Don’t use a coat hanger on your wetsuit – it will stretch and damage the shoulders. Radiators can be used but they can damage the seals and glue! Gloves and boots should be dried allowing the evaporating water to escape – so not upside down or they will remain wet. You can use newspaper or kitchen towel to absorb the stubborn moisture from the finger and toe area but remove it after a short amount of time, remaining in there wet and damp just hinders the drying!

So the choice is yours! Wear whatever you want as long as you swim safe and have fun! You can always strip back to just a cossie just as you are about to exit the water if you want to feel the water on your skin. And look after your kit so your kit continues to look after you.

Different Folks, Different Strokes. Post swim smiles are still the same!

The “Pass the Salt” Seabirds Blogs include; Stories from the Sea, Advice for safe swimming, Swim kit recommendations and Wellbeing and Water reflections. Use the category menu on the home page to search for many more ……. happy reading and happy swimming.

This blog forms part of a series of Outdoor Swimming Advice blogs written by a qualified Surf Lifeguard and Open Water Swimming coach who has been swimming in the sea year round since 2012. They are written to encourage others to swim safe and share the swim love. If you have read and shared this blog we invite you to donate the cost of a post swim hot drink or slice of cake to the Seabirds Community Swim Fund. All profits from our online wild swim shop are also donated to the Seabirds Community Swim fund. This way you can buy your wild swim kit to keep you warm and donate.

The Seabird’s Community Swim Fund raises money to pay for swim kit and lessons for non-swimmers with a focus on fulfilling Seabirds’ commitment to the Black Swimming Association’s DIPER charter – where Seabirds “stand with the BSA to create a swim buddy system in which we partner non-swimmers and swimmers for the purpose of exchanging aquatic information, support, education and resources to enable more ethnically diverse communities to get in the water.” So far donations have enabled us to fund swimming lessons, kit and transport for a number of Brighton and Hove adults and children who are under represented in the Outdoor Swimming Community. Many of whom have gone on to join us swimming in the sea to improve their wellbeing!

wild swim shop

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Thank You

Magic Seaweed explained for Sea Swimmers

This is a brilliant blog by Brighton and Hove Sea Swimmer Freyja. Everyone has a different favourite forecasting app that they use to see if it is safe to swim. The most commonly used app is Magic Seaweed that was designed for surfers see what swell was approaching but it can be used to look at sea swimming conditions too!

 

 

Magic Seaweed (MSW) surf report provides a seven day forecast of sea conditions. Here’s a guide to understanding the data so you can get a better idea of what to expect before heading down to the beach.

Surf

This is the first column in blue. In Brighton and Hove, this is essentially the height of the shore break (or the white bits that can knock you over). This will give you an idea of how difficult it will be to enter and exit the water. MSW is designed for surfers so the measurement used is that of the surfable wave rather than the total wave height. For us sea swimmers it might be worth adding a little extra on to this measurement.

It is worth noting that the value given is the average height. 1 wave in 23 is likely to be twice the average height and one in 1,175 is three times the average height. Therefore, it is worth taking this as a rough guideline and always be on the lookout for larger waves when getting in and out.

In terms of height of the shore break, my rule of thumb is anything above waist height is capable of knocking me over.

Swell

Swell – listed in the second column – is the height of the waves once you are past the shore break. A big swell can be a lot of fun as you bounce around above and below your swimming buddies.

The next column gives an indication of the wavelength, or the time between the crest of each wave in seconds. The longer the time, the gentler and more undulating the waves will feel. Conversely, shorter times between each crest means the waves will come more frequently and you may be more likely to get a mouthful of sea water.

The black arrow to the right is an indication of the direction the swell is travelling. If you are doing a point to point swim, this is worth bearing in mind – if the swell is travelling in the same direction as you, it will feel like it is pushing you along. If you are swimming into the swell you will again, be more likely to get lung-fulls of sea water.

Wind

Wind is the main factor influencing how rough the sea is going to be. The stronger the wind is and the longer it has blown for, the larger the swell is likely to be.

The right-hand number column denotes wind speed. The larger number being the steady wind speed, and the small number being the gust speed. The arrow shows the direction the wind is travelling in. In Brighton and Hove the prevailing wind is South Westerly.

It is worth considering that MSW doesn’t factor in local sea breezes. Sea breezes are caused as the land changes temperature faster than the sea. For example, in the morning the sun heats up the land quicker than the sea. This triggers the air on the land to rise up and and cooler air is drawn in from the sea to replace it. Sea breezes are generally onshore in the afternoon (as the land heats up and air rushes in from the sea) and offshore in the morning (where the land falls below sea temperature overnight and air moves from land to sea).  You might therefore expect the wind to be slightly stronger in the afternoon than denoted on MSW.

Tidal Information

Magic Seaweed also shows the times and heights of the high and low tides. In Brighton and Hove, low tides generally vary between 1 and 2.5 meters and high tides between 5 and 6.5 meters above chart datum. The difference between the two is the tidal range. The tidal range has an effect on currents – the larger the tidal range, generally the stronger the currents will be. The tidal range during spring tide in Brighton is around 6 metres.

