Cold water swimmers- The friendliest community I've met

“Would anyone like to jump in the Thames in Windsor, in front of the castle with me on Friday afternoon?” Read my post on the @theoutdoorswimmingsociety Facebook group..

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I spend a lot of time on my own. I work from home. I move around a lot. Place to place. And in recent years I’ve really yearned for a community..

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Since swimming the Thames with my tail, I’ve developed this new habit of just msging cold water swimming people on Instagram or posting on Facebook groups. Sometimes, I’m even quite forward - “hi, where do you live? Can I swim with you?”

The most wonderful thing is, everyone obliges. its never awkward with these mad strangers that share the love of the cold water shakes. then we hang out after our 5 min dip, warming our hands on hot teapots and bragging about our Adrenaline highs. So, it doesn’t really matter that my abode keeps shifting from place to place-the open water swimming community sprawls across the whole country and you can tap into it wherever you go.

I don’t think I’ve ever met a friendlier community.