Let's Swim Safely!

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Before you go for your swim, take a while to observe the water. Look at what is happening, how is the ocean behaving? By having an able adult to supervise them, swimmers will have an extra set of eyes watching for their safety and looking out for potential dangers. Increase the number of lengths you do each time you swim. For example, over a period of four weeks, gradually increase to 20 or 30 lengths a session. Don't jump or dive into any water unless you know the depth (it might look fun, but this can cause a ruptured spinal cord and paralysis or can be fatal). Anyone can become unwell from swimming in any open water as there will always be micro-organisms present. The risk of becoming ill depends on various factors:

If you are struggling, remember to keep calm, face the shore and signal for help by raising one arm.Parents need to know that lots of products pitched as aids for kids in the water really won’t help, says Gary Smith, MD, DrPH, the president of the Child Injury Prevention Alliance and the director of the Center for Injury Research and Policy at Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus, Ohio. As well as the obvious physical benefits of swimming in the ocean, there are several health and wellbeing perks too, particularly as a Centre for Healthy Minds, University of Wisconsin-Madison study found that the less we interact with nature the more disconnected our lives become. If you want to swim in the ocean, you’re probably asking yourself: What kit do I need for sea swimming?

Plan your exit before you get into the water. Consider any currents, the tidal flow and wind direction. Decide how long you are going to be in the sea for.

Often one of the biggest insecurities when attempting swimming for the first time can be what you look like, but there really is no reason for it. Chances are, all those people you think are looking at you are more concerned about themselves.