Cold water swimmibg

We do wild swimming in the lakes in Snowdonia. You cant get much colder or cleaner water. I wear an ordinary swimsuit and neoprene shoes. Venture in slowly and embrace the cold. Its exhilarating and gives me a real buzz. So much nicer than the sea, no waves and less crowded. Never go alone though and don't stay in for too long.

You can get a long, warm robe to keep off the chill while changing afterwards.

(I definitely don't do wild swimming, but I know people who do.)

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I used to love sea swimming but the last time was about 30 years ago. Off the Israeli Med. coast.
Eldest daughter belongs to a group who swim in the'Thames near Henley at weekends. She wears a suit which helps to keep her warm.
She loves it but I worry about the pollution in the water and tell to keep her mouth shut.

I was out a walk along Belfast Lough y'day morning with my dog and there were around 20 ladies swimming in just their costumes. There was a cold wind blowing, I actually felt it even with my coat on. Then came along two young guys, full wetsuits on, shivering entering the water, I had a good chuckle. Good on these women, I actually know one of them and she loves it, says she feels really great after it.

Don't leap in! Do it gradually. I once leapt into a lake in Austria and had to be dragged out in shock! Same happened when I tried to swim with dolphins in New Zealand! I'm a big old softie now!

I’m not sure what your first sentence means sorry, but I’m guessing you want to swim in the sea but are a little scared? My sister goes wild swimming everywhere she can, rivers, quarries, sea, in all seasons. I actually think she is addicted to it.

I, only once, swam in a river with her, it was terrifying but exhilarating, going against the current and seeing huge fish swimming underneath us. We were just in cozies, and I got very cold when I had been out a while.

I would say go for it, you are in a group, make sure you have lots of warm clothes when you get out, and enjoy it. The health benefits are amazing, it can even stave off dementia, by resetting the brain somehow as your body temperature lowers. (I don’t know this for a fact, but I read it on some medical website).

Good luck, go for it!

I would take a water safety course refresher and take some swim classes to build your strength back. Water can become deadly very quickly and some classes will bring your strength and swim skills back along with your confidence.

I would love to try it and love to swim in the sea, last time I did it I found it a real struggle to make my way out of the water as the shingle beneath my feet kept shifting throwing me off balance and I felt if I went down on my knees I wouldn’t have the strength to get up again with the pull of waves as well. It quite scared me so I know that feeling. I’m 72.