In a nutshell

The first column is the height of the shore break and gives you an idea of how difficult it is to enter and exit.

The second column is the height of the swell and tells you how bouncy it will be once you are in and past the shore break.

The third section tells you wind speed and direction – or the best direction to swim in to avoid getting a mouth full of sea water.

The box below informs you of the times of high and low tides and the tidal range. From this, you can have a go at working out the direction and strength of the current.

Once again thank you for Freya for producing an easy to understand blog that allows us to make safe swim choices!

This blog forms part of a series of Outdoor Swimming Advice blogs written by a qualified Surf Lifeguard and Open Water Swimming coach who has been swimming in the sea year round since 2012. They are written to encourage others to swim safe and share the swim love. If you have read and shared this blog we invite you to donate the cost of a post swim hot drink or slice of cake to the Seabirds Community Swim Fund. All profits from our online wild swim shop are also donated to the Seabirds Community Swim fund. This way you can buy your wild swim kit to keep you warm and donate.

The Seabird’s Community Swim Fund raises money to pay for swim kit and lessons for non-swimmers with a focus on fulfilling Seabirds’ commitment to the Black Swimming Association’s DIPER charter – where Seabirds “stand with the BSA to create a swim buddy system in which we partner non-swimmers and swimmers for the purpose of exchanging aquatic information, support, education and resources to enable more ethnically diverse communities to get in the water.” So far donations have enabled us to fund swimming lessons, kit and transport for a number of Brighton and Hove adults and children who are under represented in the Outdoor Swimming Community. Many of whom have gone on to join us swimming in the sea to improve their wellbeing!

wild swim shop

£5

£2.50

£1

THANK YOU

The “Pass the Salt” Seabirds Blogs include; Stories from the Sea, Advice for safe swimming, Swim kit recommendations and Wellbeing and Water reflections. Use the category menu on the home page to search for many more ……. happy reading and happy swimming.

Introduction to Winter Sea Swimming

Seabird’s have produced as series of informative webinars to provide advice for cold water sea swimmers. Much of the content can be applied to other bodies of water and warmer temperatures. This is the first in the series. The YouTube link is at the bottom of the page.

If you enjoyed the webinar consider paying what you can afford / think it worth using this PayPal link: DONATE . Or you can purchase a Lunar Chart or Brighton and Hove Swimming Map. 100% of profit will be donated.

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https://www.seabirdsltd.com/gifts-for-swimmers-4-c.asp

100% of the donation proceeds will go to the Seabird’s Women, Wellbeing and Water project. The project’s aim is to provide a way for local people to manage their wellbeing by using sea swimming and friendship. To give participants the skills, confidence and self-belief they need to enjoy sea swimming, no matter what additional challenges they face. We recognise that everyone person is different and each responds to challenges differently. But we believe that with the right assistance and support everyone can enjoy swimming in the sea.

Your donation will cover the costs of the project including; participant transport, childcare, neoprene accessories, refreshments and safety equipment. It will also be put towards the cost of paying swim coaches, administrators and lifeguards.

We really appreciate your support and encourage you to donate if you can so we can continue to provide free information and run our wellbeing project. It’s entirely up to you how much you donate, but £5 would seems like a fair amount to us. It’s a little more than the cost of a pint of beer or a glass of wine to each of you and if everybody who can afford to donate that amount does means we can reach more people and introduce them to swimming in the sea as a way of managing their mental health and wellbeing. THANK YOU

The Buoys are Back in Town

The much anticipated arrival of the iconic yellow ‘SWIM AREA’ buoys is finally here. They are safely anchored off Brighton and Hove’s beaches but they aren’t quite the same………

As a group, we try to encourage all local residents of all swim abilities to join us in the sea. Our aim is to create a community space for people to enjoy the water and provide a way for swimmers to manage their mental health and wellbeing. The summer is great time to start and as we re-opened the group to new members this week we have already seen lots of new Salties joining our flock. So as a warm welcome to warmer seas we’d like to share the story of our swims, the iconic Brighton Buoys and our summer season lifeguard service. Particularly as C19 has meant significant changes to the Seafront service and we want our flock to swim safely.

As the waters warm, our numbers inevitably grow. This year we are unable to share our swims with more than 5 other Salties. The beauty of the bigger regular swims is you will find someone that meets your swim needs. They swim the same stroke as you, the same speed as you, the same distance as you and eats the same cake as you. Some of us will swim out and round the buoys, some won’t. Some will paddle, some will float, some will swim for long distances. Whatever works for you. But in the spirit of inclusivity we swim at the speed and to the distance of our most relaxed swimmer if we meet as a group, and we ask our swimmers to be mindful of this as new Salties join us.

Normally the SWIM AREA buoys would arrive in early May ready for the lifeguard season to start on Brighton and Hove’s beaches over the May Half Term. Due to C19 there has been a delay. Brighton and Hove normally has 14 lifeguarded beaches  and the swim area buoys mark out an area that is safe to swim in if the yellow and red flags are flying and a lifeguard is on duty.  They are not there for swimmers to swim round although many use them as markers to swim too and roughly measure the distance of their swim. If you were to see a bird’s eye view of them you would see they are never parallel and move around quite a bit in bad weather so it is a very rough measurement .

