Scared to swim alone

Check out SAS app - tells you when sewage pumped into sea and rivers

Not everywhere has riptides or the need for life guards

And rip tides. I live in a coastal area and we were not educated about them which we should have been. The only kids educated around here are surfers.

If it is was beach resp. part of the ocean I knew, I would go swimming. however, whenever I go in any open waters alone without any lifeguards nearby I take one of these ‚dry bag tow floats with me. Some are more dry bags thst float and create visibility, others are more buoy- like. For example:share.google/D4AOTQLkWM8PTDdE1

after 10 when the lifeguards start is still a morning swim just switch your activities around

If you read up on this properly, you will realise that Blue Flag beaches are definitely not immune from disgusting pollution

Follow surfers against sewage

And if you are swimming in any English sea or coastline you need to be cautious. Definitely don't swim if anyone is at all vulnerable health-wise

Oh I don’t trust that kind of data. I follow Surfers against Sewage.

And no need to be condescending is there “my dear”.

A simple moment on Google my dear:

"The UK has over 70 Blue Flag and hundreds of Seaside Award-winning beaches recognized for high environmental standards, clean sand, and excellent water quality."

Also I soggest you check this: https://www.gov.uk/quality-of-local-bathing-water

You're welcome.

i swim in the sea with a group every morning. It’s a strong no to swimming alone. As a group we keep an eye on each other but I’ve seen really strong swimmers unknowingly be turned by the tide and unwittingly be pulled out of their depth. One group member was caught in a rip tide and very nearly drowned. Many swimmers swim with a tow float even in group …

Where?

Following on from my previous post, I wouldn’t say any beach is safe and also it being busy counts for nothing. The beach I was at was a popular beach which was quite busy but most other people won’t notice you as they are concentrated on their own people.
after my fright I refused to go back in the water but made myself as I didn’t want to be put off totally.
I also wasn’t out very far could still touch the bottom (just). A few days later I saw a little girl of about seven in quite far alone with her dad sat a long way up the beach. People including myself ( previously) are quite blasé and don’t treat the sea as such a dangerous place

I swam alone at the beach last night. There were quite a few people about, but no one with me. I'll do the same this evening if the conditions allow.

I'm single. If I didn't do things alone, I wouldn't do anything.

This is so true, and I see so many holidaymakers down here not really accounting for it. "It's hot, so we're going in the sea", regardless of whether it's force 6 and there's crashing surf.

Wind=waves=undertow and rip tides.

It seems that most of the drowning deaths down here occur on windy days in the summer. There were a couple on Fistral Beach a few weeks ago (adult father and daughter), although in this case it seems at least one of them fell off the rocks, and it the sea was really rough.

I remember a case a couple of years ago where a rip tide developed at an east facing beach known for being very safe, after days of prolonged easterlies. Several people standing in waist deep water were dragged off their feet, but happily they got rescued.

Seconding this.

There’s no national regulations about whether lifeguards must be provided on beaches, or how to choose which beaches need lifeguards, regardless of whether a particular beach is safe or whether people have drowned there.

When councils decide which beaches to provide lifeguards at, or whether to provide lifeguards at all, they’re going to be prioritising the beaches that attract most visitors.

I would also consider how safe the beach is. There are loads of beaches in the UK which don’t have lifeguards because they are very safe - calm, with no currents. If a beach has lifeguards, it suggests it is hazardous. So I would be even more careful to stay within my depth on one of those.

That's not how they choose to lifeguard beaches. There are generally lifeguards at the most popular beaches with lots of visitors, snd therefore more people likely to get into trouble. Many of these are at British beaches which are comparatively safe in terms of swimming conditions.

All beaches are hazardous - it's open water. If there are no lifeguards, it's most likely because it's too dangerous to swim or because it's a small or remote beach where it's difficult to get lifeguards who want to work there, and there won't be funding for it.

I think wind is huge factor, have wind - you get bigger waves.

No, I wouldn't. I'd stay in my depth, only with a lifeguard present. And even then I wouldn't go much past my shoulders.

I would happily swim in the sea, as long as I didn’t go out if my depth. I’m not a strong swimmer.

I would also consider how safe the beach is. There are loads of beaches in the UK which don’t have lifeguards because they are very safe - calm, with no currents. If a beach has lifeguards, it suggests it is hazardous. So I would be even more careful to stay within my depth on one of those.

If I was a strong swimmer, I’d happily go out if my depth on a calm beach.

My mom warned me not to go past my lower legs when we were at the beach. At the time I didn't understand it as I was an adult, but she told me a drowning story which put things into perspective. And feeling the waves rock you, I learnt that one moment of lost focus can be a problem, especially if you panic while under. I would take precautions: let people know where I was going, maybe even have a friend or stranger buddy on the beach, or just avoid being alone altogether or wait for a lifeguard if possie. It is nice to experience the beautiful waters alone, but do take care out there :) Whatever you choose, I hope it works out.

There might be a local Blue tits group who have regular swims you can join.
Have a look on Facebook for a local group, either by county or town or on the website

https://thebluetits.co/pages/join-our-social-swim-community

This makes sense. In my 20s I'd swim way out from the beaches on Greek islands (and on picnic cruises) and never felt any current . Just swam out and then back.

The UK is different.

As a ' swimaholic' ( i could swim in a damp sponge!) ..and having done wild swimming in the UK, USA , Oz and N.Zealand the answer is no. Have , at the very least , someone who could call for help . Even very fit people get into trouble if they immerse themselves in cold water too quickly...and that is just one of the dangers you may face...

I’d count myself as a strong swimmer. For example I do open water swimming and can comfortably do a 5km stretch and train 3km’s in an Olympic sized pool. Personally I wouldn’t swim in the sea without a lifeguard or loved one on the beach.

I have swim alone on our local beach but usually around 11 am when there are people about. I know the beach and stick to less than shoulder height water within my depth. Just bobbing about rally I'm not a serious sea swimmer.

Absolutely. I m 77 and have been swimming in the sea alone or otherwise since I was 10. We can be respectful of water without being terrified of going in it. Just be cautious.