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Rivers still NOT CLEAN ENOUGH

Sep 26, 2020

Rivers still NOT CLEAN ENOUGH

As Covid 19 forced swimming pools to shut their doors this year and sizzling summer temperatures drew record numbers to river swimming across the country; The Guardian reports: The latest set of river health assessments conducted by the Environment Agency and published last week by the government laid bare the perilous state of our water bodies and, as environment minister Rebecca Pow conceded, it made for “uncomfortable reading”. The assessments showed that all England’s

Swim City Exhibition

Apr 11, 2019

Swim City Exhibition

Swim City Exhibition Basel Switzerland 25.05. – 29.09.2019 Swim City Opening: 24/05/2019, 7 PM The exhibition “Swim City“will be the first to draw attention to one particular contemporary phenomenon in the urban space: river swimming as a mass movement – a 21st-century Swiss invention. For decades, cities like Basel, Bern, Zurich and Geneva have been gradually making the river accessible as a natural public resource in the built environment. This has made the river become a p

Who Pulled the Plug on Australian River Swimming?

Dec 31, 2016

Who Pulled the Plug on Australian River Swimming?

Pollution has changed the face of river swimming across the world. Not that pollution in itself has put people off outdoor swimming. In the UK for instance, summertime tradition sees holidaymakers keen to paddle and swim in the sea despite pollution on many beaches. Rather, the public perception that rivers and lakes are unsafe or unclean is so intrenched that it is rarely questioned. Rather like the beguiled Emperor in Hans Christian Anderson’s: The Emperor’s New Clothes, to

100 years as a Swimming Club without a Pool!

Jul 28, 2016

100 years as a Swimming Club without a Pool!

Adelaide Now reports: A 100-year-old swimming club that started in the River Torrens is closing but only after sharing its $450,000 nest egg with the community. Gilberton Swimming Club will spread the money among the Walkerville, Klemzig, Vale Park and East Adelaide Primary schools. The $450,000 sum has grown from about $150,000 the state government paid the club when it was forced out of the Torrens swimming hole in 1970. A ban on swimming in the river displaced the club, wh

First Woman to Complete Thames Swim

Jun 14, 2016

First Woman to Complete Thames Swim

The Saudi Gazette reports: Mariam Saleh Binladen, a dentist from Saudi Arabia, has set a new record as the first Swimming to inspire more women to participate in sport and to raise awareness of the plight of refugee Syrian orphans around the world, Mariam is just the third person and first woman in recent history to have successfully completed the 100+ mile open-water swimming feat. Most recently this included the British comedian and Britain’s Got Talent judge David Walliams

Ross O’Sullivan to Swim the Length of the Severn

Jun 2, 2016

Ross O’Sullivan to Swim the Length of the Severn

Wales Online reports: The River Severn is 220 miles long and Ross O’Sullivan has given himself 20 days to swim the whole thing. The Severn is Britain’s longest river. But it’s initially too shallow to swim in, so he’ll be walking the first 50 miles or so from the source near Llandiloes to Pool Quay. He’ll be alone and he’s not taking a tent, sleeping bag and only the minimum in cash. So he’s hoping local pubs, restaurants and hotels will provide him with board and food along

Swimming in Seine planned for 2017

May 19, 2016

Swimming in Seine planned for 2017

The Connection reports: Swimming in the Seine could become a reality in the next year as mayor Anne Hidalgo has launched a 43-point plan to clean up the Paris river. Aiming to make the Seine a focal point if the city wins the 2024 Olympic Games, she wants to “improve the water quality” and open up the Bassin de la Villette for swimmers next year. Swimming has been banned on the river since 1923 except by special permit and the last major event to be held on the Seine was the

A beach on the White River?

Feb 18, 2016

A beach on the White River?

Indy Star reports: Would you use a beach on the White River? Would you set up an umbrella and sun yourself on a sandy area on the urban waterway that flows through Indianapolis? The one plagued for years with pollution issues? Yes, that’s a serious question — because it seriously could happen. “It would be a missed opportunity if we didn’t develop the banks of the White River.” said Chris Gahl, vice president of Visit Indy, the city’s tourism agency. “Why not think big? Why n

Wild Swimming in Prague – September 2015

Sep 24, 2015

Wild Swimming in Prague – September 2015

Prague, the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic has a population of 1.24 million. This fascinating city is a World Heritage Site attracting more than 4.4 million visitors each year. What may surprise you and temp you to visit the city, is the prominence of swimming facilities making Prague an ideal holiday destination for the adventurous wild swimmer. Swim in the Vltava Prague You may know that Czechoslovakia was occupied by Germany during the Second World War unti

Wild Swimming Walks – Book Review

May 28, 2015

Wild Swimming Walks – Book Review

“Walking and wild swimming are among the most democratic of leisure pursuits because they are free, require no special skills or training and hardly any equipment.” These opening words from the latest wild swimming guide to come from ‘Wild Things Publishing’ set the scene for a leisurely stroll through a list of days out that are easily accessible from London. Attention is drawn to the reluctance of some land owners to allow swimming “…because they think swimmers will disturb

From Lifesaving Education to none at all!

