'Euphoric': Wild Swimming in Northern Ireland

Beth Healy

Swimming in nature, in lakes, rivers, and the sea is an activity as old as human beings themselves. Except now, in an increasingly technological age, it is referred to as ‘wild swimming’, as if to swim outdoors is not the natural way to swim.

Wild swimming seemed to experience a rise in popularity over the pandemic. With nothing to do and nowhere to go, people found themselves drawn towards the sea. In 2020, Outdoor Swimmer published a ‘Trends in Outdoor Swimming’ report which found that outdoor swimming in the UK had increased by between 1.5 and 3 times since 2019. They also found that 75 percent of new outdoor swimmers said they wanted to continue swimming outside through winter.

So why the allure? Especially in Northern Ireland, where the sea water is cold for the majority of the year and winter temperatures often reach close to 0 degrees celsius. 

Marie-Therese Davis, a visual artist, QUB alumni, and experienced open water swimmer explains how swimming in the sea was the norm when she was growing up

"We all enjoyed it so we did it, there was no philosophy behind it, it was just one of those things you did and it was lovely to be outdoors".

She notes the influx of new faces taking to the sea since the start of the pandemic and the impact of wild swimming on our health.

“Because we've been locked up indoors, [people are] realising the value of being outdoors and having fresh air, and being surrounded by the blue-green, by nature really."

A large part of what draws many to swim in the sea is the huge physical benefits to be gained, not least for those with health conditions or disabilities.

“I developed a disability over the years, and I had a spinal injury, so I do it now for a way of pain relief because it numbs the pain quite literally,". she said.

It’s clear that sea swimming has more to offer than just physical benefits. Marie-Therese continues, “the other thing is that it's just great fun...I just love the feeling of being in the water and the weightlessness, and you just have to be in the moment to do it because you have to concentrate. It means that if you do have worries... you are forced to escape it because the sea is a natural beast, it's a force of nature and you have to respect it. It forces you out of your comfort zone."

As a visual artist, Marie-Therese’s fascination with the ocean has also seeped into her creative practice.

"Everything I do now is related to the sea and swimming. It gradually encroaches and seeps in literally like the water. It's like osmosis, you just realise that it's permeating everything that you do."

With sea swimmers, there is a real focus on community and swimming in a group with others, not least for safety purposes, but for the joy of sharing this experience with others.

Marie Therese Davis

“The swimming community that we have developed is really organic... you meet people you wouldn't normally meet in your day-to-day life... It's very open-minded and very welcoming.”

“You are euphoric when you're in there and sometimes it gives people time to actually talk to one another, and maybe they talk about things that they normally wouldn't talk about...we have a saying in our swim group, 'whatever's said in the sea stays in the sea.’”

Nicole Morelli, founder of The Menopausal Mermaids, a Facebook group of sea swimmers, (also open to men and people of all ages) who meet daily to swim first thing in the morning. Nicole started sea swimming and set up the group in 2018 in a period of personal difficulty.

“I had a hip replacement in September and was feeling pretty lousy,” she said.

The Menopausal Mermaids

What started as a few mums from her child’s school soon turned into an ever-expanding group. By January the following year, they had 25 people joining them, and now the Facebook group has over 1,000 members.

“It's a big physical thing for me - I need to do it every day, and I miss it if I don't… I was hooked, hooked on the feeling it gives you, there's something about the cold water that's just lovely - you feel empowered.”

Nicole places an emphasis on the sense of community she’s gained from the group. She talked about the benefits for both mental and physical health, as well as building friendships through sea-swimming.

“For me, personally, I think it is the camaraderie and friendships and the craic. There are friendships that have been made and paths that never ever would have been crossed if it wasn't for sea swimming… I'm kinder than I was, because I'm meeting people that have worse problems than I have had, but we're all getting in the water together".

What’s clear from speaking to both women is that sea swimming has physical, mental, and social benefits that could benefit anyone, but both of them highlight how it could be a helpful activity for students. Amidst the stresses of university life, Marie-Therese comments ”it's just a brilliant way of helping you escape from all of those problems and it helps your concentration overall because you go out and you're enveloped by nature, and it just gives you that bit of headspace."

It seems that something as simple as swimming in the sea can actually become a powerful remedy for physical and mental health. It is both a way to slow down and switch off, and a space to connect with others, and most importantly ourselves. 

Sea-swimming can be dangerous if you aren’t aware of the safety precautions and your limitations. For advice on how to sea-swim safely, visit RNLI. 

Beth Healy is the Culture Editor for The Scoop and an English student at Queen’s University Belfast.