The list of activities we can do is getting longer with lockdown lifting and the travel distance extending. Throughout lockdown we’ve found ourselves doing things we’d never normally do and actually enjoying them.
Recently we’ve seen some familiar faces head out for a swim in the sea on Instagram and, although it might not have been something we’d have been pushed on before, it suddenly looks extremely appealing.
First we have Niamh Cullen, a fan of an early morning swim and most definitely influencing us with that H&M Swimsuit.
We suddenly feel like 6am swim is just what we need to leave us looking and feeling as fresh as Niamh for the day, although not sure how smiley we’d actually be because it looks BALTIC.
Next in the swim crew we have Roz Purcell. First she got us hiking and now she’s got us swimming. Roz took an evening dip down at Sandycove Beach, which looks like a greek cove in this picture with the enormous sun and the summery print swimsuit. A similar one can be found on ASOS if you’re missing the palm print from your wardrobe.
Roz’s pic has us thinking that an evening swim would be just the trick we need to relieve the WFH stress and to help with our sleeping patterns, especially if it looks this nice out.
Holly Carpenter is also a fan of the daily sea swim, telling her followers that it may be her “new thing” for the next few while after she’s been swimming three times this week.
Although Holly admits it felt like -1degrees, she still makes it look totally bearable in a white swimsuit from Nasty Gal.
Angela Scanlon is the latest to adopt a dip in the sea, after she shared she’s been doing months of cold showers on the Wim Hof program, saying; “I cannot tell you how much it’s changed how I feel!! I look forward to them now rather than dread them…. they shake me out of a mood or a fog & prepare me for the day!”
However, she was feeling brave as she decided to upgrade from a cold shower to a fresh dip in the sea; “A few weeks ago after being cooped up for months, we escaped to the sea for a 10 minute swim.”
Ailbhe Garrihy is seriously inspiring us to get in this summer, as she shared a picture post-swim at seven months pregnant. If she can do it we can do it, and it did not seem to phase her at all as she captioned her post; “Grand day for a swim!”
Aimee Connolly proves you don’t need it to be super sunny out to brave the Irish Sea, as she got in, whilst it was raining.
“Had a very chilled Saturday finished with a swim. It was freeezzinggg but amazing and nice to do something different. The sun was out for about 5 mins and then the rain started.” We’re not sure we’d be as brave.
A brisk sea swim to brighten up our morning or evening seems like the next quarantine activity to try. If these gals can stand the cold and look that good, so can we! Sea swimming also has tonnes of health benefits such as stress relief, muscle relaxation and the promotion of deep sleep, which we all need right now.
Some of us may have to wait a little longer to be able to get to some water in our travel distance, but if you’re lucky enough to be near some, pack a hot water bottle for the drive home and happy swimming!
Words: Jade Carpenter