Swim Pembrokeshire - Blog

Open Water Swimming Techniques - Sighting

Wed, 08 Jul 2026 05:56:47 +0000

Sighting Techniques for Open Water Swimming

Sighting is one of the most underrated and under practised elements of open water swimming. Do it wrong, you kill your stroke. Do it too often, you drain your energy. Not enough, you zigzag. If you are going to do sighting, do it right.

When a swim student asks us to show them how to sight, the response is always to split it into several parts:

1) how to sight

2) how often to sight

3) what to sight on

4) practise makes perfect

How to Sight

There are two basic techniques to do sighting, one more efficient than the other.

The Classic Mistake: Combining Sighting with Breathing

Most people have not really been taught how to sight properly and tend to do it when doing the breathing phase of the stroke. This consists of either breathing first, then bringing the head around to do the sighting; or sighting first, then swinging the head round to breathe.

Advantages: Fairly easy to do as it is an 'extension' of your breathing phase.

Disadvantages: Causes the had to raise and be out of the water for too long, which causes the legs to drop.

Crocodile Eyes: The Efficient Sighting Technique

Split sighting out into a separate phase of your stroke. Do not breathe when you sight - "sight when you sight". The physical sighting can be done on either arm and the technique involves arching the back slightly and looking directly forwards, eyes out the water, mouth underwater - "crocodile eyes".

Advantages: Requires an efficient stroke as basis to master sighting, minimises drag as legs remain in higher position.

Disadvantages: Takes practise, requires a good base stroke. May not be so effective in choppy conditions.

Efficient Open Water Sighting: Step 1

Here we see the swimmer has done the pull using the left arm and instead of breathing or keeping the head down he does a sight and uses his back to arch and lift the head slightly our of the water - the mouth is still submerged.

Efficient Open Water Sighting: Step 2

The water clears from the face and the land features/skyline are visible. This swimmer is using the apex of the headline hill as their sighting reference feature.

Efficient Open Water Sighting: Step 3

After seeing the reference point and making any adjustments to the swim course the swimmer drops the head down and continues swimming.

Here's how sighting - using the 'crocodile eyes' method - looks from the swimmer's perspective. You can see how he breathes to the side, but sights to the front, at which point he is not breathing, but instead keeping the eyes just out of the water and the mouth submerged. The sighting reference is the apex of the headland hill.

How Often to Sight?

How often to sight is an important factor that many people pay little or no attention to. Do it too often, you drain your energy. Not enough, you zigzag. There's an easy drill to work out how often to sight:

Stand in the shallows, focus on a sighting feature.
Get calm, focus on the feature, start swimming with your eyes closed.
It is imperative you keep your eyes closed but swim normally, heading towards the sighting feature in your mind.
Get a friend to walk behind you and count your (single) strokes before you start veering left or right.
When you start veering your friend taps your feet to stop and repeat.
Do this 3 times.
Calculate the average number of strokes.
Subtract 3.

That's your sighting frequency at that point in time. So...

Frank focuses on a church on the skyline...

He closes his eyes, swims off on attempt 1 and does 12 strokes before he starts veering left.

His friend taps his feet, he repeats the activity and does attempt 2 in 12 strokes before veering off course.

Attempt 3 results in another 12 strokes before veering left again.

Average: 12+12+12 = 36 divided by 3 = 12

Subtract 3: 12 - 3 = 9

This means Frank should so a sighting every NINE single arm strokes for maximum sighting efficiency.

TIPS:

If you miss the landmark on your sighting stroke, don't worry - get yourself together, try again soon after.

The number NINE is a guide at that time - this number should go down as you improve your stroke. Do the above exercise every few months to be as efficient as possible.

What to Sight On?

What to sight on depends on the unpredictable nature of the sea conditions.

It can be flat calm or it can be completely crazy, with large swell and one metre feet waves. In this case it is unlikely you will be able to sight using the buoys, even though they are brightly coloured and 6 feet high.

In this case it makes sense to sight on permanent, land based features that you can see easily and quickly:

Church spires
Houses
Prominent buildings
Prominent trees
Patches of woodland / copses
Cliff edges
Fields with distinct coloured cops, eg. wheat fields in late summer, rapeseed fields etc
Rock formations
Hilltops, mountain peaks
The sun
Etc.

TIP:

Choose features that are silhouetted on the skyline as they are much easier to see in the short time you have whilst doing a sighting stroke.

Practise Makes Perfect

There's no other way to improve your sighting than to practise, practise, practise!
You can practise in the pool or in open water.
A useful drill in a 25m pool is to 'bounce' in the water, with a lungful of air, lifting the head slightly on each stroke/bounce, focussing on the end of the pool, not breathing, just sighting. This will help build the muscles required for an efficient sighting technique for use in open water.
Over time your sighting frequency should come down and your swim track improve.

Learn Sighting With An Expert

Why not book one of our swims and learn how to do proper open water sighting from an expert?

Swim Pembrokeshire's Head Coach/Owner Andrew has been sea swimming his whole life and is an ex-Welsh champion age group swimmer. He's done the IMW route in 53 minutes and has swum it hundreds of times and has expert knowledge of the key swim spots around the Pembrokeshire coastline.

Learn all of the above sighting techniques from him as part of your swim booking, including valuable tips and tricks that you can only get with local expertise.

Click here to book a swim.

Click here to book the Tenby Ironman Wales swim.

Good luck!

Swimming The Ironman Wales Circuit

Tue, 07 Jul 2026 08:52:06 +0000

Preparing for the Ironman Wales Swim

The Iron Man Wales event that's hosted in Tenby Pembrokeshire every year is widely reckoned to be one of the toughest Ironman events in the world. Here's a snippet from AI:

One of the hardest and most relentless full-distance courses in the world. It features a chaotic, choppy sea swim, a punishing bike route with nearly 2,500m of elevation gain, and a hilly coastal marathon.

For a realistic breakdown of why this course is so notoriously difficult:

1. The Swim (2.4 miles)

The challenge: Held at North Beach, the swim takes place in the open and sometimes turbulent Irish Sea. It involves a two-loop course with an "Aussie exit" (running out onto the sand before diving back in) and requires navigating choppy waters and swells.