The season normally runs from May to September with the outer posts of Saltdean, Rottingdean, Ovingdean and Hove Lagoon opening from July to September, as the schools break up. There can be between 1-3 lifeguards per post depending on how busy that particular beach is. The more popular touristy beaches by the Palace Pier have more lifeguards. All the beach lifeguards are supported by a lifeguarded boat that patrols daily and the Seafront staff and co-ordinators (the staff on the quad bikes).

This year, the most noticeable change is the late arrival of the SWIM AREA buoys and their position in the water. They are not in sets of 5 in front of lifeguard posts (Pic 1). Instead they are dotted along the shoreline, roughly (and only roughly see pic 2) parallel with each other from the Palace Pier to Hove Lagoon. There are no buoys east of the Palace Pier. Instead of indicating lifeguard posts the buoys are to prevent jet skis and boats from coming to close to shore to protect water users.

 

Swim Area Buoys

2020 summer buoys

These buoys are not to be confused with the boat lane buoys. These too are yellow but a different shape. However, from a distance, and now the buoys are in a parallel line alongside the boat buoys, it is hard to see the difference. These buoys look like the picture below and are there to indicate where boats can approach to and from the shore. If you don’t want to get hit by a boat – don’t swim in these lanes. The boat lane buoys line up with yellow posts on the beach as per the picture below. This one to the west of King Alfred is by the boat winches and normally has kayaks locked to it. So if you can’t see the shape of the buoy from the shore – look for a post.

As there are no inner buoys yet this year and a limited lifeguard service the Sea Front Office have requested that swimmers do not swim out to the buoys to reduce the number of rescues they have to perform and the risk to their lives from the sea and C19 infection from swimmers. This is the most common rescue they perform. Swimmers head out for the buoys and when they get there can be too tired to swim back, not realise they made it there on a tidal current or offshore wind and don’t have the ability to get back, or get there and realise how far they are from shore and freeze both in temperature and ability to move.

We’ve had a few ‘hold your breath’ moments within our flock. Last summer, on the first day of the lifeguard seasons a new Salty asked another swimmer if they thought she’d be able to swim out to the buoy. The other swimmer, innocently replied yes and so a group set out on her maiden voyage. When the new swimmer got to the buoy it was clear this wasn’t the right decision, the lifeguard was attracted and a board rescue ensued. The lesson here is you need to take responsibility for your own assessment of the conditions and your capability. If you are asking someone else the question can I swim that far, or for that long etc the answer is no. We’ve also had a new swimmer not only to the group but to Brighton join a group swimming around the West Pier. The swimming group had made it clear on the swim invitation that is wasn’t a usual group dip of handstand performing, cake and a natter afterwards but a long swim around the pier.  The new swimmer still joined and  got into significant difficulty as she wasn’t used to the cold temperatures, the strong currents and also put the lives of the others swimmers in danger as they stayed in the water to help her back to shore.

We understand, that for some swimmers having goals and targets gives you something to strive towards but this must be done safely. If you wish to increase your time in the water, build up to it slowly and stay close to the shore so you can exit quickly.  Another way to measure your swim distance is to move parallel to the shore and count the groynes. These are roughly 100 metres apart and allow you to stay in shallower water and closer to a safe exit point. If you wish to swim to the buoys consider going at slack tide on a spring low with no wind. Don’t forget to wear a tow float and a bright coloured hat, preferably orange or pink.

So as to changes to the Lifeguard Service. They start today! (Saturday 13^th June) Hooray. They will operating on the beaches by King Alfred and between the Palace and West Pier only to begin with. If and when this changes we will publish updated information in the group. Opening up additional posts and putting out buoys closer to shore and to mark out swim areas are under discussion. The current lifeguard posts are larger and will have 6 lifeguards per post – 3 operating each half of the post. They will be working a reduced day from 11am-5pm.  We will no longer be able to leave our bags and belongings with them as it would pose a cross contamination risk. However, they are still happy to answer any of your questions of give you advice, just be mindful to stay 2ms or they will have to put on their face masks.   They will have boards close to their posts indicating tide times and sea conditions. There will be increased water patrols on boards and the boat will be joined by volunteer crew on Surf Lifesaving Club boats at the weekends.

To me the buoys mean summer, clear seas and double dip days. Yes I swim to them, round them, under them, photograph them. One of these years I’m going to clean them. But I do it when the conditions are right, I am in the right frame of mind and  I have the energy. Sometimes I don’t know if all the buoys are aligned to mean a swim to them is an option until I get to the beach, see who else is there and see if the sea is playing ball. I’m quite happy to change my plans to perfecting my handstands, searching for crabs on the sea bottom or just floating. The sea is most definitely my mistress and dictates my swim!

