March 2026 ‘Wildlife Encounters’
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For a long time, I didn’t like to think about what creatures I was sharing the water with when I was swimming in the ocean, gliding across a lake or slipping into a river. I would close my eyes in the water and only open them to sight and breathe. I never wanted to see anything looking back at me and, if something brushed against my body, I’d mildly panic and my stroke would suffer.
Over time, through swimming in different countries and waters and learning more about the natural world, I’ve managed to overcome this. Now I help other swimmers do the same. My advice is often to learn about the nature at your swim spot or gently face your fears by exposing yourself, again and again, to the sensations and situations that unsettle you.
These days I swim with ease in most places and feel curious about the underwater worlds around me. I mostly enjoy seeing what’s in the water with me, unless it’s jellyfish. They remain my kryptonite. I know many swimmers have their own feelings about wildlife encounters, which is why we wanted to explore this in more detail in this month’s issue.
Wildlife encounters can be magical, but they can also be unsettling and a reminder that we are visitors in a world that isn’t ours. A turtle gliding beneath you in warm holiday seas is very different from a playful seal nudging you mid-swim off the Cornish coast. In this issue, swimmers share their experiences of wildlife from swans to sharks. We also dive into mythical monsters and imagined creatures, alongside practical advice on how to handle real-life encounters.
Alongside what lurks beneath, you’ll find all the usual guidance on technique, gear, travel and events. We’ve also relaunched our reader benefits, so do make sure you’re getting the most out of being part of the Outdoor Swimmer membership!
Ella Foote, Editor
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- Wild swimming in London and southeast England
Natasha Sones, outdoor adventurer, wild swimmer and author of Swimming Wild in South East England, shares six of her favourite places to dip - How can I set up a home gym as a swimmer?
Wanting to build strength and improve technique outside of the pool? Try these simple and inexpensive pieces of home gym kit - Best pool and open water goggles
Whether you’re looking for a performance focused, low-profile style or a wide field of vision for sighting in open water, we’ve found your next pair of goggles - Close encounters of the wild kind! Your wildlife swimming pics
Inquisitive seals, playful ducks and alarming swans – thank you for sharing photos of your wildlife encounters with us on social media. We’ve picked some of our favourites. - Event review: Barbados Open Water Swim Festival
Reader Alison Atfield decided to travel to Barbados alone for a new challenge - Event review: The Really Cold Swim Championships 2026
Long distance and ice swimmer Jo Jones reports on this year’s event at Rother Valley Country Park. - Breath, water and vibration
Breathing correctly makes us better swimmers, but can working on breath on dryland helps us in the water? Ella Foote joins a Sonic Freedive session at Lime Wood’s Herb House Spa to find out - Five ways to calm the nervous system
Personal trainer Liz Lowe recommends five simple actions to help reduce perceived stress and soothe the nervous system for a more resilient body - Use the outdoors for dryland training
Avoid busy, stuffy gyms and get outside for your dryland training, says fitness coach Vivienne Rickman - Spring clean the body
This month, editor Ella advises how to prepare for the season ahead with a mind and body spring clean - Winging it: the day a swan became my pacer
What an unexpected river chase taught Jharna Kumawat about calm, kindness, and keeping strokes tidy - The best kit bags for swimmers
Our favourite oversized totes and kit bags to fit all your open water swimming gear - Never stop exploring
Raised by the sea in Western Australia, Madoc Lanfear Appleby has found challenge, calm and meaning in open water swimming - Events and wildlife
Alice Dearing shares her experience about how to deal with wildlife when taking part in events and competition - Weekend swim retreat, Stanwell House Hotel, Hampshire
Editor Ella Foote shares her experience of a spa weekend at Stanwell House Hotel on the edge of the New Forest - Swimming with wildlife: wonder, responsibility and the fear factor
Swimming with wildlife is not a right, it’s a privilege, one that depends on healthy ecosystems, responsible operators, informed swimmers, and the continued protection of wild places, says SwimQuest co-founder Alice Todd - Monsters of the deep
Why are we so fascinated by deep sea monsters? Rowan Clarke asks writer and academic Prema Arasu - Close encounters
When it comes to wildlife encounters, how close is too close? asks Rowan Clarke - How to boost your endurance and swim stronger
Boosting endurance in the pool isn’t just about swimming more laps, says swim coach Nicola Butler. It’s about training smarter, improving technique, and developing consistency. - The Thames: London’s wildlife artery
Far from being “biologically dead”, the Thames is a great place for wildlife, says Simon Griffiths - Sharing the river
Swimmers witness nature like no other outdoor pursuit, says Sophie Etheridge