The iconic transition: Once out of the water, athletes face a famous, lung-busting run up a steep, zig-zagging ramp and through the town to get to the transition area.

2. The Bike (112 miles)

The challenge: This is a hilly, two-loop route through the Pembrokeshire countryside. Unlike flat, fast courses, Ironman Wales forces constant effort changes with almost 2,500m of total climbing.

The atmosphere: You will face steep inclines like Saundersfoot and "Heartbreak Hill". While the crowds provide an electric, Tour de France-style atmosphere that pushes athletes up the climbs, the undulating nature of the course means your legs get very little rest.

3. The Run (26.2 miles)

The challenge: The marathon consists of four hilly loops through Tenby and the surrounding coastal terrain, racking up about 500m of total ascent. It is entirely uphill or downhill, meaning you are constantly stressing your quads and calves.

The aftermath: Because of the grueling bike leg, tackling a hilly marathon exposes any nutritional or pacing errors you made earlier in the day.

Course Difficulty Summary

Average Times: Due to the extreme terrain, the median finishing time is usually between 11 and 14 hours.

Cut-Off Times: You have the standard 17-hour cut-off to finish the race, but the high difficulty contributes to a higher-than-average Did Not Finish (DNF) rate, typically hovering around 8% to 12%.

Tackling the Ironman Wales Swim...

For many people the Ironman Wales swim circuit is an extremely tough challenge and one they do simply to get through it and get on to the other disciplines, certainly not because they enjoy it!

However with a bit of preparation and if possible some repeat training sessions doing the actual course with people who know how to swim it, it is possible to turn that challenge into a really enjoyable part of the overall event.

Clockwise or Counter Clockwise?

The swim route used to run clockwise, in an inverted triangle, and as mentioned above there was an Aussie style exit where you would have to come out of the water and run around Goscar Rock to do the second lap.

That changed fairly recently and it is now an anticlockwise swim with the buoys on your left side, still in the familiar inverted triangle shape.

Currents

There is a lot of talk about why this change was made but it's generally agreed that it was due to currents that usually flow from east to west when out of the lee of the headland, that is, from right to left when looking out to sea from North beach.

I've heard many people mention problems with currents even with the new direction, but having swum this route thousands of times in my experience the current does tend to flow from right to left, which means the new route is easier as the current will be behind you when you swim along the 'base' of the inverted triangle. This is not meant as a statement of fact, it's just my experience swimming this route many many times, over many years. I think this is probably why the route was changed because I have seen swimmers trying to go the other way (the original route) and swim for 20 minutes without moving along that triangle 'base'.

At any rate, it is important to note currents are only applicable on this route on the 'base' part of the inverted triangle because on the two 'sides' there is no current because you are protected by a large head land with a convenient castle on top, which we will mention later! And actually, sometimes there is no current at all.

The Start

Without a doubt, the start of the swim and the entire event is an incredible experience. The sun rises in the east just as the Welsh national anthem is played and sung along by thousands of spectators who line the cliff tops behind the athletes. This is followed by a good bout of AC/DC along with fireworks and excellent commentary, just to get you extra pumped up before thousands of swimmers enter the water in a rolling start.

For many athletes this is one of the most nerve wracking parts of the swim. There's no other way to describe it: it is utter chaos.

You really just have to find your 'place' and if the physical nature of swimming with so many people in close proximity is a major problem for you then my advice is to get on the edges away from the centre pack.

It does really help if you can get into a rhythm by understanding your stroke rate and having some kind of counter 'mantra' as part of your stroke; as well as make use of effective sighting so that you can stay on course, even if everyone else around you is veering off left right and centre!

Sighting

Sighting is often one of the most underrated and under practised parts of open water swimming. There are generally three parts to effective sighting:

How to sight
How often to sight
What to sight on

Learn more about sighting techniques here.

"What to sight on"

As mentioned in the above description from AI part of the challenge of the Ironman Wales swim is the unpredictable nature of the sea conditions.

In September it can be flat calm or it can be completely mental swell, with five or six feet waves. If you get the latter conditions on the big day there is a strong chance you will not be able to sight on the buoys even though they are brightly coloured and 6 feet high.

It makes sense to have a backup and sight on permanent land based features that you can see easily and quickly. As a guide you can use the following features that are usually dead centre aligned with the swim buoys:

Leg 1:

The most obvious sighting feature here as you can see in the image below is the ruined castle on the top of the hill. It is almost directly in line with the first buoy and has the added advantage that it is clearly silhouetted against the pale sky and therefore easier to see, especially when you consider the first leg will be when most people are going to be swimming in front and around you.

Leg 2:

The shot below was actually taken at low tide and on the day the beach you see in the foreground would all be underwater. This leg is in my opinion the most difficult to sight from because it is very difficult to know exactly where the buoys will be placed until the day before the event. With this in mind, I recommend you go to the location as soon as the buoys are out, walk up to this very spot on the pathway that winds below Tenby castle. From there, take a look and align yourself behind the first buoy looking to the second buoy.

There are a number of features on the skyline you can see that can be used to sight from if you are unable to see the buoy during the swim:

the right edge of the wheat field
the small copse on the skyline, almost centre of the shot
the very obvious drop off the cliff on the right hand side...

Any of these can be used for sighting as it is not necessary to sight on something that is exactly in front of you - you can sight on something that is at 11 o'clock, or 1 o'clock, or 2 o'clock to your position. By checking out the location of the buoys beforehand you will get an idea of what you can site on for leg 2.

The final leg...

After a small stretch between buoy 2 and 3 (see above route map) you are into the home stretch back to the beach. There's a lot of advice flying around on the internet about what to sight from including different coloured buildings or gaps in buildings on the skyline.

Forget trying to notice building colours on the terraced houses: If you have enough time to register the colours of tightly packed terraced buildings then you are not sighting correctly and your legs are dropping!

That said, coloured objects can be used if they are 'stand alone' and very easy to see.

Although taken at low tide the image below shows some good examples of what you can (and cannot) use for sighting.

Good...

