SWIM PEOPLE

SWIMTERVIEW • SWIMMING IN SPARKLE NIGHT LIFE •

Welcome to the May issue...

The first time I swam at night was

Into the dark

I’m often asked the same questions about night

View from the water

Simon Griffiths explores the wonder, thrill and fear of swimming at night

THE INKY DEPTHS

Endurance training or sensual submersion, Rowan Clarke explores night swimming

SWIMMING WITH SPARKLE

When the sea begins to glow, it feels like swimming through a waking dream. Marine biologist Helen Scales dives into the science and wonder of bioluminescence, from tropical shorelines dusted with living light to the deep ocean where creatures flash, flare and vanish in blue fire. For swimmers lucky enough to encounter it, she reveals what’s really happening when the water starts to sparkle

Where black water meets black sky

In this reflection for Outdoor Swimmer , John Lewis-Stempel, the prize-winning nature writer and Herefordshire farmer, draws on a lifetime of rivers, fields and night wanderings to explore how swimming after dark unsettles the senses, dissolves human certainty, and returns us to our first, tidal origins

CREWING THROUGH THE NIGHT

Elaine K. Howley, usually our guide to the tides of swimming history, turns inward this month, exploring her mother’s final days through the raw, relentless lens of marathon swimming

LEARNING THE LIGHT

Victoria’s life is defined by the sea

QUIET COURAGE IN THE DARKNESS

Jharna Kumawat finds calm, connection and quiet courage through night swimming

COMMUNITY

LAURA CELEBRATES 500 SUB10 SWIMS!

COACH

WILD & RECREATION • POOL & TECHNIQUE • YOGA • CHALLENGE & ENDURANCE

CHALLENGE AND ENDURANCE Night swimming

Take your time, start small and prepare well, says Alice Dearing

TRAINING POOL & TECHNIQUE

Executing hard sessions in the pool …the right way!

WILD & RECREATION

Editor Ella Foote is also an open water swim coach, outdoor swim guide and teacher. This month, May invites us into the dark…

Sensory swimming at Night

This is what you can see, hear, smell, touch and taste at the water’s edge this month

ORGANISED VENUES - FULL MOON SWIMMING

Image: Quay Swimming This May, we are gifted

Night training - finding the right balance

Exercising at night often sparks debate. For some

Moon salutations

Liz is a personal trainer, group fitness instructor

HEALTH

RECIPE • WHAT’S UP DOC?

Healthy meals

Chef and food writer, Claire Thomson shares healthy meals for longer swims from her book, One Pan Beans . Each month Claire shares a recipe that will keep you full and satisfied for all kinds of swims. You can also follow Claire on Instagram, where she is known as @5oclockapron

What’s up, Doc?

COMMUNITY HEALTH - HELPING EACH OTHER

GEAR

HOW TO CHOOSE THE RIGHT SUIT? • ENTRY-LEVEL • MID & ELITE SUITS • KIT WE LOVE

HOW DO I CHOOSE THE RIGHT LEVEL OF WETSUIT?

What’s the difference between an entry-level, mid-level and elite wetsuit – and how do you decide which tier is right for you? Gear Editor Jo Tinsley spoke to Zone3 Founder, James Lock, and Operations Director, Martin McKinlay, about their recent independent wetsuit study with Loughborough Sport to help unpack these questions and many more

ENTRY-LEVEL WETSUITS

Best for novice swimmers who prioritise warmth, safety and durability over high-end performance features

MID-LEVEL WETSUITS

Best for swimmers who want a balance between performance-enhancing features and durability without a premium price

ELITE WETSUITS

Best for experienced swimmers who want to prioritise maximal flexibility over buoyancy

SLEEVELESS WETSUITS

Best for swimmers who prioritise shoulder mobility and like to swim in warmer temperatures

KIT WE LOVE

DRYBONES CABLE KNIT HAT, £17.99 As a year-round

CHALLENGE

MY SWIM STORY • EVENT LISTINGS

SWIMMING MY SWIM

Raised in Cheshire, 14-year-old Alexander Sixsmith has found freedom, focus and confidence through open water swimming. Living with DLD (Developmental Language Disorder) and navigating POTS (Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome), he has already become one of the youngest English Channel relay swimmers and continues to take on major crossings while raising funds for Aspire

Let’s swim!

UK AND INTERNATIONAL EVENT LISTINGS

Weekending

Digital editor Abi finds a swimmer’s haven on the edge of a Worcestershire lake

Pitch perfect – SWIM AND STAY

Ella Foote and her family head to East Sussex for a weekend of swimming, camping and adventure with Vango Outdoors

WILD SWIMMING WALKS NORFOLK & SUFFOLK

Eve Stebbing, author of new book, Wild Swimming Walks Norfolk and Suffolk , shares her favourite swimming adventures across the region

Weekending: COMBE HEAD HOUSE, CHARD, SOMERSET

A homely smallholding with a Victorian swimming pond – we’re in! Rowan Clarkes reports

SWIM LIFE

ENVIRONMENT • WATCH, READ, LISTEN • SWIMTERPRIZE

Watch Read Listen

The Healing Power of Water LIZZI LARBALESTIER From

THE LITTLE HUG GIFT SHOP

Roxanne creates thoughtful gifts A lifelong water lover,

ENVIRONMENT

Less litter on our beaches, engaging children with environmental topics and how to protect ground-nesting birds: Jo Tinsley reports on the things that matter to us as swimmers

TOM FORT

Author, travel writer and historian Tom Fort has explored many parts of British culture and tradition. His new book, Lido Land , explores outdoor pools in Britain