However you decide to swim with, however long you stay in, wherever you swim to and from, do it safely and have a wonderful summer of sea swims

Useful Resources

• How to read sea condition forecasts – this blog written by local Sea swimmer Freja and explains how to read the Magic Seaweed App
• Other useful apps are windguru, buoyweather and Imray
• The seafront has a number of webcams to get an idea of the sea conditions before you leave home. They can change quickly though so be prepared to change you plans.
• How to swim in cold water safely – this blog focuses on mitigating the risks of swimming in cold water. Even in the summer the sea can be cold!
• Water quality is measured by various organisation around Brighton and Hove. Surfers Against Sewage have a Safer Seas app that provides warnings if the water quality is low.
• Seafront Office are happy to give advice. They cannot give you individual advice on whether it is safe for you to swim but can provide answers to general queries around water quality, sea temperature events etc. Their contact details are; 01273 292716.
• Statement from Brighton and Hove City Council regarding the service in the seafront.

To Swim or not to Swim?

 

That really is the question. And the question that is dividing the once aligned community of wild, open and outdoor swimmers. This is hopefully a balanced view, if there is such a thing…..

Being an outdoor swimmer opens you up to a large friendly wild swimming community. I swim with the Salty Seabirds in Brighton and Hove because they are my safe harbour in stormy seas. Always kind, willing to help and support each other. Swimmers I have never met, and never will, virtually share their swimming lives with each other on a daily basis. Again the positive affirmations and generosity keeps your spirits lifted.  This has continued throughout the Covid19 crisis but not even this robust and buoyant community is coming out of this unscathed.

We don’t have a governing body – we outdoor swimmers, swim wild and free – that is the point. The group I swim with have rejected clubs rules, constitutions and committees in favour of fluid freedom. However – we do stress that everyone swims and their own risk and precautions should be taken – those being irresponsible are removed from the group so there are group rules of a kind.

The answer to the question to swim or not to swim, is all about personal perspective, personal experience (not the swimming kind) and personal need. And therefore, the only person that can answer the question is you! When the government guidelines in England prevented people from travelling to exercise/go outdoors for an hour it was a very easy decision to make. If it’s not on your doorstep you can’t do it.

Cue the ‘haves’ and ‘have not’ division. All over the Outdoor Swimming Society images of huge paddling pools (sometimes in huge gardens attached to huge houses) popped up. Instead of asking about places to swim the most asked question switched to the type and size of paddling pool to get. So much so that the poor group admins had to restrict the number of posts on the subject.

As the English restrictions were relaxed cue the ‘wild’ and ‘open’ division. Those that dip in any river, pond, cove or muddy puddles could now jump in their car and seek out spots to get wet. Those that swim for fitness and train for events were still being denied access to commercial open water swimming venues. And the no swimming rules have remained in Scotland, Wales and NI.

Nothing has been so hotly debated since the days of the skin Vs suits discussion. I swim in the sea because I love the expanse of it, the never ending horizon, how it changes every minute of every day. I love swimming with my flock, faffing, chatting and eating cake. I admire the creative ingenuity of those able to rig up resistance bungees to provide them with personal endless pools. I have enjoyed watching people get into cold baths and showers. I have particularly liked the imaginative buckets of cold water being thrown about all over social media. But none of this does it for me. My personal perspective, experience and need means it’s the sea or nothing for me.

Now, as we approach a sunny bank holiday in England and you are allowed to travel, meet a friend albeit 2 metres apart it is not quite so cut and dry. Under normal circumstances this would be the first weekend of the lifeguard season for seaside resorts up and down the country. But this year it is not. Last weekend Coastguard rescue teams from around the UK were called out 194 times to incidents including inflatables drifting offshore, crashed and broken down jetskis and pleasure boats, people injured while out walking or cycling along the coast, paddleboarders, kayakers, windsurfers and kite surfers who found themselves in difficulty and people cut off by the tide or stuck in mud. As I write this the coastguard helicopter is flying over Brighton looking for lost children. More people in the water definitely increasing the probability of accidents and emergencies which will inevitability put the NHS resources under strain and voluntary RNLI crew at risk.

 

Beautiful locations are normally so popular and picturesque because they are rural and remote. What this means is they will naturally have lower incidents of Covid19 and they do not have the infrastructure to deal with a huge increase of visitors at a time when the emergency services are stretched to the limit. People are being asked to stay away from the Lake District = and the coasts of Cornwall to protect these communities. Popular tourists resorts like Brighton are also under threat. Just a quick hop down the A23 from London and you can be on the beach in an hour. Up until now Brighton and Hove has had one of the lowest rates of Covid19 cases. We’d like to keep it that way!

For those of us that make a living from teaching people to swim or open water coaching the personal need to get in the water may be financial. However, how are we meant to perform a rescue under social distancing regulations. The risk assessments we normally use are redundant. I specialise in working with people with confidence , mental health and wellbeing issues. I have to be closer than 2 metres with my swimmers to provide them with the very necessary reassurance they need. So my personal perspective is to postpone all of the confidence tasters and wellbeing sessions until all restrictions are removed. We have also felt a uncomfortable promoting our wild swim shop when not everyone is allowed to swim and not everyone should be swimming.

