Let's Swim Safely!

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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. On neap tides, high tides are lower and low tides are higher than they are on a spring, meaning less water moving. Occurring every two weeks. Make sure you have the right equipment for your activity, for example a bright hat and tow float for outdoor swimming or buoyancy aids and the correct leash when paddleboarding, a whistle and mobile phone in a water proof pouch also help. 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. He said: "It’s the antidote to what we refer to as ‘red mind,’ which is the anxious, over-connected, and over-stimulated state that defines the new normal of modern life. Research has proven that spending time near the water is essential to achieving elevated and sustained happiness."

Decide how long you are going to be in the sea for, then walk from your exit point up to where you plan to get in. This gives you a good view of any potential hazards.Keep well hydrated - if you are doing lengths, keep a water bottle by the edge of the pool, and keep drinking. You might not realise how hot you are getting since the water keeps you cool. You even burn more calories swimming in the sea because the heart has to pump faster in cold water and the body has to work harder to keep everything warm - so it’s always a bonus to have a cup of tea and piece of cake afterwards!" The good news is there’s a lot you can do to help prevent drownings even when there’s no lifeguard on duty. Here are some tips. 1. Before Heading to the Beach or a Public Pool, Do Your Research

The Water Safety Code provides essential and easy-to-remember information to help people plan for their activity and understand what they should do in an emergency. 1. Stop and think – Always Swim in a Safe Place If you are struggling, remember to keep calm, face the shore and signal for help by raising one arm. cleaning your hands thoroughly with soap and water ensuring that all wet sand is removed from hands before eating or handling foodSigns at most public pools and beaches will point you to designated swimming areas and warn you about specific dangers, whether it’s a pool too shallow for diving or an ocean beach with strong currents or riptides, says Ramos. Plan how you’re going to get out of the ocean before you get into the water and consider any currents, the tidal flow and wind direction," said Wiseman.

The mental health boost we enjoy from being by the sea has a name - the Blue Mind. Marine biologist Wallace J Nichols, who coined the phrase, explained: "The term ‘blue mind’ describes the mildly meditative state we fall into when near, in, on, or underwater." Aim to swim at a beach that is lifeguarded. If you have never been to the location, speak to the lifeguards – let them know of your plans and, most importantly, take their advice! (Be aware that they are there to manage the main swimming and surfing areas). Waves are formed by the wind. The size of the wave depends on how long and how hard the wind blows. Waves break as they move into shallower waters closer to the shoreline. How waves break on the shoreline depend on the shape and slope of the ground below it. The three types of waves Spilling waves choosing the location carefully and avoid swimming in water with blue-green algal blooms or scums in freshwatersAs an open water swimmer, you are responsible for your own safety. Wiseman told Live Science: "Gathering information on potential risks and hazards is a gradual process – you can do this both before you set on a location and when you get to your chosen swimming spot. Ask yourself, is it safe for me to swim? Do your own risk Safety tips 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). Qualified swimming coach Sarah Wiseman gives an insight into how to remain safe when swimming in the sea. The breathing side of open swimming, and particularly the rhythm of breathing, is vital for concentration. The water temperature changes all the time, which is excellent for your circulation and immune system," said Evans, who has launched a new animated Sky Original TV series Obki, inspired by her love of sea swimming. This isn’t foolproof, but it removes a lot of unknowns that contribute to drownings, like the waves and currents and sudden dropoffs into deeper water that you can experience at the beach,” Fisher says. 3. Be Prepared for an Emergency Before You Hit the Water

Look around to see what lifesaving equipment is available to use, such as a ring buoy or reaching pole, Ramos recommends. If you do go to a spot without a lifeguard, it’s better to choose a pool or beach familiar to you, where you think even the weakest swimmers in your group can wade into the water safely. Wiseman said: "Try and choose a beach that has a lifeguard. If you’re new to the area, speak to the lifeguards, let them know your plans and follow their advice. Look at where other people are swimming. Don’t be afraid to talk to locals, find out if there is a local swimming group, either organised or informal, and where possible, swim with others. Don’t push yourself to the max to do more laps faster than you ever have before, or urge your child to master new skills like swimming the entire length of the pool on their own. And don’t push your limits just to show off or keep up with your friends and family. “Be honest with yourself about your swimming ability and don’t feel pressure to hide it from others if it’s not up to the level of others you’re swimming with,” Ramos says. “Overextending yourself to keep up with others can lead to trouble.” Open water swimming refers to swimming in lakes, rivers and the sea, rather than at a swimming pool. Without the confines of ropes and lanes it can be an invigorating experience. However, swimming in open water carries different risks to swimming in a pool.Before the pandemic, about 4,000 people died by drowning in the United States each year, and another 8,000 people were treated in emergency rooms for drowning injuries, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Children — particularly kids younger than 5 — consistently have the highest drowning rate. Compared with the seaside or a lake, it's easier to spot a swimmer in distress at a pool, Fisher says. And there will often be markers to indicate how deep the water is, so less-confident swimmers can stay where it’s shallow. Up to date bathing water quality information is available online during the bathing season between May and September. Other considerations to help you choose where to go include: As an open water swimmer, you are responsible for your own safety. Gathering information on potential risks and hazards is a gradual process – you can do this both prior to and upon arrival at your location. The COVID-19 pandemic halted programs to train and recertify lifeguards for two straight years, resulting in a loss of about one million lifeguards who would otherwise be working this summer, says Bernard J. Fisher II, the director of health and safety for the American Lifeguard Association in Vienna, Virginia. This shortage, combined with a pandemic pause in temporary work visas for foreign lifeguards, has forced countless pools and beaches to open with fewer lifeguards, reduce their hours, or close altogether this summer, he says.