If you wondering about what it’s like to go wild swimming at night you have come to the right place. Night swimming is a truly magical experience that comes with many benefits and of course a little risk. Taking your favourite sport/ hobby and spicing it up by doing it at night will leave you with an unforgettable experience. Night swimming is already enjoyed by many across the globe and it is not hard to see why. Immersing yourself in water, whether it’s salty or fresh is relaxing, invigorating and most of all exciting. Most swim spots are quieter during the night, with the day time crowds gone a sense of tranquillity and peacefulness is added. If swimming on a clear night, the stars and moon will reflect off the water, making you feel as if your paddling through the night sky itself.
I have been involved with wild swimming for around ten years now and over the last 5 years have been wild swimming at night at various places across the world. Through research and my own experiences I have compiled the ultimate guide with the benefits and risks that can come with swimming under the night sky.
How to swim at night safely
1.) Daylight check; Be sure to know what your jumping into by first seeing it in the daylight. Potential dangers like sticks, rocks manmade hazards that can be found in the ocean, lakes and rivers and might not be visible at night. Get a good bearing for entry and exit points. If planning a route be sure to avoid shipping/ferry zones and stay out of working harbours.
2.) Tell a friend and find a friend; Grab your swim buddy or buddies to come along with you for your swim. Not only is it safer to swim with people it is much more enjoyable to swim with friends and share the excitement. Be sure to tell a friend who is keeping dry, what your doing, where you are and what time you will be back.
3.) Entry and exit light; leave some sort of light where you enter and exit the water. Being out on open water can become disorienting, so leave a little lamp or even better a small campfire to get warm by after.
4.) Be safe be seen; Okay so your swimming at night and the idea of people spotting you is probably not the idea you had in mind. However If you do get into difficulty it’s important people can spot you. It is worth investing in a waterproof head torch that you can flick on and off that you can take out with you. If your not so worried about being stealth, a fluorescent tow bag will help you stand out a long with some glow sticks that light up the water.
5.) Keep warm; Keep warm after your dip, your body temperature will rapidly drop once out the water and the adrenaline starts to wear off. Wrap yourself up in a dry robe or thick clothes and get a warm drink down you, whiskey will also do the trick. If possible sit yourself down by an open fire and enjoy feeling alive outside. Please check out Swim safety tips for more information on how to keep yourself safe.
The Benefits
1.) Forgetting your body insecurities; Being body conscious is not uncommon especially before getting into a swim suit before taking the plunge. The darkness can take any insecurities away and help boost your confidence with getting your kit off in front of others. Darkness can help you forget about your inhibitions and focus solely on how the water is making you feel, allowing you to enjoy the beauty of wild swimming without worrying about what others may be thinking of you.
2.) Having the water to yourself; Swimming in the dark probably means your swimming at an obscure time depending on where you are in the world. Whether that time is early in the morning or late at night, the majority of people are inside wishing they were as adventurous as you. But this gives you the opportunity to swim around like you own the place. This quieter and less chaotic time will help you really connect with your surroundings giving you the opportunity to free your mind and relax.
3.) Feel like a legend; Taking the plunge in the dark will empower you and fill you with confidence. This is truly something that will fulfill you with self-esteem and generally make you feel on top of the world. This inner feeling gained from night swimming is something that provides long term positivity of how you view and value you own self worth. Perhaps this feeling comes from the fear of getting into the water in the dark, after all what isn’t brave about swimming in the dark?
5.) Burn those calories; Swimming at night is usually a lot more colder than swimming underneath the sunshine. When we are cold our heart pumps harder and faster to push blood around our bodies which in return speeds up our metabolism and helps us lose weight. Check out Top 7 Cold water swimming benefits (2021) for more information on the benefits of cold water.
Take caution
Of course swimming in the night can come with some risks, so it is important to take precautions to keep yourself and your buddies safe.
1.) Keep your buddies close to you, and keep a good eye on landmarks or areas of land which you know you can exit from.
2.) Be fully aware of the weather conditions before you set out. Swimming in chop or heavy rain can make your enjoyable swim more difficult than invigorating. Choppy lakes or waves in the sea can easily make you become disoriented.
3.) Know the area you’re swimming in. Be aware of tidal currents, river flow and whether there are rips where you are swimming.
4.) Depending on where your swimming in the world be clued up on the marine life that you will be sharing the water with. Dawn and dusk is the most active time for some fish.
Like always here at Feel Alive Outside we love to hear your feedback, so please feel free to leave a message below. Happy Swimming!
