Moments with Mind: Meet The Bluetits Chill Swimmers
We find out how wild swimming can benefit your wellbeing with social swimming group, The Bluetits.
For a growing number of people in the UK, swimming has become more than a blissful summer pastime. With our pools and lidos locked, the pandemic presented the perfect opportunity to discover the joys of bathing in the wild, with a flood of hardy souls up and down the country splashing in nearby stretches of sea or launching themselves into local lochs, lakes and rivers to get their fix of fresh water and freedom.
For The Bluetits Chill Swimmers, a social enterprise which celebrates year-round dipping, it’s been an exciting time to encourage fledgling wild swimmers and grow their flock. Founded by Sian Richardson in 2014, her plan to get like-minded folk of all abilities together to enjoy informal cold-water adventures has taken off, and there are now over 6,000 members worldwide.
Some Bluetits are in it for a leisurely float and the chance to chat over a flask of hot chocolate while they warm up, while others hatch plans to front crawl across the Channel. Some are fair weather bathers, others slip in come rain or shine, ice or snow. What unites them is a shared love of social swimming and the companionship it offers.
Exercising in the water on a regular basis has obvious benefits in terms of keeping you physically fit and mobile, but we’re also hearing more and more – anecdotally and from scientific studies – about the mood boost wild swimming can offer. In a survey published by Outdoor Swimmer in the magazine’s 2021 Trend Report, 69.4% of respondents said, “outdoor swimming is essential or very important to their mental health.”
For regular open water swimmers, wellbeing comes in the form of friendship, a connection with community and the ritual of being immersed in nature’s ‘blue spaces’, but also from the positive effect plunging into freezing water can have on your mood.
Many wild swimmers equate it to a free form of therapy; a euphoria that’s hard to beat with the extreme cold encouraging the body to release endorphins which leave your mind feeling exhilarated even if the rest of you is numb. Others have likened braving these icy temperatures to a form of soothing meditation that lets you escape the world; a calming, mindful process that frees you from stress as you focus on the simple act of slowing your breathing and staying afloat.
STAYING SAFE WHILE YOU SWIM
If you’re feeling inspired and fancy dipping more than your toe in the water, here are some tips for swimming responsibly:
September is a good time for novice wild swimmers to start, while the temperature of the water tends to be warmer.
Always swim with a friend or check out this map to see if there is a branch of the Bluetits near you. Everyone is welcome and you can join for free.
Pay close attention to any tides or currents, and before you get in, work out how you’re going to exit the water.
Wearing a brightly coloured swimming cap will make it easier to spot you in the water.
Immerse yourself slowly rather than jumping in to avoid cold water shock. It could also be shallower than you think or have hidden underwater hazards.
Begin by swimming for short periods, building up over time as you understand how your body responds to the experience.
Cold water can impact your ability to swim so don’t go out of your depth and stay parallel to the shore if you’re swimming in the sea. If you get into trouble, remember: FLOAT TO LIVE.
Get changed quickly into lots of loose layers, a woolly hat and gloves and warm up with a hot drink.
Find out more about The Bluetits Chill Swimmers on their website, Instagram and Facebook.