Winter is coming. Here is why you should start cold water swimming or dipping.
Sunrise Open Water Swim
As we watch our swim friends in the north get excited about the arrival of summer, autumn has truly settled in here in the southern hemisphere. If you are already a seasonal swimmer or dipper you know that this time of the year, consistency is key to gradual acclimatisation as the water temperatures decline. There is already excited and nervous anticipation for the temperature reading of the day. Port Phillip bay’s water temperature has gone from a ‘balmy’ 21-22 degrees celsius in March to hovering anywhere between 17 and 15 degrees as we near the end of April. If the last two years is any indication, we will get to between 8 and 10 degrees by July.
I was not a cold water person. I grew up swimming in heated pools and loved the beach in summer. I always felt cold in winter and could not wait for summer to arrive. You would find me rugged up in front of fireplaces in July with a warm cuppa or sitting over the heater in August. I was in awe of people whose stories told of daily rituals in the open oceans around the world, especially in the northern European countries where water temperatures reach as low as 2-3 degrees celsius. I had had some winter adventures I thoroughly enjoyed but did not consider myself a winter swimmer nor did I think of myself as someone who would participate in such ‘madness’ regularly.
But the older I get the more often I find my own perceptions of self and what is possible, to be changing. On this front, things took a turn when I decided to swim and dip through the winter of 2022. At that stage I was desperate for ways out of a life that felt tired and stale. I am entering my third winter swimming season now. There are heaps of great reasons for cold water swimming and dipping, but here are 5 of the life changing benefits I am grateful for.
Sunrise Open Water Swimmer
Changed my relationship to discomfort. In a world that values comfort and luxury, the cold water taught me how to actually be present and take in the experience for what it is (not for what my brain told me it should be). I learnt that the cold offers wonderful sensations, if I let it; if I allow all my senses to engage without my brain intervening. That being present and open helped redefine how I experienced my body and surroundings. As a result not only have I gained a new appreciation for what it is to be warm and comfortable; this learning has extended to other areas of my life. I am more likely now to seek discomfort as a vehicle for growth and to be braver in the face of what is unfolding.
Amplified belief in myself and my potential. As a practice, especially in winter, it's hard. It takes showing up often, sometimes daily, in mornings where the air temperature hits 1-2 degrees, when lashing wind or icy sand hurts your legs and feet, when the 40 minute commute to the water means a 5am start. You adapt, sure, but it is still hard. And yet none of this comes even close to shaking my commitment to this practice. The rewards are of immeasurable value. I would not change it for the world and now I know, if I can do this, there are so many things I can have a go at. That anything is possible if I show up consistently.
Reclaimed my connection to self. I had allowed the aggressive and incessant pace and demands of modern life to eat away the time and space I needed for me. In the water, I feel held, just for who I am, in deep solace. I am free of life's wrappings and bow ties and all the human constructs we carry so heavily. The simple act of BEING in the water feels like medicine, like the antidote to all that ails and disconnects me. It is the perfect me time.
It is incredibly beneficial for mental and physical wellbeing. There are far too many studies now showcasing findings on the amazing benefits cold water swimming or dipping offers. More importantly, these benefits are told in the thousands of smiles around the world exiting cold bodies of water every day.
Incredible community and friendship. I have met incredible people from all walks of life and stood with them by the shoreline. Some I barely know. I enter the water and find childlike happiness and laughter again with them. There is no other place, with such capacity for the human spirit to feel connected. It is, by far, the most connective, equalising and humbling experience.
Early Morning Open Water Swimmers