The meaning of open-water swimming

“It’s just a part of me, of who I am and who I need to be and what I do. It’s my thing. It’s part of my purpose”.

With the first wave of the pandemic, there was a resurgence in the popularity of swimming in natural bodies of water. Irish coastal swimming areas became dotted with colourful dryrobes, marking this occupation as “trendy”. However, open-water swimming proves to be more than a fleeting trend. Through all weathers, coastal locations have continued to attract a vibrant mix of swimmers, among them seasoned devotees and exuberant newcomers.

What is it that draws people to swim in cold water? My research set out to explore the meaning of open-water swimming through an occupational therapy lens. As an occupational therapist, I believe in the value of engaging in meaningful occupation to promote health and wellbeing. I interviewed five adults in the west of Ireland in the winter before the first COVID-19 outbreak. The essence of this piece lies in the powerful words of the passionate swimmers who participated in this research.

The findings show that open-water swimming is a multi-faceted experience with a deep meaning to those who take part in it. Open-water swimming contributes to mental and emotional wellbeing and a deep connection to nature, social environments, and our authentic selves.

Escaping the stress of daily life encourages many of us to swim regularly. It is a liberating experience, escaping the burden of modern living. One swimmer feels that she needs to swim to feel free, it’s like “A crutch and once you get used to it you cannot give it up. I personally get a stuck feeling without it and it just releases that feeling. So, it’s the freedom versus that stuck feeling”. It’s no surprise that swimming allows us to reset as the cold water demands our attention. One swimmer describes how cold water “jolts” him into the present moment, where “you’re forced to forget about everything else because your senses are coming at you”. Our attention is dramatically forced into the present. The sensory properties of cold water allow us to experience what swimmers describes as a “pure form of mindfulness” or “an extreme meditation”.

Swimming in the depths of winter is no easy task. The routine of cold-water swimming requires determination; from stumbling across pebbles barefoot to fumbling under a towel while the wind threatens to strip you bare naked, before finally, getting into icy water. One swimmer found that committing to her swimming routine contributed to mental resilience: “I would tend to be quite an empathetic person. I could walk into a room and feel everybody’s feelings. Whereas I think going in and out of the sea helps me to be stronger about that. So it’s protecting yourself in a strange way”. Swimming provides us with a protective armour as we face daily challenges.

Many of us swim in cold waters, knowing that we will feel good after it. Swimmers in this research discuss feeling renewed, like a “cleansed emotional state”. Swimming for some is like a positive intention, setting them up for the day. “You get that feeling of, I want to say euphoria because it is! It’s amazing during and after, and it lasts! Like you know I personally feel good for the whole rest of the day”.

In addition to the mental health benefits associated with swimming, there is a deep sense of connection. Through swimming, people feel connected to the social and natural worlds, and their authentic selves.

Often you will hear the excited chatter of swimmers before seeing their colourful groups gather around swimming areas. Swimmers in this research, reflect on the sense of comradery, from helping strangers “put on wetsuits” or “helping women put their bras on”, to chatting about the mood of the sea with, “oh its choppy out there”. The sea welcomes all types of people and knows no judgement. Geography researcher from Maynooth University, Dr. Ronan Foley views the sea as an important place for people with disabilities, where a body that is disabled on land becomes transformed in the water. The open-water swimming community reflects a melting pot of all sorts of people: “There is every body shape, every age, you know everyone is down there. People coming from their cars and you see them hobbling down there and they get in and everyone is young in the sea! Nobody feels bad about their bodies, you just get changed quickly and nobody cares about what body part is shown!”.

The intimate connection with nature is important for swimmers. I believe that swimming is unique in that it provides us with an opportunity to plug into a natural energy source. One swimmer remarks that when swimming in cold water, “You’re throwing yourself into nature and when you’re underwater, you’re a part of it”. Being submerged in nature encourages us to view the world with a fresh perspective. As one swimmer notes: “Open water is very much life itself. It’s bigger than any of us and it was here before us and it’ll be here after us. I think it’s a very meaningful connection. My enjoyment of nature is in open water”.

The visceral experience of swimming encourages us to connect with our true selves. For one swimmer, the ever-changing sea provides her with a poignant metaphor to capture her moment of awakening before coming home to herself. “I’ve given enough to mothering, and wifing, and working, and living, and parenting everybody. Then a new person emerges. . .that’s when the courage and the butterfly came, and it was an awakening. . .It was definitely a new resolve, a new awakening, and a different person. It was a transition. . . Now it’s just a part of me, of who I am and who I need to be and what I do. It’s my thing. It’s part of my purpose”. This moment of awakening is echoed in writings by Irish author, researcher and professional surfer, Dr. Easkey Britton in her poem ‘Beneath the Surface’:

“Let go
what wants to die
Let emerge
what wants to be born”.

Undoubtedly, open-water swimming is a meaningful occupation and much more than a fleeting trend. People are drawn to open water to escape daily stress and experience presence. Open-water swimming is a potent vehicle for facilitating meaningful connections with the social and natural environments. It encourages a deeper connection with the self. When underwater, the true self emerges with an “awakening”. Taking the plunge in open water is a true act of self-discovery and sustains us across our lives.