People who no longer have access to their local pool, or have always wanted to try wild swimming and the change in weather and working circumstances has made this possible now are keen to experience outdoor swimming. We receive lots of request asking for advice on how to start, what to wear, where to go etc. We gently advise them that this isn’t the best time to start swimming outdoors. You can’t miss something you have never experienced and the sea will always be there when this is all over. We’d also like to be able to personally welcome them into our group and show them the ropes  For us running a community group we cannot provide the support/guidance etc they require without actually being with them and as voluntary admins we don’t have the time or resources to do it and are not prepared to ask those in the group to either. So, our Salty Seabird community group remains closed for the foreseeable future. People have begun to swim again, in pairs based on their personal perspective, experience and need.

We are very visible here on Brighton and Hove’s beaches  and have monkey see, monkey do concerns.  Many of us are experienced year round swimmers but know that anyone regardless of swim ability and local knowledge can get into difficulty. Those that choose to swim try to be discreet and respectful of others that choose not to.

We have a trauma surgeon in our group that works in a busy A&E department – if anyone needs a bloody swim outdoors it is her. But she hasn’t and she isn’t going to until the rest of the UK allows swimming, and she evaluates the impact of the bank holiday and the more relaxed lockdown regime on the Covid figures at the hospital. This is based on her perspective and experience overriding her need. (We will of course provide her with a guard of honour when she enter the water when she returns to the flock.)

We also have some swimmers in our group that suffer severely with their mental health and they believe that as a direct consequence of their lack of access to cold water they have suffered relapses in some cases resulting in admission to hospital. They feel that a quick low tide dip is less likely to result in a stay on the ward that not doing so would.

So the choice is yours. What is your perspective, experience and need? If you do chose to get in the water, do it safely. If you chose to wait, the sea will be there with open arms when you do.

Been seen in bright colours

Use a tow float

Wear Goggles to see hazards

 

Social Distancing Safe Swimming!

• Never swim alone – but during these times it needs to be just one other!
• Always wear a brightly coloured hat and tow float to be seen.
• Always wear goggles so that you can see hazards
• Adhere to social distancing requirements throughout your swim, including arrival, changing and post swim.
• Let someone in your household know where you are, what you are doing and expected time to return.
• It is your responsibility that you are sufficiently fit and healthy to swim and that you know your limits, have you eaten, are you hydrated, what is your state of mind?
•  In terms of sea swimming, there are no RNLI lifeguards (Council Lifeguards in Brighton and Hove) operating presently, so you need to complete your own risk assessment on the water conditions, safe exit points, water hazards.

 

 

Woman cannot live on Swims alone

It’s that time of year again when the inevitable summer swim slump occurs. Life gets busy and the beach gets busy. I find myself muttering under my breath about fair weather swimmers as I approach our increasingly crowded favourite spot of shingle in front of Hove Lawns. Hardly aligned with my belief that swimming is for all and everyone should give it a go. The warmer waters remove the temperature barrier that prevents so many from swimming in the sea. This is a good thing. But still it keeps me away from my sacred sea.

It’s not that I like solitude when I am swimming. I have written many times about the sense of community and connection I gain from swimming with others. But I also do not like crowds. Too many people, too much noise, bodies invading my fiercely protected personal space overwhelms my over sensitive brain. I also fiercely protect my swimming space and when I see plastic all over the pebbles I want to weep. Hardly my happy place in the summer months.

My swim squad also disperses across Europe on their holidays. They share images of Italian Lakes, Yorkshire Tarns, French Rivers and Greeks Seas. They have all found secret swim spots, a Salty Seabird haven away from our busy beaches. There really is nothing better than finding a swim spot with family and friends and there is no one else there. You’ve hit the wild swimming jackpot. This is impossible in Brighton and Hove as the beaches are always busy in the summer and good old Sussex by the sea is a wild swimmers dry spot. There are rivers and lakes in abundance but they are not accessible to the public. I scroll through neighbouring Surrey’s wild swim group in envy at the access they have to the Thames and the River Wey. The Wild Swim guide books offer no real alternative to the sea in Sussex.

The alternative would be getting up at sunrise before the beach gets busy. Not really a hard task for an early riser like me. What ever the season I will wake up between 5-5.30am every day. During the summer months it is light enough to head down to the beach for a swim. Seabird Christine runs the 6.15am club and most mornings partakes in a dawn dip so I would even have Salty company. But I just can’t seem to muster the enthusiasm during the hot months. I think I may be a cold water junkie. If the sea temperature is below double digits it seems to be more appealing. During the summer the sea is room temperature, which for me, is a bit bath like.

I am currently on holiday in France where they have a much more tolerant attitude towards swimming outdoors than we do in the England. There are Lakes and rivers in abundance close to where I am staying. But, in all honesty lakes just don’t do it for me, especially when they are 25 degrees. I class the Mediterranean as a Salty Lake – not a sea. The water level is low so the rivers near by are too shallow to swim in. With lots of research and driving around I could no doubt find a suitable deep bend in a river. But I came on holiday to relax and read not to swim. And I am just as happy to be dry for the duration.

So what happens to my mental health during these times of drought, when I am an advocate of outdoor swimming as a way of managing wellbeing. As I write this, with a glass on rosé sitting on a veranda in Provence in the cool outdoor air I am happy. I have in fact been happy all summer long, even with a reduction in regular swims. Life has been by no means smooth swimming, life isn’t for anyone, but I have experienced no significant episodes of anxiety or depression. Which has made me consider why. Don’t get me wrong I am glad not to be sad but I wonder why.

