Heather: Swimming in the ocean is notably different to swimming in a Lake or a river.
All open water swimming is exhilarating. It brings so many benefits with it. However,
there are some risks associated, the good news being though they can be managed with
some planning. Today I'm going to be looking at the specifics for the ocean, how to prepare
for a sea swim and what to expect when you take the plunge.
[music] Before I got in the car and headed to the
beach today, I did a little bit of research. When it comes to sea swimming, there are so
many variables that a little bit of preplanning can just make your experience that much more
enjoyable and also much safer. A forecast is a good place to start, not only on the
day but also actually looking at the few days prior as if there's been heavy rainfall that
could affect a lot of runoff, maybe there's pollutants in the water. If there's been a
storm out at sea that can also turn up and make the water murky and maybe bring with
it some debris as well. Then obviously you need to look at what the
weather is looking like, it's going to be for the day. You want to take into account
things such as wind as that will change the direction or the strength of the wind can
affect the types of the waves, the size of the waves, and also the currents. Then you've
got things like sea fog or local fog. If visibility is poor, you don't want to be getting in the
water because not only were you not be able to see anybody, more importantly, people won't
be able to see you when you're out there. Then, of course, air temperature so you know
how to be prepared to get warm or cool down afterwards.
Then there's the surf forecast, which can give you really specific ideas of what the
waves are going to be like at a certain beach. Different beaches have different angles and
the waves can be completely different just around the corner. You can get really detailed
info on the height of them, whether it's going to be clean. This is great for obviously knowing
your ability and what ways you're happy to swim out through, but also whether to expect
the beach to be really busy with surfers as surfers and swimmers don't necessarily always
go together or maybe the swell is just going be building too much and you'd rather stay
away that day. [music]
Currents are ever-changing in the sea due to the tides and the contributing weather
conditions. It's easy to look up online the time of high and low tide. High tide is six
hours after low tide and so on. It's ever-changing. Then there's neeps and springs to consider
as well. A neat tide is when there's less lunar pull. The tide is basically not moving
as far. High tide isn't that high, low tide isn't very low. Springtide, on the other hand,
when you have a new moon or a full moon, so there's more lunar pole, the tide is moving
a huge amount. You'll see an extremely high tide and an extremely low tide.
This obviously means there's a greater body of water moving a further distance so the
currents are likely to be stronger. This tends to be more notable when you're in an estuary
because the water is being squashed into a small area. When it comes to the sea, it might
be less notable, but certain currents can form and it's when you really need to get
some local lifeguard knowledge, just to find out how the tide is affecting where you plan
to swim. Talking of which I think it's time I went to get a little bit of local knowledge
from a lifeguard to find out just how to read the water before you get in and get a few
more general swim safety tips. [music]
Phil: How to spot a rip current, basically you're looking for no waves, really. What
happens is the energy from the waves is pushing up the beach and all that water is flowing
up. What it's looking for is deeper, lower sections of sand, where it can flow back out
to sea. Where you see that there are no waves or perhaps this awkward choppiness, the confusion
in the ocean, and no lines of swell, that's a good indication of a rip current. They don't
go out forever. They're not going to take you to the United States or wherever from
here. They go out just outback of the surf line maybe most 60, 70, 100 meters, depending
on how big the surf is. The worst of it is if you end up going out
in one, just relax, chill. It's not the end of the world, but you've got to just gather
your thoughts, have a look around you, see where the waves are and where they're actually
breaking and transform yourself back into the surf line. Because once you get back in
those ways, all the energy is traveling back towards the beach, and obviously that's going
to help you. One of the most important things to do is don't swim directly against it because
that will exhaust you. If you can swim 90 degrees, or if you're a very strong swimmer,
45 degrees so you just slowly make any way out of it. Then once you get back into that
surf, you'll soon find yourself getting towards the beach.
The other thing to remember if you got a flotation device, maybe you've taken a little board,
just so other people can see where you are, don't let go of it, hang on to it. Because
if you do get tired, you've got something to hang on to and you can raise your hand.
If you're particularly on a lifeguarded beach, you should get help pretty quickly. Even if
you're not, most people know someone with their hand up in the water is a sign of distress
and they will call the coast guard for you. [music]
When you arrive at the beach if it's a lifeguarded beach, ideal go speak to the lifeguards, get
some safety advice from them, find out where it's good to swim. They're likely to advise
you to go swimming in the red and yellow flags. We would always recommend that. That's the
area that we monitor the most and we put it in the safest place. If you're going for a
further swim, outside of that along the beach a little bit, we'll understand that. That's
fine, but we just need to know. It's doubly important that you go and speak to the lifeguards
then to make sure that they know where you going, how long you're going to be. They can
just keep an eye on you basically from there. I would always recommend that you go with
a friend, never go swimming alone. It goes, in the ocean in general, whatever you do in
the ocean, try not to do it on your own. The other thing is you can get advice from lifeguards
and also locals. You might see some local surfers or something like that on, as I said
before, tides and currents, those sorts of things so you can kind of figure that out.