The red cafe to the right of Goscar rock - not perfect but it is separate from terraced houses on the top of the Cliff and fairly easy to see.
The white apartment block on the right side - very bright and very easy to see but would not be taken as a "12 o'clock" sighting reference, but rather a 2 o'clock reference point, with you swimming to the 12 o'clock direction.
The gap between the elegant terraced houses and the apartment block on the right side - reference points as above.

Not So Good...

Goscar rock is the size of a church and although you might think it would make a good sighting object, as you can see in the image below it's actually quite difficult to see as it gets camouflaged with the cliff behind. If you can see it though, use it.
Coloured terraced houses - it is almost certain that you will not be able to sight and have enough time to distinguish different coloured houses. In addition with the nerves of the event you will more than likely forget what coloured house you are sighting on!

The Exits

If the waves are big then it's actually an advantage for you on the third leg of the swim and on the exits.

Use the energy of the waves and give a little extra kick or pull as a wave comes over you and then you will be able to ride in 1-2 metres without any effort.

When you exit, swim as shallow as you possibly can. Use the waves an bodysurf right in. I'll typically surf in to a depth of about 30 centimetres if I can.

Dig your fingers in the sand to get a good grip and then launch yourself out into a full run to get around the rock or out when you exit after swimming full distance.

Conclusion

After many times swimming this route it's easy to say that it's not so difficult, but without sufficient exposure to the conditions or without practising the above kinds of techniques it will be a tough swim, especially when the wind is up and the waves get bigger.

Never underestimate the sea - when you get out of the protection of the headland the entire mood and sea conditions can change. It can get pretty scary pretty quickly so the keyword here is "resilience" - build your exposure to adverse sea swimming conditions by getting out there as often as possible preferably on the course that you are going to do. Learn how the sea behaves and what wind directions will result in what sea conditions. If the wind is offshore (blowing from the land out to sea) then you are in for an easy swim. If the wind is blowing onshore (from the sea to the land), then you are in for a ride!

Try to make sure you go to Tenby a few times if possible, or for a few days, in order to do as many swims around the route as possible so that it feels familiar on the day.

Use Expert Advice

If you prefer to be accompanied around the Ironman swim route, feel free to book a swim with us and we will show you how it's done and provide useful tips and tricks as well as expert feedback on your stroke.

Book Our Ironman Wales Swim Route

Good luck!

Quality Versus Quantity

Wed, 06 May 2026 03:06:13 +0000

The Importance of Quality Versus Quantity

Coming from a competitive swimming background, coached by professional coaches, I went through my swimming career following highly structured coaching sessions that were set by the various age group coaches in the clubs I attended.

These sessions were broken down to focus on several key areas:

Technique

By far the most important area and of critical importance. The main focus of the technique sessions is to reduce your drag in the water as well as fine tune your stroke timing to produce more power. Many swimmers who are not from a swimming background completely overlook this and treat this as a side topic with "distance" taking the primary importance.

Power

usually consisting of short distance sprinting sometimes with minimal rest intervals and sometimes with very long rest intervals depending on the required outcome usually linked to heart rate tracking but the goals being power generation.

Endurance

Longer distance swim sets minimum of 400 metres but often 800m and 1500m intervals, using a critical sustained speed or pace for the duration of the intervals.

Both the power and endurance sessions are intricately linked to the technique sessions.

Starts and Turns

Yes, starts and turns! Entire sessions on a regular basis were devoted completely to fine tuning your starts and turns which in Pool swimming can gain you valuable seconds but also in an open water scenario starts turns and finishes are critical in any race.

Dry Land Training

Lots of dry land weight training to compliment stroke technique. It's no good doing weights that are not engaging your swimming muscles.

Since doing swimming for personal fitness/pleasure in my later years, and also Masters competitions in the pool and open water, I've employed the same kind of concepts and write my own swim sets based on whatever event I have coming up, which usually range from 3 to 10+K open water events.

These types of events, which are typically open water swimming events or as part of triathlons are the norm in Pembrokeshire and are extremely popular with locals and non-locals alike, who come to Pembrokeshire specifically to train for the events every year.

A recurring theme that I notice though, when people are doing swim training, is that many swimmers completely miss the concept of "quantity versus quality".

Quantity

Many people, men and women but usually men, only seem to focus on the "quantity" aspect and think that doing regular, long distance sets of three/four or more kilometers is the way to go, with no variation on the theme, sticking to the same routes, often in good weather only, at a rather slow pace, seemingly so they can just complete the distance, regardless of how they complete it

Shortly after these sessions the inevitable screen shots of the Strava route also appear on social media, or comments on their Strava feeds are added, like "watch stopped halfway", "missing 500 m", "4km swim this morning".

It all smacks of bravado in my humble opinion. I mean, what is the point of doing the distance? To improve your stroke and fitness and see improvements over time? Or to use the swim as a bragging point?

It entirely misses the point of doing the distance.

As a swim coach I often get asked by students " do I think I could swim the English Channel". Of course I can. At least the distance. If you can swim 10 kilometres you can swim 40 kilometres. It's not about the distance.

For me, I go out to win any event I do. I may win it. I may not. Some I may not get in the top 10. But I also I'm very familiar with my distance times and pace and how I felt in the water, which are all metrics are used to assess how the event went, for me.

Often, the pace metric and stroke metrics are completely overlooked. In other words, the quality and goal of the training is not considered at all.

Sure, if you are doing a 10k event then you do need to build up your distance over time, so you have the stamina and resilience to keep going and so you know what it feels like to do a 10k event. But you should also pay attention to your technique, drag, timing, pace, stroke count, heart rate and many other metrics, even if you are only doing it for fun.

Many of our students are with us simply because they want to gain confidence and this is even another metric to use!

Often swimmers are choosing to do their lengthy swims in perfect conditions too, but you should also look at improving 'conditioning', getting out in the sea when the weather is not so good, when the conditions are not flat calm. When they are shit in other words!

In addition, what about practising starts, exits, turns, sighting? Every event involves every one of these aspects of the stroke yet I never see them being practiced, it's always about the distance, seeing who does the furthest swims.

Quality

Far better is to focus on the quality of your training and build up a map of your training journey with projections of how you plan to improve your physical fitness and swimming ability over the months leading up to the event.

