MENTAL WELLBEING IN THE OPEN WATER
A cold water dip is the perfect addition to a day in the mountains, says swimming brand Orca…
OPEN WATER SWIMMING is in vogue.
It’s a booming outdoors trend, with a growing following of enthusiasts convinced of its mental and physical benefits. Many of these advocates combine the sport with hillwalking: they’ll spend a few hours hiking up a peak or two, before enjoying a revitalising plunge in a remote tarn, deep lake or idyllic pool. Perhaps you could give it a go too? It might just add some adventure and variety to your mountain trips.
But why has open water swimming seen such a surge in popularity? It’s because of its transformational qualities on mental wellbeing. “Swimming in open waters below 15º C, without lane dividers, without chlorine, in full contact with nature, and feeling that cold rush throughout your body, allows you to experience swimming in a completely different way,” explains Laura Owen, founder of We Swim Wild, a not-for-profit that’s taking action against micro-plastics in our waters thanks to support from Orca.
SHARED ADVENTURE
Another project supported by Orca is Open Minds Active, a programme using swimming to improve mental health and promote social inclusion. Maggy Blagrove, founder of the project, adds: “The more I swam in open water and the more connections I nurtured with fellow open water swimmers, the happier and more at peace I felt. I encouraged friends and family to join me, many of whom were experiencing their own struggles, and we rekindled a newfound joy and sense of shared adventure together.”
Laura, Maggy and Orca all believe in the healing benefits of open water, from its effects on mental clarity, resiliency and self-discovery to benefits for the immune and lymphatic systems, as well as reduced stress and inflammation. It also has the psychosocial benefits of being accessible to people of all backgrounds and abilities. People swim because it’s good for the soul, for social change, for a cause or to break down barriers and stereotypes, or to seek out undiscovered areas in the great outdoors.
GET BACK TO NATURE
Orca is a global triathlon and ocean sports brand with 30 years of experience. It makes swim products that instil confidence and comfort, safety and reliability, helping people to securely get back to nature, and to experience open water swimming in rivers, lakes and the ocean unencumbered.
“We care about our planet and are committed to preserving it through sustainability in our products and ocean preservation efforts,” says Tomas del Olmo, Orca’s chief marketing officer. “We also care about the people on it, creating swim products that provide safety, visibility and confidence for any open water environment, so swimmers of any level can enjoy the activities they love and discover new ones.”
Orca’s mission is to make it easy and accessible for anyone to find confidence and freedom in the water. It has an ambitious sustainability commitment and, in 2020, became the first brand in the industry to eliminate all plastics from its wetsuit packaging. The brand’s new open water range for 2021 includes the Openwater Core
Hi-Vis wetsuit, priced £149 for both men’s and women’s options. Find out more information at orca.com
Happy open water swimming!