Scared to swim alone

[Dontwantsummertoendreally]

Is anyone else?

We live near the beach. I’m starting a new job mid September, so I have a couple of weeks to myself at the start of September when Dc are back at school.
Very excited and decided to make the most of it and do some things I really enjoy.
These include going to the cinema alone, coffee at the beach, reading at the beach and morning swims in the sea.
I do this when we all go to a beach as a family. Dh sometimes comes in, but if not, is still there on the sand.
Lifeguards don’t start until 10, there will probably be some people around, but not many.
Would you swim out in the sea alone? Am I being a big baby?!
Did all these things when younger, without even thinking about it.

NetCurtainNelly I think due to recent hot weather .The sea is free and tempting to families .Terrible tragedy yesterday. Anyway in answer to OP question No I would not swim alone .See if there is a group you can join, or at least wait until lifeguards are on duty,and let them know.

If it is stormy and wavy, don't go in at all, no matter how many people are with you!

I wouldn’t swim alone. A quick dip (not an actual swim) maybe but after hearing of yet more drownings this week I wouldn’t go beyond waist level.

I’m a cross channel swimmer, I spent hundreds of hours swimming in the sea as part of the training. Never, ever alone. There were either other swimmers with me, or someone observing from the beach.

I assume you might be on your own but it is unlikely that the entire beach will be empty so there would be people to help if you got in trouble.

I live in a seaside town and go swimming on my own all the time. The beach is quiet but never completely empty.

I just make sure I don't go too far but I am a good swimmer and have been in a water since I was a toddler.

We don't have lifeguards ever on our beach but there is an RNLI base.

Frankly if you swim only where your feet can touch the sand/pebbles and don't swim in rough sea I don't see the issue.

I swim at a remote beach and occasionally swim by myself. However, I swim very regularly and am always mindful of the conditions. I don't go beyond my depth if I'm by myself, and am more confident on an incoming tide. You need to risk assess every swim.

I'm also a member of my local Bluetits group, and so always post a swim the day before I go, or try to join a swim that others have posted.

Personally I'd wait until the lifeguards are there if possible.

I’m a strong swimmer and very rarely sea swim alone. If I do, it’s when the sea is flat calm, it’s warm and I know the area well. I swim with a float for safety and visibility.

It’s just nicer to swim with other people, as well as safer. I have a WhatsApp group with a bunch of swimming friends and usually there’s someone free at the same time and up for a swim.

I have been swimming in the sea regularly for over 20 years. I used to go with a group of friends but they now have mobility or health problems so I usually go alone.

I am well aware of the dangers of the sea and I only go in alone on a beach I know well, when the weather is fair and the sea is not rough. I swim out a few strokes, check I can easily swim back to shore (currents, drag, etc). There is a lifeboat station but there are no lifeguards unless they happen to be out in the boat on a training exercise. There are usually dog walkers or other swimmers around.

You must check the tides and weather, know your beach, and use your common sense. Do not go in a rough sea, and do not stay in longer than you can cope with. You can't always three times a week or whatever, you have to be guided by the sea and weather. And then enjoy it, it's a lovely thing to do.

Only swim in open water with others and it’s highly recommended to tie a buoy to you and drag it along for visibility too. It’s not the lack of lifeguards it’s always be part of a group ideally with someone on the shore

Btw people replying here who don’t live on the coast may not realise that lifeguards only operate on a few beaches and only in peak summer months, whereas people here swim daily in the sea. We are lucky to have a marine lake which is a safer option, but just saying don’t swim doesn’t take into account that they have been swimming since before lifeguards were on beaches and happily swim (crazy if you ask me!) all winter

You shouldn’t swim in open water without a life jacket on. Any lifeguard will tell you that. You hire a pedallo at the beach you wear a life jacket. But people go swimming in the sea without one. Doesn’t matter how good a swimmer you are you have to take precautions.

I do. But, I have been sea swimming since childhood. I am a strong swimmer and former lifeguard. I usually swim at beaches I know (mostly Bournemouth/Boscombe, Southsea/Eastney, sometimes Weymouth.) I don't often go deeper than waist/chest level (especially now the rafts have gone from Greenhill. 😞)

Swim parallel to the shore. Learn how to read the waves, recognise rips etc. If the waves are too strong or the current too fierce, don't risk it, and get out.

Find out the tide times - it changes the nature of the water. High water and low water swims can feel very different in some places.

I look to see if there are others about - if no one else is in the water, I probably wouldn't, as I'd assume there's a reason for it.

If you're hoping to go regularly, get to know the beach - is it sand or pebble underfoot? Is it the same under the water? Quite a few south coast beaches are pebbly, but once you're out in the water, it's more sandy underfoot - but there could also be rocks etc. Does it shelf suddenly or is it a gentle gradient? Also, there are weever fish about currently- wear swimming shoes.

You can check water quality, water temperature, tides, weather forecast all online.

If there are lifeguards, swim there.

Find out if there's a swimming group, join in.

Have you swum in a life jacket?

I don't think any lifeguard will tell you that! You can't swim in a life jacket, they bob up around your head. And I was on a pedalo a few days ago and nobody offered me a life jacket.

I have never seen anyone in the sea swimming in a life jacket. The guys using kayaks boards and boats wear life jackets. Swimmers don't.

If you are swimming a fair distance or go out a long way a tow float is useful. There are two swimming groups here, one use tow floats as they swim quite far out. The other group stays close to the shore and they don't.

Riding a pedallo is not swimming

lol
imagine swimming in a life jacket 😂 it bobs about above your head you wouldn’t be able to swim in one surely? Yes for water sports, no for swimming

I would swim in the sea alone but I am a confident and strong swimmer who also takes head of currents/conditions/tide etc...

I love swimming in the sea, however, when I’m travelling solo, which is often, I wouldn’t even consider paddling in the sea never mind swimming. Please don’t do it, it’s not worth the risk.

Nope and I'm a reasonably strong swimmer - regularly swim half a mile or more at my local pool. Have swum alone at a pool attached to a gym that didn't always have lifeguards but did have cameras monitored all the time on reception, but didn't particularly like that,

Swimming in the sea without at least someone else doing the same is reasonable.

No I would not

Don't swim without lifeguards and get an orange tow float. I love bobbing around with my orange float.

Message someone so they know you are in the sea and how long you plan to be.

I’d never swim in an open body of water on my own. I’m a strong swimmer, I love rivers, lakes and the sea, but even when the water is as calm as a mill pond I’d never swim on my own. It can take seconds for things to go from being fine to not, I god a horrific leg cramp once (first and only time) I’ve never known such pain, and couldn’t use my leg at all, luckily a had a friend who helped haul me out into the river bank! I would have been screwed if I’d been on my own!

That’s awful, makes me feel so anxious. Hadn’t actually thought of things like that