Training should be broken down into warmups, build-ups, main set, starts, turns, exits, sighting, good weather, foul weather, no waves, big waves, long stretch swims, sprints, plus random skills such as learning how to cough and splutter under the water without interfering with your stroke, learning how to refuel in the water, learning how to handle goggles being knocked off...

And of course swim technique: the glide, head position, stroke rate... do you even know your average stroke rate and what you should be trying to achieve?

Doing a 3km swim at a slow 2:00m / 100m pace and then repeating it for a 4km swim, or a 5km swim does not really show any improvement other than you can plod along, all day probably. You already know you can do that 10km distance - what's the point of repeating it? Why not try to bring that pace down a bit? Aim for 1:55/100m, then 1:50/100m. Learn your pacing for different distances.

The pool plays a very important and integral role in any open water swimmer's training programme too. It is a controlled environment in which you can practise technique and in which you can learn to 'feel' things such as your stroke count and more, and of course build up lung power for those parts of any open water swim where explosive power is required such as the start and finish.

Plodding along at the same pace, each swim, doing 3, 4 or 5 km and then plastering it on social media does not achieve anything.

Sure, it has some health benefits and in the case of open water swimming simply being out in nature, in the sea, or a lake, is hugely beneficial to mental health, but if you are specifically training for events, and if you want to see improvments in times and performance, then why not do it properly?

Five Years After Wally

Tue, 28 Apr 2026 03:01:25 +0000

Wally the Walrus

My family and I were out walking the dog at Broadhaven South one misty morning in 2021 and saw something on the rocks that looked like a seal. As we got a bit closer it became obvious it was not a seal - it was brown in colour and the size of a small cow. Then we saw the tusks! I couldn't believe what I was seeing. It was a walrus!

We put the dog on the leash so he wouldn't disturb it and walked away to give it some space. I called the wildlife rescue guys. It took me three calls to convince them I was not a hoaxer!

Eventually they came, along with photographers and other interested people and then Wally became a superstar for a few months, travelling around the coast of Wales, from Broadhaven South to Tenby, to Saundersfoot then to Cornwall. After that I heard he was spotted in France and even Spain.

There were all kinds of theories about why he was found in UK waters when he should have been up in the arctic. One was he fell asleep on an iceberg that drifted south and melted. Personally, after observing him for a long time and seeing how completely relaxed he was, I think he just wanted to explore and swam down to take advantage of the UK's abundant ocean food source.

I often wonder where Wally is now. Greenland probably. And also, what I would have done that day had I seen him while swimming, instead of on a rock! You get used to swimming with seals in Pembrokeshire, but Wally was huge. I would probably have given Michael Phelps a run for his money!

Sea Swimming with a Dog

Wed, 25 Mar 2026 06:55:51 +0000

How to Swim with a Dog

I often go sea swimming with my dog Jake, a faithful and completely looney English Springer Spaniel. I frequently get many looks/comments I get whenever I do, both (mostly) positive and enthusiastic, but also some (unfortunately) negative.

Most dogs love water. English Springer Spaniels are famous for jumping into any body of water they can possibly find and indeed they were actually bred for this as part of their retrieval/working role as hunting dogs. Many people still use them for this role today when they go shooting and need the dogs to go into the water often with lots of vegetation and reads in order to find the bird and bring them back.

I didn't start by thinking "I want a dog to go swimming with", it just kind of happened once the dog was old enough to join me on my trail running activities around the beautiful and rugged Pembrokeshire coast.

Jake often used to come in with me willingly and swim behind me so this naturally morphed into him being a regular swimming companion whenever I went out on my own.

Dogs are excellent swimmers. They have even been used as lifeguards, such as the Newfoundland, often nicknamed the 'lifeguard dog' due to its instinct to rescue in water. Labradors, Golden retrievers and Leonbergers are also used for aquatic lifeguarding. Labradors, retrievers and Spaniels are all superb swimmers and very comfortable in any kind of water, from the sea to rivers or lakes.

How to Swim with a Dog

Depending on how well trained your dog is you can decide whether to allow the dog to swim beside or behind you or alternatively to tether them with a long leash to a secure belt around your waist so that at least they are always within reaching distance if you want to be able to check on them.

Free Swimming Method

This is great if your dog is well trained and not likely to wonder off! As it suggests you do the swimming the dog follows you or swims beside you, depending on how fast you can swim.

I have a friend who has a Golden Retriever rescue dog and, unbelievably, the dog used to regularly follow us, of his own accord, over 2-3 kilometre cross bay, deep water swims. If he got tired he would simply swim to the shore and follow us on the land and then join us back out at sea later on! The dog loved it.

Tethered Method

this method takes some getting used to, but I originally experimented with it because I love swim running and did not want my dog to go sniffing off in the bush or chase rabbits while I was running down a trail to the ocean. When I hit the water, instead of unclipping him when getting into the water I experimented with simply keeping him tethered and letting him swim behind me. I used aluminium's carabiners tethered to a nylon clip belt around my waist and simply swivelled the clip round to the small my back to start the swim, the dog behind me.

It worked perfectly!

Jake, being a 'working dog', needs to be led by his master and loves seeing me just in front of him, having someone to follow and keep up with.

Sometimes though, even he has enough of the water and decides to swim to shore even though he's tethered to my waist! This gets interesting and often results in me swimming sideways because they're such strong swimmers - he literally pulls me into shore. If this happens I simply unclip him at his collar and let him swim to shore and continue swimming - he follows me by sight from the beach.

Is it Safe for the Dog?

Of course! In fact, just as it is for us, a combination of walking or running and swimming combined is a fantastic workout for your dog and a cold dip does him the world of good too.

Many dogs can swim better and faster than humans too, so they are completely safe in the water. There are a couple of things to look out for though, which are:

Sea temperature
As with humans the dogs will feel the cold although not as much as we do. Indeed, some dogs like Labradors, Golden Retrievers, Newfoundlands and Alsatians have 'double coats' and the inner coat is so thick they can swim around in the sea for an hour and not even get wet skin.

