swimming through the New Forest, a mini adventure

[@Franscampi]

I think this video captured perfectly the total joy and lunacy of winter swimming!!😂

[@EverydayAthleteRach]

You’re not wrong. That’s how we felt at the time. What a hoot!

[@teresastjohn-jeffrey301]

Had my first really cold, snowy winter sea swim yesterday in my tidal pool.. it was the wind on exit that was the worst part, it's due to be sunny all week down south so hopefully some nice sunrises. Happy toosdee x

[@EverydayAthleteRach]

How exciting a snowy sea pool. Beautiful!

[@Wowookie]

Looked like so much fun! Think you've created the Otter Swim Club.🎉🌞

[@EverydayAthleteRach]

Haha! What a great suggestion 🤣🦦🏊‍♀️

[@annaanula7198]

can I joined please

[@debbieedwards5107]

Oh the power of having a nutty friend! I was cringing to start as I thought you were wearing rubber coated wetsuits, sliding along the river bed! I wonder how many walkers went home to say 'you won't believe what I just saw'!! 😂

[@EverydayAthleteRach]

There were a few incredulous comments and interactions. We were in old suits used for messing about. They’re rubbish for swimming - too buoyant but good for bump protection! Can’t wait for another go!

[@debbieedwards5107]

Brilliant, loved it! x

[@snappycanon]

Didn't they think of the damage they are doing to the bottom of the stream a complete eco system being disturbed. What would they do if I walked into there homes and took a baseball bat to there furniture. No difference . With poor water quality and pollution in our local rivers and beaches, Ali and I decided on a mini adventure which was rather like a safari. Floating and swimming through the New Forest, at times scraping the bottom, we felt like explorers NO JUST A DESTRUCTION DERBY AS YOU BECAME THE POLLUTION

[@EverydayAthleteRach]

Thank you for your comment. I'm afraid we hadn't thought about it in quite that way, as we love the waterways and their flora and fauna, but will be mindful of this in the future.

[@omaolch5204]

Oh, that was awesome! Too young giggling geese in the floating river while butts on the rocks! I would have liked to join you, but instead will have to visit one of my lakes nearby (there are 5 lakes which I can rich by walking). It's minus 6 degrees today, water will be around the same or a bit less and I'm looking forward to dip in! As an older person not working anymore I have a dip each single day 😁

[@omaolch5204]

Sorry, not TOO, but TWO🤓

[@EverydayAthleteRach]

Being able to swim everyday is brilliant, I hope you enjoy today's dip. We had hoped for a bit more swimming and less backwards humping but it was fun anyhow!

[@rainbowpl]

im in love with what you do ,I swear it's been 3 years doing winter swimming,even just at the beach but it's enough to renew our happiness,and you have been the house of safety,whener I doubt if what im doing is right or wrong,I see you also with the same energy ,I pray to god to protect you and save you and let you keep enjoying your adventures as always

[@EverydayAthleteRach]

Thank you for your kind words, and for watching my video. I’m thrilled you liked it. Keep on enjoying the water and stay safe x

[@rainbowpl]

@EverydayAthleteRach Today 10/1/2024 I did 1 hour training on the sand of the beach,and 30 minutes swimming in the water ,it was so rough ,but enjoyed maximally,so the adventure still goes on here again

[@gretelstonebridge2323]

Hilarious ! That looked so much fun

[@EverydayAthleteRach]

It was a real laugh, wouldn't have been so much fun on my own!

[@marycharlebois6627]

As a polar vortex is about to bear down on my little neck of the woods here in northern 🇨🇦, bringing with it temperatures of -30ºc and frigid wind, you can bet I just loved the fluid sounds of the water. I also loved the sounds of giggling, and your ‘sticks in the face’ expression. What great adventures you and Ali get up to. The ice is thickening on my local lake as I type this so I’m swimming vicariously through you two. Thanks for sharing the watery good times. Ⓜary🥶❄

[@EverydayAthleteRach]

Blimey Mary, that sounds chilly and a bit like something from a time machine. Is a polar vortex a gas of air, or something more wind-baed and violent? Whatever it is, I hope you stay tucked up inside and keep warm! Glad you enjoyed us larking around, was more of a stumble - swim/stumble than and actual swimming, but the watersports wetsuits helped u stay warm and minimised bruises from clonking bits of debris in the water! I'll see what I can cook up for next week's video!

[@marycharlebois6627]

@@EverydayAthleteRach Hi Rachel… the Polar Vortex is a large area of low pressure and cold air that surrounds the Earth’s poles. The term vortex refers to the counter-clockwise flow of air that helps to keep the colder air near the poles. Many times in the winter in the Northern Hemisphere the Polar Vortex will expand sending cold air southward with the jet stream into Canada and the states in the northern US. We call it “Arctic Outflow” and dang it is COLD🥶. For the past four days our temperatures have ranged from -25ºc down to -37ºc. It is even colder in the most northerly parts of my province and also in the central prairie provinces of 🇨🇦 where temperatures are hovering between -45ºc and -55ºc. In the province of Alberta (next door to British Columbia) the entire provincial power grid is being taxed to the max as people are using so much electricity just trying to stay warm. The wind chill that comes with the “Arctic Outflow” always lowers the temperature even further. Currently our water is frozen so we have no running water in the house at all. We spent most of the day down at the well and the pumphouse but no success in locating and thawing the frozen pipe just yet. But we have heat, food, and a deluxe outhouse with a warm seat and motion sensors lights so I am not complaining too loudly. It is supposed to warm up starting on Monday and I will be very happy about that. These frigid conditions make it really challenging to remember that global warming is actually a thing. Ⓜary🥶

[@sallyohalloran6650]

That looked like so much fun! All your giggling made me giggle watching! Thank you

[@EverydayAthleteRach]

It was a giggly kind of adventure!

