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.

My dad was a really strong swimmer, proper action man. I saw him swim in the sea when I was a child and get the most awful cramp. He had to have a buoy thrown to him as he was really struggling. I’d never risk it

It really depends on the beach, what the water is like, can you easily stay in your depth? There are some beaches where I would, and some where I wouldn’t.

I am a strong swimmer and I swim in the sea on my own, if it is a beach I know well and am confident there are no adverse currents or riptides. I like to swim early and that means no lifeguards. If you have any concerns of course wait until the lifeguards arrive.

OP, what it really comes down to is whether you feel confident that you can risk-assess the situation effectively. If you don't feel you can, wait till the lifeguards arrive.

Surely a strong swimmer can swim with just arms

I swim in the sea alone from time to time and I’m a fairly strong swimmer. But l stay within my depth and only go in if other people are in the sea as well. Is there a local Blue Tits group you could join?

Enjoy your summer days before work. x

I do, but only if I know the beach. MN is terrified of water and the outdoors in general. If you're fit, prepared, a good swimmer, and know the area and your limits it's fine, just like skiing and hiking.

I swim in the sea on my own all the time.

I know the beach, the tides. I don't swim at the point the tide is ebbing fast. And don't go in when it is rough.

I swim where someone was close enough to hear me shouting - either another swimmer or on the beach

I swim up and down parallel with shore and don't go out of my depth

What absolute rubbish.

Only last week a crew member at the RNLI station told us the best place to swim from an unguarded beach and didn't mention life jackets.

Mumsnet always errs towards caution, and don't forget that a good proportion of people posting will never have swum in the sea in their lives.

I swim alone all the time. However, I rarely go out of my depth, always feel more comfortable if there are people on the beach, and am aware that different weather conditions can transform any "safe" beach into a dangerous one and vice versa.

OP, if you're planning on visiting the same beach regularly, you will probably get to know it and its users quite well. Chatting to existing regular swimmers is invaluable in getting to know the beach and its quirks.

Hasn’t everyone swam in the sea 😯

I think almost everyone on here has probably swam in the sea. I've swam in it loads of times this year since spring.

Judging by the visitors I see down here in Cornwall, absolutely not. A lot of people I see "swimming" just go in the water up to their waists and then go back behind the shelter of their windbreaks. I think that's why the North Coast is so popular- most of it isn't that good for swimming, but it doesn't matter to most people- because they don't swim!

And of course that's not counting all the people who don't go to the seaside for a holiday...

I love the sea. If you want to swim alone wait until lifeguard is on duty and bring an open water swim buoy.
join or set up a local women’s wild swimming group ?

I never said it was I know that. They’re on a boat which floats on water.

Swimming in the Med in July is very different from swimming in the North Sea in October!

I swim all year round in the North Sea. My husband has only swim in it a couple of times, even though it's only a few miles to a lovely remote beach. He's not strong swimmer and is worried about the temperature, currents etc.

As I and others have said, do a risk assessment. Don't go out of your depth, only go in when it's calm, and swim parallel to the shore. Wear a tow float. Don't wear a life jacket (ridiculous suggestion). And try to find a group of local swimmers.

Enjoy!

i do it sometimes - but only when its busy really and i'd swim near another group

I've met a lovely crew who all seem to go same time every morning and we all look out for each other

i wouldn t go in if it was pretty quiet !

I got stung by 2 jellyfish last week and someone did need to help me back to the sand as it was super painful!

So much can go wrong

you should be scared. Swimming alone is dangerous - even for strong swimmers.

dont do it

What a ridiculous statement. I’m an open water swimmer, haven’t been near any sea yet this year, will do in September. Many can’t swim.

Dh swims in the sea alone fairly often. At well known to him, very straightforward, beaches and always parallel to the shore. I don’t love it but it’s obvs in his interests not to die too so he needs to get on with it.

I grew up by the sea. It was generally safe - no lifeguards back then just red flags. Dad was a strong sea swimmer but once nearly came a cropper when he swam into a Portuguese Man O’war. He managed to get back to the shore but needed help once there.

If you swim alone be ultra careful, ie stay no more then waist deep, swim against the flow of current, and in any difficulty get out and walk back rather than attempting to swim.

If you do this on a safe beach there should be no problems, having others around can lull you into a false sense of security

Do a proper risk assessment- weather, tide, current, recent conditions, chop etc. Do you know what a rip looks like and what to do if you get caught in one?

Don't swim out, swim parallel to the shore. Use your kit - tow float, phone, whistle. Plan entry and exit points. Tell someone what your plan is and how long you're going for. Text when you go in and again when you come out. Be mindful of after drop.

If your risk assessment indicates it is dangerous, don't do it. All this is based on you being a good swimmer.

Doesn’t seem worth it 🤣

I can't swim but do know there are loads of groups that meet to swim in the sea. Could you join one? Or just go later?