Wild Swimming with Anna Deacon

Although I have always enjoyed a little swim in a beautiful place, I wouldn’t have called myself a wild swimmer until 2016 when I, mostly in response to a challenge, went for an autumnal dip in the sea at Gullane beach. After the initial surprise of the cold water I found myself feeling overwhelmingly happy. I lay back and watched the birds wheeling overhead as I let the waves rock me and the water hold me. I turned over and looked below the surface to see the patterns of the water on the sand below and the sunshine filtering through in glittering streaks. I resolved then that this was going to be my new thing.

I’m a person prone to anxiety and overthinking things. My sleep tends to be erratic and my focus is often unclear. I can’t do mindfulness apps and I really have tried, but regularly being in the water has changed much of this. Getting into cold water, especially in the winter when the water temperature can reach freezing, requires a certain degree of mindful practice. You need to feel a total brain and body connection to stay safe, you need to be body scanning to see which parts are cold, too cold, or just ok, what is under your feet? Rocks, sand, is there an undertow? You need to connect with all of your senses: what does it feel like, what can you see, hear, smell. Can you taste the salt water tang on your tongue? This mindful state is exactly what we aim for when listening to these apps, body scanning, mind/body connection, tuning into your senses.