Cold water swimming is just one thing in my arsenal against my mental health demons. I have lots of other things that are working alongside regular sea swimming. They have been been doing their thing in the background consistently as the dips have dwindled. Supplements, talking, rest, new experiences, good books, digital downtime, exercise, dog walks; are just some of the things in the mental health ammunition box that allow people to continue to cope. I am fortunate to have access to them all.

I have a husband and a business partner that keep me in check and tell me to slow down when I am accelerating at a rate of knots that is not necessary. Down time away from digital distractions is a necessary part of my mental maintenance but difficult to balance when you run your own business. Being disciplined with my down time and clever with scheduling has had a positive impact on my wellbeing.

I am currently well rested. Lots of early nights and saying no to too many evenings out has enabled me to manage and recover from numerous Seabird evening sessions, lessons and events. Now I am on holiday and the pace has definitely slowed to a crawl. If we are lucky, the kids may rise before lunchtime, so our excursions are mainly low key and local. I have entire mornings to read, write, think.

I know these things, amongst others, are working on my wellbeing. They are the hidden cogs that aren’t as visible as my sea swimming. My shoulder was injured for months preventing me from doing any swimming of substance. Yes I was frustrated but I accepted it. The busy beaches have reduced my swim time to once a week but I don’t mind. I am on holiday and the main focus isn’t finding a swim spot and that’s OK.

Don’t get me wrong the desire to jump into any body of water I happen to stumble across is still there. And I cannot wait to get back to the pebble, waves and community of my favourite Hove beach. But for now I am just as happy out of the water

Author: Seabird Kath

Unprecedented Times

A Guest Blog by Seabird Claudine

It was a clear, crisp day.  Filled with sunshine, then rain, then sun, then hail, all within 5 minutes.  A typical spring day then.  Perhaps not typical as in regular, but typical as in we’ve seen it all before, weather-wise.  Four seasons in one day.  It’s one of those days where we don’t go out.  Is that because we can’t be bothered?  Because it’s the weekend and getting the children dressed and out of the house is more effort than it’s worth?  Or is it because we are on lock-down, the pandemic of Covid 19 wreaking havoc on the world?  The entire world.

As I sit in the sunshine whilst the heavens aren’t opening, I wonder if there are parts of the world unaffected, remote and cut off from others in a way that is protecting them from all that is going on.  I wonder what it would be like to live in those communities.  Before this, as well as now, I sometimes dream of the ideal “getting away from it all” lifestyle change, as many do I’m sure.  A log cabin on the coast in a remote part of Canada, on the Sunshine Coast, maybe near Sechelt, away from people, near bears, (but friendly ones), with a glorious sea to swim in literally on my doorstep.  Or in another daydream fantasy, one of those houses the characters live in on Big Little Lies; a modern mansion on the beach with a luxurious expansive deck, with sofas bigger than my entire living room, and a roaring fire-pit, overlooking the waves, and a little wooden boardwalk down to the golden sand.  Anyway, I digress.

“It is unprecedented” is the phrase of the week/ fortnight/ month – who knows?  We have all lost track of time.  It’s like something from a Sci-fi film.  People in hazmat suits (a term I wasn’t even aware of until the virus hit) all over the news, looking like they are treating people who are radioactive, or taking evidence from a crime scene.  Who knew the world could be put on hold in this way?  For some it has all come to a standstill. No-one needs certain products and services right now, maybe they never really did.  I have always looked at certain jobs and industries and wondered if they really needed to exist.  Occasionally even my own.  But for some it isn’t like that.

Simultaneously other people’s worlds have gone from high pressure to incredibly intense.  People working night and day to adapt, to change to find a need and meet it.  For some that means profiteering: opening a shop especially to sell overpriced toilet roll and hand sanitizer.  For others that means thinking how they can use their skills to provide a slightly different service and continue to make a living; restaurants offering take away service, coffee delivered to your door, everything possible being offered online, even the things that “couldn’t possibly” be done online before.  Whilst others do their best with the limited resources they have to take care of others.  People risking their lives working in hospitals with the most sick, trying to reduce the death toll and slow the spread.  People have made the sacrifice of leaving their own homes and families so they don’t take the virus home to their loved ones or from their loved ones to the workplace where the most vulnerable are.

I miss things.  I know I am privileged to have a nice house, large garden, family members to keep me company, the tech I need to stay connected.  I still have the ability to go down to the seafront occasionally, get in the sea, as long as I do it alone.  But I’m not sure if I should. It isn’t as much fun as going with a few others, or the big social swims when I am in the right mood for them, but it is still glorious to get into the shimmering sea and feel the bitey cold on my body.

I’ve realised, or remembered, that I am the kind of person who manages with a new situation, and doesn’t really notice how much I miss something until I get it back again.  It sounds a bit contradictory, but I just plod along, feeling not quite right but OK, and dealing with the challenges that “home schooling” and struggling children bring.  Some days are a battle, calming down the children who show their angst in ways that are difficult for the rest of us to be around.