The last thing is you really want to check is that you've got all your kit with you,
any safety kit you wanted to take with you. It may be you are taking a little board to
mark where you are, those sorts of bits. Just making sure you're ready to go. If you go
to a non-lifeguarded beach again, if you go in with someone that's great, but you also
want someone to know when you're leaving, when you're expected to be back so you can
check in at that point and they can raise the alarm if you're late, for example. Just
a lot of general common sense but it helps. [music]
One of the wonderful bits about going for a swim in the ocean is seeing all the marine
life. There's some you don't want to get so close to and there's some that are just an
absolute thrill to see. A couple of things to remember, don't hassle any marine life,
dolphins, that sort of thing. I would suggest if you're swimming, you probably won't be
able to. If you have a support boat with you or something, just try and give them their
distance and respect that. On top of that, you've got things like jellyfish. Something
that is a little nasty that everyone worries about essentially how we treat them here in
the UK is just to irrigate with fresh water after you've been stung by them. We don't
have any too serious here. The basic principle is that you've got a ball
of venom, so to speak with a little hook on the top, that's in your arm. By brushing it,
you're just encouraging that venom to give him more. By washing it away, it just literally
just gently takes it away. Other countries treat it differently and have more freedom
to use chemicals, et cetera. Basically, don't worry. If you're out a little when you get
stung by jellyfish, whatever happens, however serious it is, you got to relax and just get
yourself back to shore safely as quickly as possible.
[music] Heather: Some really great safety tips and
just ocean knowledge there from Phil. To me, that really drives home the importance of
swimming in a lifeguarded beach especially if you're new to sea swimming. There's some
things that we're just not going to be able to know, and local knowledge becomes invaluable.
That aside, there were still a few other points that is worth considering before you go for
a swim. One of which is the fact you're going to be sharing the beach with other users.
You're unlikely to have that swim space entirely to yourself.
For example, here we've got lots of surfers and I've mentioned that already, but you need
to think about things like jet skis or other watercraft. It's a good idea to check if there's
a harbor nearby and there might be quite a lot of traffic going in and out of that. As
Phil mentioned, it's a good idea to take a tow float with you to help with that visibility,
especially when there's other water users. If you're really lucky, then you can get a
friend to come out on a kayak and paddle alongside you.
That aside, make sure you always swim with a buddy, and if you can, someone who's local
and knows the currents well. If you don't actually know anybody local, then checkup
Facebook for some swim groups. It's something I always do, have a look for open water swim
groups, and you'll be amazed at how willing people are to show you where they live or
where they swim. You've also just got that confidence of having someone to swim with.
[music] Of course, you can get waves on large lakes,
but when it comes to the sea, the waves tend to be far more powerful. You don't really
want to get stopped for too long in the breaking wave area as it's just going to be really
exhausting if you're trying to swim. As long as you're confident enough, it's best to head
straight out through the waves and get out past the breakers, and then you can relax
into your swim stroke. Once you're there, try and swim parallel to the coast and keep
an eye on the shore to help you spot. Bear in mind that naturally with the rise
and fall of the waves, you'll not be able to see the land the whole time. Maybe if you've
got someone spotting you, they won't be able to see you the whole time. Make sure you let
them know which direction you're going to head in. Talking of which, try and check the
current before you head out. It's always a good idea to swim into a head current to start
with so once you're a bit more tired, coming home is always going to be easier.
[music] Another obvious difference between a lake
swim and a sea swim is the salt content. When you swim in the sea, there's obviously much
more salt, and as a result, you'll be more buoyant and swimming will feel that much more
easier, which is really quite nice. You do need to be aware that with salt comes the
increased risk of chafing. You might have a wet suit that you've worn numerous times
in the lake with zero problems, one swim in the sea and you could end up having a really
badly rubbed neck, for example. Before doing any sea swim, it's a good idea to use a wet
suit specific lubricant on the areas that are likely to chaf, the back of the neck,
and anywhere where it seems it could be moving across your skin.
[music] Today, I have focused specifically on ocean
swimming, but you still need to remember the general rules of swimming in the open water,
such as never swimming alone. Make sure you check the entry and the exit. Obviously, today
it's a nice sandy beach but it could be pebbly, maybe it's rocks, cliffs, or even a pontoon
entrance. You need to know the water temperature, make sure that you can warm up or cool down
adequately afterwards. Before getting in the water, check any sighting
points on the land so you know that you can keep your bearings. Of course, only swim within
your ability, and somewhere that you know is safe for you. Finally, it should go without
saying, but just check that you're actually allowed to go swimming in your planned destination.
If you do want some more tips on open water swimming for beginners, we've got a video
just on that that went out recently, so go and check that one out on our channel.
I know I've covered a lot today and I really hope that I've managed to get across my passion
for swimming in the ocean. It's a magnificent, free swimming pool, but it just needs to be
treated with a little bit of respect. Hopefully, if you follow these points, you'll be able
to stay safe and have fun. Wherever you are, go and enjoy the swim. If you've enjoyed this
video, give us a thumbs up, like, and remember to check out our social media channels for
some similar content. [00:12:27] [END OF AUDIO]