Nov 6, 2014

From Lifesaving Education to none at all!

Outdoor swimming is something of a culture shock to many of the British population. We as a nation have become so used to swimming indoors, so indoctrinated by our health and safety culture that the sight of liberated swimmers escaping to the wild seems inherently worrying to many. For decades, a clear warning has been sounded to stay out of open water and to swim only at the indoor pool. But prior to this modern development, the freedom to swim outside was seen as everyone’s

How to Swim in a River that’s Just TOO DIRTY to Swim in!

Oct 2, 2014

How to Swim in a River that’s Just TOO DIRTY to Swim in!

In times gone by, people would swim almost anywhere giving little consideration to the quality of the waters they swam in. This was true at the seaside, in rivers and lakes and even at swimming pools. Ignorance was bliss, well, that is until you took ill and cursed the day you went in swimming. Our modern-day awareness of environmental issues has put many off swimming in city rivers. Even when waters are clean enough to swim suspicions about the dangers of what may lurk in th

Wild Swimming – Windsor Castle Berkshire

Sep 4, 2014

Wild Swimming – Windsor Castle Berkshire

Hot sunshine, beautiful scenery and cool water the perfect recipe for a lifelong memory! Wild Swimming – Windsor Castle Berkshire Teach children how to SWIM SAFE in open water. Discover the history of swimming in Windsor and Eton More photos from the Daily Mail… #river #wildswimming #CultureoftheUnitedKingdom #Recreation #OutdoorSwimmingSociety #TravelandTourism #England

Basel Switzerland – River Swimming like nowhere else!

Aug 21, 2014

Basel Switzerland – River Swimming like nowhere else!

Basel City of Culture Basel is a remarkable city from a swimmers perspective. The local police have produced the following advice leaflet for swimmers! You can buy a large waterproof swim bag for about £20.00 and join the city swimmers. Wickelfisch bags Basel Switzerland You can tell were not in England can’t you! You will never forget swimming in Basel, its so like the London Thames. See the video for more information… #WaterSports #swimming #river #SwimmingandDiving #Openwa

Wild Swimming in Bern – the Capital City of Switzerland

Aug 18, 2014

Wild Swimming in Bern – the Capital City of Switzerland

Nestled beneath the Capitol Building you will find a swimmers paradise. A Lido free for all to use with diving boards, children’s pools, play areas, sunbathing and cafe’ facility’s. But outdoor swimmers will be tempted by the city’s special attraction; swimming in the Aare. Of course you must be a good swimmer if you want to go river swimming. Try short swims to begin with paying special attention to how experienced swimmers both enter and exit the water and then copy their m

Is river and lake swimming really as dangerous as some would have us believe?

Bathing Place – Chertsey

Wild Swimming at Hamilton Pool – Texas

Jul 24, 2014

Wild Swimming at Hamilton Pool – Texas

Hamilton Pool grotto is a historic pool located just 45 minutes outside Austin. In the summer it can get very busy so its best to get there early. During warm-weather days when swimming is allowed the number of people trying to visit the pool greatly exceeds the number the canyon can accommodate so a waiting line forms and people are allowed to enter as others leave. The waiting time is typically one and a half hours. Hamilton Pool 24300 Hamilton Pool Rd Dripping Springs TX7

Hundreds Dive in for Cork’s Historic Lee Swim

Jul 14, 2014

Hundreds Dive in for Cork’s Historic Lee Swim

The Irish Examiner reports: More than 500 swimmers braved the waters of the River Lee in Cork on Saturday as part of the annual 2km Lee Swim. Cork Masters Swimming Club and Cork Lions Club run the swim annually as a charity event. The Lee Swim was a major event in the sporting calendar during the 1920s, 1930s, and 1940s. However, due to deteriorating water quality in the River Lee, the event was moved to Monkstown in the 1950s. Following the commissioning of the Cork Main Dra

Wild Swimming at Rutland Water on BBC Radio Leicester

Jul 12, 2014

Wild Swimming at Rutland Water on BBC Radio Leicester

I had the pleasure of being invited into Radio Leicester this morning to discuss the opening of the bathing beach at Rutland water. To listen please use the link below and fast forward to one hour thirty-six minutes… BBC Radio Leicester Listen now… #WaterSports #history #swimming #BBCRadioLeicester #river #SwimmingandDiving #Openwaterswimming #wildswimming #Swimmingpool #CultureoftheUnitedKingdom #Recreation #OutdoorSwimmingSociety #BritishSwimming #Leicester #TravelandTouris