I grew up in the countryside near and on farms and was exposed to all kinds of 'outdoor' dogs. Dogs much tougher than we think and can easily handle a swim in the winter. If however you are concerned about the sea temperature you can always buy an insulated flotation jacket and use that.

Stinging Creatures
stinging creatures such as jellyfish do not affect dogs because of their fur.

Rocks
this is a valid point and I would advise choosing a beach where you can enter and exit the water along a shallow gradient sandy beach so you do not run the risk of hurting the dogs pads when getting out of the water.

Waves
After a while swimming with my dog although I noticed he was a bit scared of big waves (1m+) and indeed without a flotation jacket a dog can get swamped by breaking waves quite easily (although dogs know how to hold their breath so even this is not 'dangerous'). I did not want to force my dog to go out of the break zone when the waves were big so in this case either I let him run along the shoreline or would only swim with him in small wave conditions, mostly in the summer. With this in mind if the waves are big or if it's choppy then I would not recommend the tethered method - this way your dog has the choice to follow you in the water or along the beach.

Fatigue
I must admit finding it a bit amusing when people criticise swimming with a dog because "he might get tired", but it has happened.

A Springer Spaniel has unbelievable amounts of energy and stamina. They can run and swim all day, non-stop, at flat out speed, then get home and STILL want to chase a ball or stick. They are bred for this level of activity, it is literally in their DNA.

In my opinion most breeds of dogs can easily handle swimming around in the water for a bit at any time of year but if you are concerned about fatigue then a flotation/insulated dog jacket would work and help save energy.

What to Be Aware Of...

Your Wetsuit
Whenever you stop for a breather, guaranteed your dog will want to come up and hug you! Dogs claws are very tough and often quite sharp so if you have a nice new wet suit on, do not expect it to last very long! If you need a wet suit yourself and you plan on swimming with your dog, then use an old one that you do not mind getting snagged.

Entry and Exit Points
Dogs are very agile getting in and out of water and in my experience can handle a rocky 'transition point', but it can be difficult for them if exiting from deep water - they cannot pull themselves out of the water like we can. Try to plan your swim so you have a nice sandy beach for them to get in and out.

Dead Marine Life
Sometimes you come across dead birds or other marine mammals on beaches, especially in the Winter. A dog will sniff it out and may sometimes attempt to eat it so be ready to stop that to prevent them getting ill.

Special Kit

You don't need much to swim with a dog but I would recommend the following:

1) A strong nylon rope tether with a sturdy aluminium (rust proof) carabiner clip on both ends, secured with a proper hitch knot.

This can be used to clip one end to a nylon belt around your waist when swimming and the other end to the dog's collar.

Tip: use one or two small lightweight floats along the tether to keep it near the surface of the water - this will prevent the rope sinking and getting tangled in your feet or the dogs feet.

And/Or, it is especially useful when you are getting changed yourself on the beach - you can clip your dog to a nearby object in order to control them.

2) Dog Towel - for use in the car just to get excess water and sand off your dog before travelling home.

3) A bowl and water - as we do, dogs get thirsty, especially if you run and swim - take a bowl and some water so they can have a drink at the car park. Do not chill or heat the water.

4) Old sheets or coverings for your car seats - all it takes is 1 shake and the value of your car decreases drastically!!

5) Buoyancy/insulated dog hardness - as mentioned above these can provide peace of mind as they will help the dog to float if swimming long distances and can provide some insulation. They are also good because they usually come in high visibility material, which makes it easier to see the dog.

Conclusion

If like me you enjoy swimming in all conditions, all year round, in all weathers and sometimes find it hard to persuade your more sensible friends to do so (!) then swimming with your dog is the perfect solution. They never need to be asked twice. They will always be ready at a monent's notice. And it gives the dog and you a terrific workout!

Happy swimming, WOOF!

Fly-Tipping and Plastic Pollution: What It Is and How To Stop It

Wed, 25 Mar 2026 06:28:48 +0000

Roughly 80% Of Marine Plastic Results From Land-Based Activities

Out of all the tons of plastic in the ocean, 80% of it comes from the plastic we leave on the land.

That is a shocking number, and it clearly illustrates the impact of humans' actions, even when far away from the water. This is because plastic doesn't just disappear - it can take as long as 600 years for one fishing line to "break down". And even then it isn't truly gone. It breaks down and down in the scorching sun and crashing waves of the beautiful landscapes we call our beaches, and becomes so small and so easily ingested by both humans and animals that it becomes part of the food chain.

Marine debris (plastic) has been documented to impact more than 700 species, from plankton, seabirds, and invertebrates to coastal vegetation, crustaceans, fish, and sea turtles.

The world is in crisis. In today's society, plastic is everywhere to be seen: evident in almost every part of the planet. The plastic that sits on the ocean floor takes so long to break down into microplastics that it can become part of the earth's geological record. And those microplastics will continue to be ingested by marine life, killing and killing and killing.

Why must mother nature suffer for the ignorance of human beings?

In order to stop the problem, we must first try to understand the causes. And one of those causes is fly-tipping.

Fly-Tipping And Its Effects On Our Environment

Fly-tipping is the term given to the illegal dumping of liquid or solid waste in land or water, premeditated and usually relating to huge amounts of large and bulky rubbish like furniture, DIY waste, household waste, and electronics or e-waste.

This act is illegal for a reason - the impacts of fly-tipping are devastating.

First, it's the visual pollution and the animal wildlife. Dumping a truck-load of debris and trash is disgusting to look at for as long as it sits there, getting scattered and battered by nature, which is when animals begin to get impacted. All sorts of animals stumble across it, mistaking smaller debris for food and poisoning the food chain as a result. They rummage through it and get ensnared in ropes and fishing lines; they spend the rest of their lives with their beaks or legs tangled in netting or plastic bags.

Then there's the leaching. When people carelessly toss their DIY waste, comprising of things like fire-resistant woolboards, plasterboards and rooftiles, they don't realise the horrendous damage that they are starting, beginning with the two substances: asbestos and gypsum.

