Prerequisites for wild swimming

[Brick]

I would like to start wild swimming next summer. What skills and equipment do I need to be "ready" by that time? I realise that there are lots of different types of place to swim, but would appreciate some approximate aims.

As for equipment, I'm expecting to need a wetsuit, swimfins, snorkel, and mask. I'm thinking that for a start It would be better to tag along with organised groups, rather than scout my own locations. Though there are a few locations I'm thinking of.

What sort of swimming skills and fitness level do I need? Any targets such as "able to swim for X000 metres? Able to swim Xmetres in Yseconds? Able to swim for X amount of time?

[Wildswimmer]

If you plan to swim outdoors in summer, the equipment you will need can be summed up as follows: None

I've been lake swimming today in water at just under 16C in just my trunks. And if there is nobody around, I don't even bother with trunks.

Fitness? I nearly bought it from congestive heart failure five years ago. After a heart attack you aren't supposed to take ANY exercise for six weeks afterwards, yet I was allowed to start gentle swimming in my local River Weaver after just one week. I'm now back to full health - despite the chances of surviving CHF after five years being just 20%. I've even gone through cold-acclimatisation training, although this MUST be done under medical supervision if you have any health problems. Don't try to lose too much weight - your body fat helps keep you warm.

The best stroke for open water is breast-stroke, and as endurance is the name of the game, the ability to swim for long periods.

I only wear a wetsuit when the water temp falls below 10C, and I hope to do something about that this Autumn.

The River and Lake Swimming Association was formed to promote the interests of open water swimmers:

www.river-swimming.co.uk

Wildswimmer Pete