[@sallyohalloran6650]

@@EverydayAthleteRach you two were like to kids..who said we have to be grown up all the time! Looked great fun!

[@joboyd9367]

That is SO FUNNY! Love the giggling 😂

[@EverydayAthleteRach]

Haha! Thanks we had a blast! 🦦 club in session!

[@carolinebarr-lloyd841]

Well thank you so much for that much needed giggle....you're both hilarious and incredibly brave body surfing over the obstacles! I think I would have been grounded way too many times.... Giving me inspiration to get back into dips ❤

[@EverydayAthleteRach]

The water is always waiting for you. Come on in, it’s lovely xx

[@carolinebarr-lloyd841]

​@@EverydayAthleteRach❤

[@mrstiggywinkle]

That looked so much fun! 😂❤

[@EverydayAthleteRach]

It was! Hahaha!

[@karengowlett1062]

Loved hearing your laughs- why is it so funny swimming in the shallows? We’ve had similar giggles stumbling over clay and rocks at low tide on the Essex coast! Great video 😂

[@EverydayAthleteRach]

I think we were giggling at the ridiculousness of the activity, there really wasn't much swimming!

[@wolfpaul2010]

Great fun.

[@EverydayAthleteRach]

Yep, it was a good laugh.

[@sarahgeary6300]

What a hoot watching you and your friend. I was laughing with you both. Would love to have seen the faces of the dog walkers seeing two ladies dressed in wetsuits and swimming hats 🤣🤣 xx

[@EverydayAthleteRach]

The dog walkers were mostly politely inquisitive or outright aghast! We just laughed on by!

[@slaye314]

This was so much fun!

[@EverydayAthleteRach]

Such a giggle!

[@ecoldham4057]

Loved that

[@rebeccamandelos3164]

Looks like a lot of fun ! Person that said Otter Club , is so right. ♥️😂

[@EverydayAthleteRach]

🦦 🤩

[@christinetopham8379]

I’m giggling along with you. That looked great fun. 😂 Sea dip at Colwyn Bay was choppy today, there’s an icy breeze so felt colder out than in!

[@EverydayAthleteRach]

Wowzers that sounds chilly mc chillface!

[@fionagray9687]

Breathtaking. You were in for more than an hour? That's some adventure.

[@EverydayAthleteRach]

It was all about the neoprene!

[@Me-Miranda]

This reminded me a bit of that bog snorkelling they do in Wales! Looks like you had loads of fun though and provided some free entertainment to the Sunday morning dog walking brigade 😅

[@EverydayAthleteRach]

They were incredulous, so fun surprising people from below!

[@ghengis430]

That's lovely! The giggling....Looks nice and still there. I've been a chicken recently. ( and the sea's full of poo).

[@EverydayAthleteRach]

It has been gross recently, so we had to get a bit experimental!

[@sylviaroberts8246]

Looks like fun 😊... Xx

[@EverydayAthleteRach]

It was!

[@swiminthesea6391]

YOu were in the water for an hour? That absolutely amazing. I’ve never dared to stay in that long in winter, even with a full wetsuit. Anyway it looked like great bit of exploring in very picturesque surroundings, even it it wasn’t really much swimming.

[@EverydayAthleteRach]

It was amazing. We were in winter Watersports’s wetsuits so stayed pretty warm. I wouldn’t have stayed in that long in my swim wetsuit tho.

[@paulsteinberg521]

What fun. 😂

[@EverydayAthleteRach]

So much fun!

[@JonnyHamster]

Hi Rachel , was this north of Brockenhurst ? Looked like a lot of fun. I've never found much in the way of swimmable water in the Forest, perhaps a few pools here and there. We had to relocate our regular pre-Xmas Castle Hill Avon swoosh to Calshot due to high water levels. Think we're trying again this weekend. Hope to bump into you again sometime this year. Johnny

[@EverydayAthleteRach]

Hey Jonny, good to hear from you. It was not far from Lyndhurst, easier explained in person. I’ve spotted a few other spots downstream to that which would be swimable. Hope to catch up with you soon, Rach 🦦💦😀

[@HuTnikCZ]

Slowly transitioning into canyoning I see 😁

[@EverydayAthleteRach]

I used to lead gorge walking and live moving water so if I lived where there were canyons and gorges I’d be all over it. Love Les Alpes de Haute Provence for that kind of fun!

[@muddyboots2531]

I couldn't stop laughing! 🤣

[@EverydayAthleteRach]

It was good belly-laugh territory!

[@chrisfigiel1150]

Bear Grylls and Ray Mears ,watch out you got serious competition by 2 mad women ,haha are you both in training for Bog snorkelling,looks brilliant .👍

[@EverydayAthleteRach]

It’s fun to try out something you have an incline might be a good ride, or a good laugh. This was more laughs than swims but brilliant way to spend a Sunday morning!

[@TheFunfairfan]

I wonder what the water temp was ??!? About 6-7 degrees??

[@EverydayAthleteRach]

Probably less but I didn’t check. Air temp was 3°C.

[@patriciapowers3751]

Do you worry abt damaging your wetsuit?

[@EverydayAthleteRach]

No, it was an old multi-sport wetsuit, so pretty thick and robust. I wouldn't have done this scramble in my swim wetsuit!