Asbestos is a natural-occurring mineral widely used in construction for its heat-resistance, but its non-biodegrading nature poses a significant environmental impact. Asbestos can be found in construction materials like roofing sheets, and when dumped out the back of a truck and mechanically crushed, it just breaks into smaller fibres. And those fibres have water steep through them in the rain, 'leaching' their harmful chemicals into the soil, the rivers, and ultimately the sea, harming plant and animal life terribly. Ingesting or inhaling these tiny asbestos fibres can lead to severe diseases like asbestosis and lung cancer - and when one animal eats it, it affects the entire food chain both of the land animals and the aquatic animals when the water brings the chemicals to the estuaries.

Gypsum is a material commonly used in construction like plasterboard, much like asbestos, but is perhaps even more dangerous. Its chemical reactions with other waste make gypsum a hazard for toxic gas production. When gypsum is dumped alongside biodegradable waste (like food, wood, or paper) in moist, anaerobic (oxygen-poor) conditions, it reacts to produce Hydrogen Sulfide.

This is a very toxic gas that can disgust locals at low concentration - but be fatal for humans and animals at high concentrations.

And not only that, gypsum lowers the pH of the water around it, therefore making heavy metals in its proximity dissolve more easily and increase and intensify the chemicals leaching into the environment.

Plastic isn't some magical solution to our problems - it IS our problem. Throwing a plastic bottle away on the side of the road may not seem like such a bid deal. But then it gets blown and washed, and breaks down to become a million microscopic microplastics floating around in the sea, sitting in your fish and chips, and even being inhaled into you as you breathe.

We only have one planet. We need to save it.

Spot it, doc it, stop it.

Sources:

https://marinedebris.noaa.gov/discover-marine-debris/mystery-how-long-until-it-s-gone

https://ourworldindata.org/plastic-pollution

https://www.unep.org/plastic-pollution

https://www.wwf.org.uk/learn/environment/plastic-pollution

https://marinedebris.noaa.gov/discover-marine-debris/why-marine-debris-problem

How to Use Waves When Open Water Swimming

Fri, 25 Apr 2025 07:34:23 +0000

Big Waves? Get In!

Many people opt to swim only when the weather and conditions are at their best. Sunny, flat calm, great, let's go sea swimming!

If you're a warm weather swimmer, or a dipper, OK, great. But if your goal is to improve swimming and certainly if you are aiming to compete in IronMan or other open water swimming events, then this is not the 'best' time to go open water swimming.

The sea in the UK is notoriously fickle and can change in an instant, so learning how to handle waves should be a key part of your swimming training and overall conditioning.

Get in the sea when the weather is NOT nice, when the sea is NOT calm. Learn to read the sea and use the waves to your advantage; and to learn your capabilities but also gain confidence in what you can handle.

Build up slowly of course - we are not suggesting to go in the worse storm imaginable for the very first time - but build up slowly and ALWAYS go with other people and notify land based parties of your intentions beforehand.

Use Waves to your Advantage

Initially a big swell can seem daunting, especially when starting in a race for example, but waves can be used to gain a huge advantage in open water swimming events. Use them!

Starting:

Go under them.

You will never be able to fight the power of the ocean, so go with it instead. As a rough guide the energy of the wave is greater in the top half, so... go under it. If you have ever watched surfers, that's exactly what they do when getting out to catch their set. Go under the wave where the energy is less. Practise your dolphin starts. Use the sea floor in shallower water to stabilise yourself and do 2-3 dives. You can easily cover 20m+ without even needing to swim, if you time your dives right, to go under the incoming waves.

Swimming:

Use the waves to sight.

Many people struggle with sighting, which - to be done properly - requires a very good stroke technique and upper body/back strength to keep the head low in the water yet allowing the eyes enough space to see where you are going. A compromise is to use the waves and sight at the top of the wave crest. As you gain upwards momentum swimming up the wave, a quick look up at the crest will give plenty of time to sight from your reference point.

Use the waves for forward propulsion.

Utilise the energy of the wave to propel you forwards, even if the wave is coming from the side. Much like sailing yachts do, you can also use those waves to push you 1-2m forwards on each wave.

Finishing:

Perhaps the most fun part of big wave swimming is the finish. Use the waves just like you may have done as a kid when body surfing. Keep an eye out for them, feel their energy as they approach, then simply use it to catch that wave. You can start doing this 50m from the shore, just catch each wave as it comes. Then catch the last one right in to shore. Catching a good wave can push you 10-20m forwards without expending any energy, sometimes at quite a speed. Body surf in as far as possible, to literally 30cm depth if you can, then leap into your finish run up the beach.

Using Waves to Your Advantage When Open Water Swimming

Manage Risks. Enjoy It!

Big wave swimming is tremendous fun, but always know your limits. Build up slowly, go with mates, assess the sitiation beforehand. Read our blog about how to recce potential swim sites and risks. Understand the risks and balance them with confidence in your ability, then learn to harness the power of the ocean.

Seashell Waterproof Back Pack

Sun, 19 Jan 2025 17:37:25 +0000

A Robust and Versatile Backpack from Seashell

Marketed as a backpack for outdoor swimmers, to carry gear and keep it dry, we were given this backpack by Seashell to check out and test and we soon discovered it can be used for so much more than a 'swimming backpack'.

What can I use it for?

Anything! As a swimming bag it 'does as it says on the tin' and is a good backpack for transporting your swimming gear to and from the wild swimming site and for keeping it dry. It's a top loading style pack, so you can only fit so much into it. Personally I prefer a duffel bag full opening style bag for swimming as you can get your stuff in more easily, but I soon started using it for other activities and it performed perfectly:

Sea swimming
Mountain biking
Hiking
And more...

Material

The pack material is made from thick rubberised material and is very strong and durable. The seams are welded and completely watertight and the impression the bag still gives after a few months of hard use is that it is bomb proof.

Shoulder Straps

Shoulder straps are nice and wide, helping to spread the load. They and very strong with robust attachments points and come with a chest strap as well as D-rings for clipping extra stuff to, such as sunglasses or other gear.

Handle

I like the strong handle the pack comes with, which is again very strong and well attached to the pack. It also has a rubberised handle to make it more comfortable when using.

