5km Sea Swim: Here is the perfect recipe for a 5km Sea Swim – we promise many soggy bottoms! Said Mary Berry “Never”
What a strange sight to behold on a dark, gloomy Saturday morning: 40 women cutting through the waves, swimming along the iconic Brighton coastline. The tide was in our favor; the sea temperature was 17 degrees, and a stormy sky loomed. This year, it was a super low tide, so we danced and sang in the water some of the way!
Each year, my Friday Dippers group takes on a 5km swim, a much-anticipated event for everyone involved. This annual gathering celebrates our shared passion for the sea. Spearheaded by Candice Davies, the event is supported by dedicated volunteers, lifeguards, the Blue Response Safety team, and a host of cheering family and friends.
The swim kicks off from Rockwater Beach in Hove, East Sussex. We head eastward along the coast, with a pit stop midway at The West Pier, to enjoy our famous ginger shots, tea, and chocolate. After a 5-minute break, we wade back into the water and swim toward the iconic Brighton Pier. We swim under the pier and tackle the final stretch, the last 1000 meters to Sea Lanes and our cheering supporters.
When we finish, we’re greeted with medals and our supporters. We create a slightly feral and colourful vibe on the shoreline; 40 happy women make a lot of noise. Witnessing the collective energy that carries 40 women through 5 kilometers of open water is pretty inspiring!
Assemble your ingredients: Mix together, and by the skin of your chattering teeth – you may all reach the finish line.
1. Gather 40 Sea Swimmers
Send a message out on your WhatsApp group and ask for swimmers to sign up
2. Add 5 Wingwomen
Divide your swimmers into pods: To keep us motivated in training and safe during the swim, we are divided into pods (groups of swimmers), each with their own-coloured hats and lifeguard.
Thank you to my Pod, Jo, Jane, Kathryn, and Lou for all our training sessions, hugs at the end, cinnamon buns, and hot chocolate ps Joanne, we missed you xx
3. Check for Sewage
Before every swim commences, check online for sewage warnings.
Did you know that in 2023, storm outfalls in Telscombe Cliffs, East Sussex, released 630 hours of discharge into the sea—that’s the equivalent of 22,710 Olympic-sized swimming pools! Always check the App before you swim!
I use the map on the free Surfers Against Sewage, Safer Seas and River Service (SSRS) app, which tracks real-time sewage discharge and pollution risks around the UK.
3. Include 10 Lifeguards for a 5km Sea Swim
Susan Reynolds and her team from Blue Response provided the safety cover. Today, we have six lifeguards, two first aid personnel, and one Ambulance. I have worked with Blue Response before, and you know you are always in safe hands.
It was a tricky swim. The tide was with us, but the wind was against us, it made for bouncy seas and made it almost impossible to spot your teammates in the gloomy weather, rain, and waves. It is always reassuring to see your lifeguard on their paddleboard nearby.
4. Sprinkle a Large Dose of Team Spirit
Swimming with like-minded people creates a sense of community and solidarity to complete your mission. It’s an opportunity to bond with others and make new connections. We would never have had the confidence to swim that distance on our own, but with 40 other swimmers, when you are on the start line, you become part of an event much bigger than just you.
5. Jazz Up with Vodka Jelly Shots x 20
Although we may not be competitive swimmers, athletes, or sports professionals (we do have several channel swimmers in our group.) We are all dedicated year-round sea swimmers! We are all connected by our love of sea swimming and how it makes us feel. Celebrating together at the end is a big part of the ritual; it is time to recover, refuel, and revel in your achievement. This is the first time I have crossed the finish line and been offered vodka jelly – It was weirdly lovely!
6. Mix with 1 Husband and 2 Sons
Completing a 5km swim is a big thing! I am often proud of my kids and husband, but feeling proud of me is rarer. You can stash the achievement in your memory box and pull it out when you are having a wobble. My little boys are now over 6ft, and it’s their turn to cheer me on! And take the mickey out of my neoprene wetsuit hat!
7. Devour 6 Sausage Rolls, 4 Digestives and a Glass of Fizz
You can burn 100s calories swimming for 2 hrs plus, at least 1500! The calorie-burning benefits of swimming are attributed to several factors, including water resistance, the continuous movement required to stay afloat, and the effort exerted to propel yourself through the water. So eating gorgeous things after the swim is essential to your post-swim recovery. Thank you to the team that ran the tea stand at the halfway point; you were a glorious vision through the rain.
Thank you, Rebecca, for sharing your wow factor picnic from @pigletspantry with us; it was a box of beauty and deliciousness.
8. Add 30 Wetsuits and 40 Swim Cap
We all love our kit, and it takes ages to find the perfect combination that is perfect for a 5km sea swim. We have many skin swimmers; the rest wear wet suits.
I can recommend: My wetsuit is from Tri Wetsuit Hire, my Orca therma neoprene swim hat from Swim Trek, and my thermal rash vest from Ocean Sports. We also love our wetsuit gloves and socks and, afterward, our dry robes and heated socks! The coloured swim caps are a simple but genius idea to keep us visible and in the right pods.
9. This is your bonus ingredient and will help ensure clean water for all our future swims:
1 x March for Clean Water aimed at 1000’s of water users!
If you are reading this, I know you love swimming. This is your opportunity to show your support for saving our environment. The March is on 3rd Nov, 1 pm -5 pm, in London.
Register Here Follow on Insta #floodthestreets
March for Clean Water in London is a one-off event organised by River Action to petition the government for clean water throughout the UK. It is timed to mark the end of the new government’s first 100 days and days before the Chancellor’s first budget (October 30), when environmental campaigners will be watching closely for financial commitments to protect the environment. The March for Clean Water will involve scores of participating groups and well-known personalities, including river campaigner Feargal Sharkey.
Is this a foolproof recipe for a 5km sea swimming? Ha! That doesn’t exist – especially when you throw 40 women, unpredictable tides, wind, and rain into the mix. Let’s not forget the extra ingredients: menopause meltdowns, creaky knees, bad backs, and the freezing cold!
But it’s a recipe worth tweaking, with a generous splash of humor and a sprinkling of self-belief to keep us all afloat.
If anyone is looking for another challenge, please come and join my firewalking team
Onwards and Upwards, Happy Wild Swimming and See you all Friday xxx
It’s time for Tea and Biscuits!
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One Response
Love this .. the best kind of recipe!!