Changing seasons, changing climate, changing strokes: the long history of swimming

Have you ever wondered about the origins of swimming? How about how we came to swim outdoors in the cooler northern hemisphere compared to warmer water in the south? In her book, Shifting Currents: A World History of Swimming, Karen Eva Carr gives a comprehensive history of swimming and examines the tension that arose when non-swimming northerners met African and Southeast Asian swimmers. When looking at trends in swimming, it is fascinating to learn about the global enthusiasm for the water – here she gives us an extract of her work.

You always swim in the same river, but as the seasons change, so does the river.