Outside Pocket

There is an outside pocket on the pack, which is perfect for keys, wallet etc. It's got a flap to keep off the bulk of any rain as well as a waterproof zipper.

Inside Compartments

Inside the pack there are a couple of pockets available: a mesh style pocket and D-ring, as well as another waterproof pocket. There's absolutely no way your valuables will get wet in here!

Roll Top Buckles

The pack is fastened and made watertight by rolling the top and clipping it shut on two strong buckles. Tension straps mean you can shorten or lengthen the buckles depending on how much gear you pack.

Plus Points

Strong
Excellent workmanship
Robust buckles and pockets

Minus Points

None!

This is a great pack and thoroughly recommended. I hope to see more colours in the future and would love one of these in olive green or cammo!

How to Prevent Getting Tangled in your Swim Float

Sun, 17 Nov 2024 09:04:44 +0000

How to extend the tether on your swim float

Many people say to me during our open water swimming coaching sessions that the tow float they use always gets snagged in their arms when they're swimming and it becomes really annoying and in some cases a major hindrance; especially when the wind blows from behind - the float acts like a sail and gets blown right into your arms on every stroke.

The issue is made worse because unfortunately manufacturers of these tow floats make the attachment tether as short as possible to save money in the manufacturing. I think if they made it a minimum of 30 centimeters longer it would solve the problem but hey, I don't manufacture swim tow floats!

How can you fix this?

There's no single 'right' answer. Ask 100 swimmers, you will get 100 answers!

But I have found over the years that extending the tether that comes with the float is the best option (for me).

I have not seen 'tow float tether extensions' specifically for sale, but it's easy to remedy if you're not too bothered about a perfect looking tether line or matching colours.

Over the years I have collected numerous lengths of webbing straps from old sports bags or broken swim tow floats just for this type of problem. Also, army navy surplus stores always sell 'webbing straps', which are also perfect.

When I get a new swim tow float I always extend the tether by approximately two feet so the float sits just past the end of my feet when I'm swimming, rather than in the small of my back getting snagged in my arms on every stroke.

To extend the float tether line you'll need to detach it from the float and then simply cut a two-foot length of webbing and then attach that to extend the tether.

As an open water swim coach I also like this method because it allows me to grab my float and toss it to my student if I ever need to and this is impossible with a regular float so a single use swim tow float becomes a multi-purpose tool that I can use in emergency situations.

It also means you can bring the tow float around to your front and put your arms over it comfortably and rest. Or, if your float is the bladder variety and has an airspace in between the inflatable bladders then you can keep spare goggles or whatever you like in there and extending the tether allows you to bring it to your front and get inside.

In this example an old shoulder strap from a sports bag has a clip on the end which can be clipped to a swim tow float attachment point...

The discarded strap made an excellent tether extension as it came with the couple of plastic clips on each end - the other end of the strap clips to my waist belt - no need to cut any webbing. Job done - the tow float tether has been extended by about two feet. This is my own personal swim tow float (and toe, sorry!) and it works perfectly... for me. Find out what works for you...

TIP:

If you do need to cut nylon webbing, use sharp heavy duty scissors and then a lighter afterwards to melt the cut edges. This will stop it fraying and it will last years.

Conclusion

I like my kit to be multi purpose - if one item can do several things, it means I need to carry/clean/maintain fewer items.

So again, by extending the tether line on a swim town float a simple one-use-item becomes much more.

This method might not suit everyone's tastes but I like it and it suits my needs as an open water swim coach/coastal swimming guide.

I also like to be able to 'feel' the float now and again with my toes, so I know it's there and have peace of mind, but I appreciate some people may find a float near the toes annoying too!

Tip: experiment with the tether length and get it just right - You don't want the float floating above your heels because this will become annoying as you kick it every single time so extend it just right and have it floating just past your toes.

I have found that keeping the tether extended means the float is out of your way and the tether line does not get tangled in your legs either as nylon webbing is very light and tends to float. If you extend it too long though, and if you have any buckles/knots midway, then I think the tether line would sink and get tangled in your feet.

Conclusion: experimentation is key, find what works for you!

Product Review - SeaShell Swimming Changing Robe 3.0

Mon, 14 Oct 2024 10:21:59 +0000

The SeaShell Changing Robe 3.0

We were contacted by SeaShell who requested us to do a review of two items of their new equipment range starting with their flagship product, the SeaShell Swim Robe. We've already done a review of the Iconic DryRobe here and to keep things fair we thought we would use the same criteria to test out this one, so here goes!

Outer Shell

The outer shell of the jacket is definitely more sturdy and appears to be thicker material. Also, it is clear it has been treated better than the DryRobe shell and we can already confirm it sheds water perfectly.

And, let's face it, has a fantastic and eye-catching design which we love!

So far, in light showers and recently in heavy rain in North Wales it's performed perfectly, absolutely no water absorption even after prolonged rain, unlike the DryRobe.

It is extremely windproof too and keeps you really warm. You can really feel the waterproof treatment the lining has had and the whole jacket oozes quality.

Lining

As with the DryRobe, the lining is an artificial pile type and is more than adequate for its warmth factor and no doubt when it gets wet it will retain some of its ability to insulate, unlike (for example) down.

I must admit I'm a fan of natural fibres such as wool, but the lining does feel very soft and nice to put on in the cold evenings of autumn. My kids have even started using it as a blanket when we chill out in the garden on the cold winter evenings and they love it.

We also used the coat as a pillow on a recent camping trip - simply roll it up with the lining on the outside and it's really nice to lean on/ rest your head on as a pillow.

So far, having used the coat on many occasions in the Welsh autumn weather, from swimming trips to events, to taking the the dog for a walk or hanging out in the garden at night, I can state this lining is really, REALLY warm!

Cuffs

After testing the coat at a swimming event in North Wales, unfortunately I noticed the pile lining of the sleeve tended to ride out of the sleeve end a little, when you put your arm in, when the hand was cold and wet, just like the DryRobe did.

It's worse when your hands are wet or damp and cold and I think it is because the artificial pile fibres do not move across wet and clammy skin as well as cotton or wool fibres do. The result is they tend to stick to wet hands, impede quick dressing and ride out of the end of the sleeves. Rainwater can then dribble down the sleeve and soak into the pile lining by your wrist.

