Wild Swimming Diaries: An Introduction

The recent uptake in so-called “wild swimming” in the last few years has been phenomenal. Whilst I appreciate that my adventure-filtered newsfeed will be susceptible to a disproportionate amount of noise on the topic unless you’ve been living under a rock, you are likely to have come across the term.

As someone who has grown up in a seaside town in Wales, I might be excused for siding with those who mock the uptake in the trend and those who act as if it was invented in 2015. Wild swimming of course, really only means to swim in a natural body of water – i.e. not a swimming pool – and is therefore very much not a new invention. However, instead of mocking the Instagram swimmers or claiming to have “wild swam before it was cool”, I’d much rather support this great outcome of our social media era. And why shouldn’t I?

No one should act as the gatekeeper for wild swimming.

It is rare that social media promotes activities which are so pure. I’m aware some have gained personally by putting a capitalistic spin on this natural and free hobby. However, I like to think (hope) that more people take advantage of this activity without spending too much money on it. In general, I think those who have commercialised wild swimming in some way do so because they love the sport and want to bring it to as many people as possible. This is an activity that can bring so many positive benefits so why not ensure that more people can enjoy it!

Why I love Cold Wild Swimming

I am cautious not to saturate the already over-reported benefits of wild swimming. I don’t think doing that would add any value. I also do not want to claim any medical benefits from the activity as I believe those statements should be based on full peer-reviewed scientific evidence – and I have not personally looked into these.

What I will briefly touch on is my personal love and enjoyment of wild swimming. To this date, I have never been wild swimming and not felt far better mentally after I get out than before I went in.

I should say that when I speak of wild swimming I am often using it interchangeably with its infamous cousin, cold water swimming. This also often means a 10-minute paddle as opposed to a real swim!

Regardless of what the cause is being attributed to, whether it’s from overcoming a mental barrier or from physiological changes, the result, from my own perspective, is clear; When I’m in cold-wild waters something in my mental state changes.

Phase 1: The Icy Shock

The initial plunge into the icy liquid sends shocks through your body which sends your brain into fight or flight mode. This is the second hardest part of the whole process, beaten only by making the decision in the first place.

Getting through this phase requires grit and determination, made easier only with the knowledge that if you hold on through the next few minutes you’ve done the worst.

I find that something primal comes over me as if I’m going into war. Breathing through this battle with as much loud shouting as you feel compelled to do is your key technique to conquering this initial cold shock. Suppressing these urges makes the cold feel agonising. So get weird and shout it out.

Phase 2: The Euphoric Bliss

After about 3 minutes (temperature dependent) I find that the shock and panic subside and my brain and body feel at peace with the situation.

For me, the first section of icy shock is firmly Type 2 fun. However, as soon as I allow my body to acclimatise to the temperature and the danger it senses, a sense of genuine euphoria sets in.

I use the word euphoria with the full meaning of the word without any writing embellishment. I genuinely feel amazing in the cold water and the feeling is unrivalled by nearly any other I have experienced.

I am not part of the “5 am cold shower club”. However, the additional benefits of pushing yourself through this challenge seem obvious. The best things in life require hard work. Moulding yourself to become someone who can deal with being uncomfortable in search of net gain is an invaluable life skill. Cold-wild swimming is the perfect exercise to train this muscle.

I’m not saying any of this for personal gain. No ego-boosting Instagram photo. I’m not selling anything. I just genuinely wanted to share my thoughts on an activity that I think sums up what I want this website to be about; Pushing your comfort limit, in a situation detached from modern life and in tune with the outdoors, in order to realise myriad mental health and character development benefits.

Wild Swimming Diaries.

I no longer live by the coast. However, I have vowed that when I at last return I will treasure the luxury of an everyday-accessible sea.

For me, the sea is the top tier in cold wild swimming. The expanse of the ocean, which you are momentarily part of, is profound. The renewing cycle of the tide makes the silky touch of the water feel pure and cleansing on the skin. The waves add a playful element to the activity which can aid in getting through the initial cold shock.

If I had access to do so, I would aim to swim in the sea every day and observe how the seasons’ change and my body adapts. I’m certain this routine would do wonders for my mental health and day-to-day life.

However, until that time comes, I will do my best to seek out as many opportunities to submerge into the cold wild waters. The Wild Swimming Diaries intend to be a place to keep this commitment in check and hold myself accountable. If they motivate me to enter the water more and inspire at least one other to do the same then they will have been a success.

I will be posting these diary entries as short blog posts. They will aim to contain some consistent metrics as I document my swims throughout the year and as we delve into winter. These will include:

• 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 Story
• 🏊‍♂️ Experience
• 📍Location:
• 🌡Water Temperature:
• ⏰️ Time in the water:

If you have any other category ideas leave them in the comments below!

I hope this inspires you to get in the water and reap the benefits. Follow on Instagram for regular updates.