But last week we had a zoom call (again, an app I was unaware of until the corona virus hit) with salty seabirds, most of us getting in a cold bath as a substitute for the sea.  And I realised how much I miss them.  I miss the whoops and squeals as we get in the sea.  I miss the chatter and banter when we are in.  I miss the giggles.  I miss the dialogue: sometimes ridiculous and hilarious and sometimes profound.  I miss the support when I need a moan.  I miss the empathy when I have a cry.  I miss the hugs when a fellow seabird just knows I need one.  I miss touch.  I miss conversations about something other than my family, school work, and C19.  I miss the wide open space.  I miss the horizon, I look at and enjoy its endlessness, it represents infinite possibilities.

But this too shall pass.  Many people are in far more difficult situations than me.  Many people won’t make it through.  Many people will be living with the financial, emotional and physical fall out of this for years.  I am lucky, but that doesn’t mean I’m not struggling.  It doesn’t mean I’m not allowed to feel low.

For many, life will go back to normal, soon enough, and we’ll be back to rushing around, cramming too much in, getting stressed, spending money.  But at least then we will be back with our wider tribes, we will have the freedom to come and go as we please, we will have the sea and we will have the horizon, where anything is possible.

Author: Seabird Claudine

 

A Seabird out of her depth

And I was, I really was. Although I was treading water, on a STA Open Water Swimming Coaching Course, I was definitely a Seabird out of her depth.

So how did I end up here? The rhetorical answer is, I was hoping to gain a qualification that would enable me to be the lead coach for our Women Wellbeing and Water sessions and any future Seabird sea swimming courses. The literal answer is by train from Brighton to Welwyn Garden City.

The timing of the course could not have been worse. My husband was working away at the same time. We are trying to sell our house and buy a new one. And my 16 year old was embarking on her first trip abroad, to France to watch the Women’s World Cup with her mate. Plus June is a busy month on the Seabird calendar with lots of events, sessions and get togethers.

The days before were challenging. My anxiety was spiralling out of control and the internal chatter telling me to withdraw was relentless. Flicking through the pre-course material did nothing to quieten the hard time my brain was giving me. Buoy turns! I float at the buoy and take smiling snaps. Drafting! I draft more people into the sea by providing them with encouragement and a safe environment. Pack swimming! We forget to pack our knickers and laugh about it over tea and cake. The manual had very different descriptions of these open water swimming skills. I quickly flicked to page 99 on the skills section entitled ‘ Acclimatisation and Overcoming Panic’ desperate to ease the worry.

Is it possible for one human to produce an infinite amount of cortisol? In constant fight or flight mode for days I was hanging on by my finger nails and exhausted. And the course hadn’t even started yet. I busied myself with helicopter parenting of two very capable teens and left packing and considering train times until the last minute. Classic avoidance. So it was no surprise that I ended up on the wrong bloody train! Cue the first fighting back of tears. I even remained on the wrong train until a minute before it’s departure, frozen in fear with my M&S nuts and wine. Finally I plucked up the courage to retrieve my kit bag and suitcase and made my way to the correct platform to board the correct train.

The rest of the train journey was uneventful but provided a lot of time to think with little to distract. Cue more more tear fighting and a ridiculous amount of texts to my husband who was waiting in a German airport for his flight home. As the train pulled into Welwyn Garden City I was very ready for a walk to my hotel and some fresh air. Living my best life I was curled up in a Premier Inn bed, in a town I suspected was the set of Stepford Wives, watching Netflix on the iPad by 9pm.

You’d think I had never swum in open water, put on a wetsuit or coached/trained groups of people in the water before. But I actually have a ton of experience in all three. But the impostor syndrome persisted into the next morning when I woke up at 4.30am. Thankfully breakfast started at 6.30am so just 2 hours of worry time between me and a full fry up! My depression and anxiety have never come between me and a meal.

By 8am I had received a lifeline call from Will. Will and I know each other from a previous course and he too lives in Brighton. He is an incredible swimmer, but his best quality is his infectious enthusiasm and capacity for kindness. He was travelling back and forth from his parents house rather than experiencing the delights of the Premier Inn on the outskirts of a purpose built town. He had arrived early and was trying to find the course facility. With his clear directions I set off to start the course.

I know, I know. It makes no sense to be nervous about completing a course when there is a familiar friendly face there to greet you. And it was a huge relief to see his smiling face when I arrived. But that is what anxiety does. It robs you of your ability to reason. Gradually the room began to fill up. I scanned their faces, looked at their physiques, considered their kit backs – trying to ascertain their swim ability. We then did a round table introduction starting with me. Stories of swim teaching experience decades long, huge endurance feats completed or about to be completed, our coach was Keri-anne Payne, Olympic silver medallist for goodness sake. Any respite Will’s welcome had provided was very short lived.

The course is 3 days long, mainly classroom based, with coaching practice in a lake. Keri-anne created a wonderfully inclusive learning environment which set the tone for the next few days. Her stories were inspirational but not because of the phenomenal feats, medals and wins she has achieved. They were inspirational because they were relatable. She too has been spooked in the water – by a twig of all things.  But I was still apprehensive about getting in the water. Yep, you heard it right. Me, nervous about getting wet. But wet I did get. And it was fine as everyone except for me knew it would be.