Unfortunately, I did encounter this issue at a recent swimming event where, after 2 hours of swimming in 14 degree water, I needed to get dressed quickly.

This was a major gripe of mine about the DryRobe as it quickly became apparent in extreme conditions that you end up with a soaking wet cuff inside the coat. This is important because your blood runs close to the surface of the wrists and forearms and is thus more susceptible to temperature loss.

I wish manufacturers of these coats would allocate more funding to make the wrists bigger by default and simply have a draw chord or velcro wristband to tighten them up. There is a velcro strap on the wrist, but the default wrist size itself seems a little too small to allow speedy dressing when wet/cold.

However, that said, if it is any consolation I can confirm it did it less than the Dryrobe and I am considering using a sock over the hand to put on the jacket, then put the socks on my feet... That would fix the issue for sure.

Zips

The main zipper is sturdy and has a two-way zipping function although I do have concerns that it will be quite fiddly in the howling wind and rain when your hands are really cold after coming out of the water.

I've already had a couple of fiddly zip moments when trying to do it up in regular weather and feel it's a shame they didn't really try something "new' to improve on a feature of the DryRobe that many users have complained about.

The outside hip pockets have very strong zips and zip pulls and I'm confident these will perform well over time.

Unfortunately the the inside chest pocket has a similar design to that of the DryRobe, which as you will read in my original DryRobe review was a major fault in my opinion: The inside pocket zip on the DryRobe is very flimsy and the pocket it is designed so the zipper is vertical, which means if the zip breaks (which it did quickly), then the pocket is rendered useless because everything will fall out. If such a flimsy zip has to be used for production costing reasons then it would be better to design a pocket where the zip was horizontal and then if it did break at least you could still use the pocket.

For now, this coat has the vertical pocket design and we will have to see how it goes, but I think this design should be changed to a horizontal sipper so the pocket can be used even if the zipper breaks.

However, that said I have to say it did perform pretty well on a weekend swim event where I was using it a lot, stuffing my phone in with cold hands (ie. very roughly!) and the zip was OK.

Pockets

The outer pockets are excellent and are lined with a very nice feeling fleece material which I am positive will keep your hands very warm and they're also very large to cater for gloves and hats.

I really appreciated the big pocket capacity on this jacket at a recent swim event in North Wales - no plastic disposable cups were allowed and swimmers had to take their own to the end point, so I was easily able to get a collapsible mug into the pocket with no trouble, as well as chocolates and flapjacks!

The inside chest pocket is rubberised inside, however there is no phone jack like there is on the DryRobe. I am not sure if it was intended for listening to music but you can easily thread the earphone jack through the zipper if you need to.

To be honest I'm not really one for taking loads of electronic gadgets when I'm swimming, but the rubberised design does seem to be to keep devices dry, which is a nice idea.

Update

I must say here the inside pocket performed very well over the weekend at a swimming event as I needed to put my phone inside the coat as well as a few other items and it seemed to handle it very well, despite tugging quite hard on the zip at times with clumsy, cold hands. I also liked the rubberised material on the inside pocket as it was raining on and off all day yet I knew my phone would be dry.

Hood

The hood is superb with a very soft pile lining and unlike its competition seems to fit a little tighter around your face, so I am confident when it's extra windy it will not blow back like the DryRobe one did, keeping your face warm all the time.

I used it in North Wales in typical Welsh weather last weekend and it performed perfectly, shielding my face and keeping the rain out.

The main zip does all the way up, coming right up under your chin, pretty much sealing you off from the elements and I'm really looking forward to giving this jacket a thorough beasting in some more disgusting winter weather!

New!

I have added this section to the review for this swim coat because I'm so impressed with the other things they are doing as part of their marketing.

Design

1) The fantastic pattern design

The arctic cammo design is really eye-catching! If you are an urbanite hoping to turn heads when you go to open water settings, then this is for you. Alternatively, if, like me, you're more of an outdoors guy who just likes camouflage (!) then this will certainly hit the mark.

It's a kind of arctic camouflage design and I think can even blend in and help you to go 'stealthy' if stealth swimming during the winter is your thing, easily blending into the rocks and surroundings in a winter scenario.

And (for example) it could even be used to lay over your clothes while you go swimming, and appear like a rock to camouflage your stuff from would-be dishonest opportunists on the beach!

2) Logo and badge

It also comes with a very high quality, embroidered badge on the back with the seashell logo as well as a cool patch and message on the inside pocket.

3) Freebies

Another nice touch with the SeaShell changing robe is the company send a QR code on a nice business card that will allow you to download a free e-guide to cold water swimming.

4) Sustainability

The product itself is made with 100% recycled materials, which is really great because coats like this, although they might look amazing, are actually very difficult to dispose of when they do live out their life cycle. They are made entirely from man-made materials. It's good to know this jacket is made from recycled plastic. in addition all of the packaging that you receive with the product is also made from 100% recycled plastic.

Value for Money

This was my main grape with the DryRobe... frankly I found it way overpriced for what it is.

However, this jacket/changing robe from SeaShell is more in line with the quality I would expect for the price tag and the manufacturers donate a certain amount (£) to charity for every item sold, which I think can only be considered as a bonus as it helps a worthy cause.

Overall, I consider the SeaShell jacket to be far superior to the DryRobe and definitely worth the price tag if you are going to splash on a fancy changing robe.

While I am still more of a traditionalist, who prefers natural fibres, I do find myself reaching for this jacket more and more and at a recent swimming event in North Wales, when the weather was really disgusting, and in Pembrokeshire where we will often experience 3 days of solid rain, it has not disappointed.

Summary

Plus
Very warm
Outer pockets
Very waterproof - the outer lining treatment is superb
Hood

Looks amazing

Minus
Main zip can sometimes get stuck when you need it most
Cuffs tend to stick to wet/cold hands and can ride out when you put your arms in

Seashell

Please feel free to visit the guys at Seashell and take a look at their collection of products and also how they are using recycled materials and donating portion of the income to charity. You can visit them on their website, https://seashell-clothing.com/