The next day was more of the same but better. By now we were all getting to know each other and I was able to appreciate what a wonderfully warm group of people I was with. Our backgrounds, swimming experiences and goals couldn’t have been more different but our passion for swimming, in all it’s different guises, had bought us together. I swim for community and connection (and cake) and it was still here, in a lake in Hertfordshire with a bunch of strangers that were fast becoming my support network.

Then it happened. The tears. On day 2. Holding it together for prolonged periods of time can only end one way . Day to day functioning is, for me, the hardest part of my mental illness. I can do it, but I need to factor in rest, relaxation and respite. The days leading up to this course, the lack of sleep and unfamiliar faces and surroundings were fast eroding my game face. It happened when we were split into groups of 3 to practice coaching an OWS skill with each other. Rob, 34 years in the armed forces, was tasked with coaching myself and Christine on pack swimming. My biggest barrier is swimming in confined spaces. In indoor pools, in close proximity with other people I have experienced my one, and thankfully only, panic attack. To say I was going outside of my comfort zone was an under statement. But I did it. Part of the coaching methodology is for it to be swimmer led, asking questions to consider their needs. Poor Rob asked me how I found it. The response was initially a whimper and then a full on sob. I quickly reassured him that his coaching had been all the things it needed to be to get me to do something I didn’t want to do and the tears were because I was beyond chuffed that I had done it. I think everyone saw, I am not a quiet crier.  The compassion with which my tears were met made me cry harder. I was caught in a crying loop.

That night I felt well enough to have dinner with some of the others at the local Beefeater – living the dream. May be the release of crying was just what the doctor ordered. I certainly felt less uptight and restless. And now that the others had seen the real me, the vulnerable me, the over-thinking me, the crying me, the worst had happened. The mask hadn’t slipped, it had totally fallen off and I was OK. My crying had been met with kindness. Sleep was still evading me and we still had to be assessed the next day, so I wasn’t out of the woods yet. But pretending to be confident in my abilities was one less thing I had to worry about. That floodgate was well and truly open and there was absolutely no point in trying to close it again.

The next morning, Will picked me up and we arrived early as we had to complete our written assessment too. This is where depression makes his appearance after being pushed to the back of my mind by anxiety. Where anxiety tells me I can’t do something, depression physically stops me from doing it. The thought of doing something, anything, is met with lethargy and avoidance. On the outside it looks like you can’t be bothered, but in reality you don’t know where to start and feel totally overwhelmed. We’d had plenty of time to complete it in  the evenings, mornings, breaks but I just hadn’t done it. Sometimes the only way round this is a deadline. I needed to complete it, I needed to pass the course, the Seabirds Women, Wellbeing and Water project was relying on it. So I started.

What was reassuring was that everyone was nervous that last day. Everyone had questions about the written assessment. Everyone had worries about the practical assessment. We were connected in our concern and we were community in the comfort we provided to each another. I wasn’t alone. I was with a group of Seabirds.

So day 3, the last day,  started. We had a round table discussion on what we had learnt and what we would take away from the course. A really positive way to start the day as we shared our stories. Then it was time to be assessed in the water. We were split into 2 groups and had been given a skill to coach the night before. There would be pack swimming in a group of 9 at the end. My mind started searching for the fear, but it just wasn’t there. The whole group had witnessed me at my worst, they knew I hated it and Will who was coaching the pack swimming session was able to adapt it. I was at ease. So we did it, with me right on the furthest edge obviously. Christine, a very gentle woman positioned herself right beside me to ensure I was OK. And never left my side reassuring me with her calm presence. But then Will asked the question. Did anyone want to change position? And I did. I wanted to know what it felt like to be in the middle, amongst melee. He shouted go from he other end and I swam. It wasn’t long before I was kicked hard in the leg (still bruised now), swallowed a gob full of water and was left behind by the faster swimmers. This time there was a smile, not sobbing. I’d done it.

It was with heavy hearts that we all said good bye to each other and swapped details at the end of the course. But we were all really excited to get home and put our new coaching skills into practice. It’s an incredible course and one which  would thoroughly recommend. And I will, in another blog………

My mental health is the biggest challenge I face on a daily basis. It tells me I can’t do things, when I can. It tells me I don’t need to do things when I do. But the sense of achievement of when I can and when I do in the context of my anxiety and depression is my Olympic medal. And as my mum always said, a smooth sea never made a good sailor. Or in this case a skilled Open Water Swimming Coach.

Author: Seabird Kath

Note: The featured image is a coaching session on pack swimming before we lined up at the start line. As Denise says – “we’re all friends here, until someone says go!” And my goodness did she go – I quite literally ate her bubbles. I managed to keep up with them for at least 2 strokes and I survived the washing machine it created. I put myself right in the middle and I survived.

Big thanks to Will, Rob, Christine, Amanda, Julie, Ellen, Lisa, Denise and of course Keri-anne for spending an amazing three days with me.