Dates: Saturday August 15, 2020 (11 places left)
One day workshop 10.30am-4pm, Sea Palling, Norfolk
Price: £89pp
SEA SWIMMER SAFETY WORKSHOP
Learn to prevent and manage problems in the sea, hone your open water skillset and become a more responsible swimmer on this one-day swim safety workshop.
This is a unique opportunity to learn from some of SwimQuest’s experts on the best-practices for open water swimming in the sea. This workshop will be run by three of our highly experienced SwimQuest guides, with extensive experience in swim safety and open water management. Nick Ayers (RLNI Community Safety Lead for the North East of England), Guy Metcalf (Norfolk Open Water Event Organiser) and Aloce Todd (SwimQuest Co-founder) will work together to deliver this fun, practical and informative workshop.
Sea Palling, June 2020
By the end of the day, you will:
- Feel more knowledgable about ocean swimming conditions, when it is safe, and when it isn’t safe to swim
- Know how to ensure you are complying with recommended open water swim safety practices
- What to do if you find yourself in trouble
- What to do if you find someone else in trouble
- Have a better understanding of tides, currents, and waves and what this means for you as a swimmer
- Brush up on your open water techniques - getting into the water, equipment, sighting, spotting and route planning
IS THIS DAY SUITABLE FOR ME?
We recommend you have some open water experience to get the most from this workshop. Ideally, we would ask you to be comfortable swimming 500m in open water. If you are interested in attending but are unsure of your ability level, please contact charlotte@swimquest.uk.com and we can discuss the day with you. Groups will be split into ability levels whilst in the water.AT A GLANCE
- Price: £89pp
- Meet at: 10.30am at Sea Palling Car Park on Clink Road, behind the Lifeguard Station (postcode NR12 0UL)
- Timings: 10.30am - 4pm (with a break for lunch - to help us with our COVID compliance, please bring your own pack-up)
- Not included: Please note, accommodation, transport, lunch are NOT included - the cost is for the swim workshop only
- Participants: Maximum 20 participants (3 guides)
- Wetsuits: highly advised (we will be in and out of the water, water temp between 15-18oC)
- Itinerary: (please see ITINERARY tab for details) a mixture of land-based exerices and seminars, plus activities in the sea
- Weather: We will attempt to run the full day outdoors (weather permitting). If the weather doesn’t play ball ... some of the seminars may take place indoors. Please come with warm clothing!
ABOUT SEA PALLING
Sea Palling is located between Cromer and Great Yarmouth, on the Norfolk coast. The long sandy beach has been awarded and retained the coveted Blue Flag award for several years. Nine off-shore reefs built as part of the flood prevention scheme have created a safe swimming environment - perfect for practising open water skills. There are lots of affordable car parks nearby, plus a newly built toilet block just off the beach.USEFUL INFORMATION:
- Duration: One day skills workshop (10.30am - 4pm)
- Water temperature: 15-18˚C (wetsuits highly advised as we will be in and out of the water - please contact the office if you’d like to swim without)
- Itinerary: please see ITINERARY tab for details
- Swimming ability: Swimmers should be comfortable swimming at least 500m in open water, please contact the office if you are unsure
- Swim group size: max. 20 swimmers
- Are non-swimmers welcome? Non-swimmers are welcome to join the group to spectate, although will be unable to participate in activities.
WHAT’S INCLUDED?
- A full itinerary
- 3 highly experienced, local SwimQuest guides (see MEET THE TEAM TAB)
- Safety cover
- SwimQuest swim cap
WHAT’S NOT INCLUDED?
Given the restrictions we are facing at the moment because of COVID-19, the price does not include accommodation, transport, food or any equipment hire (please bring your own wetsuit).
Photo: Artem Verbo
MEET THE TEAM
NICK AYERS
Nick was one of the original SwimQuest guides and has been working with John Coningham-Rolls for almost 20 years! Nick now works for the RNLI as the Water Safety Lead for the North East of England. He has extensive experience lifeguarding and lifesaving both in Norfolk, and in New Zealand. Nick has represented the GB team at the Paddleboard World Championships in 2018 and 2019, and in addition, was the first person last year to paddleboard across the English Channel. He is also a swim coach.
GUY METCALF
Guy has spent a number of years working on the Norfolk coastline as an RNLI Lifeguard Supervisor. You may also recognise him as one of our Channel 4 SU2C Sink or Swim Coaches! In additon to his work with SwimQuest, Guy also runs his own event management company organising multi-sport events and open water swims in Norfolk, is a qualified swim coach and coaches his local swim club.
ALICE TODD
Alice is co-founder of SwimQuest Holidays, and a keen year-round open water swimmer. Alice is a qualified swim coach, and like Guy, coached for the Channel 4 Sink or Swim series. When she is not organising other people’s holidays, or encouraging everyone and anyone to get in the water ... you’ll probably find her find her swimming, DJing, cycling, singing or painting!
ITINERARY
This itinerary is dependent on prevailing weather conditions, and swim abilities. SwimQuest guides will assess the conditions and adapt this itinerary accordingly if required. The morning will be focused on reading the sea, and sea swimmer safety - the afternoon will focus on open water swim skills.TIMINGS
10.30am Check in with the SwimQuest team at the Sea Palling Car Park
10.45am Welcome and introductions
11am - reading the sea
A practical and informative session involving what to consider before you even get wet. Do you know what the tides are doing? Are there any currents? What is the weather like, what is the sky saying? What are the beach conditions? What is the shape of the beach telling you? What are other people doing? What safety provisions are provided? Are there any man made hazards to take into account? The session will be a mixture of explanation, demonstration and a chance to put it into practice, plan and complete your own swim.1pm BREAK FOR LUNCH
2PM OPEN WATER SWIM SKILLS
This sessions is a great opportunity to learn new open water skills or brush up after a lockdown break. How efficient is your sighting? Do you know how to sight forwards, backwards? To the side? Why is this important? How would you call for help? How can you check each other is OK? What equipment do you have with you, what equipment do you need? How do you enter and exit the water safely? What should you do when you get out? How should you look after your swim buddies? Again, the session will be a mixture of explanation, demonstration and the opportunity to put your skills into practice in the sea.3.45pm Wrap up and questions
4.00pm homeward bound
WHAT TO BRING
As we will be exposed to great British weather (whatever that may bring!) we reccommend you bring the following:- 2-3 swim suits (there’s nothing worse than putting on a wet cossie!)
- Wetsuit
- Suncream (we hope!)
- Towel
- Change of clothes
- Woolly hat
- Sunhat
- Waterproof clothing / Dryrobe if you have one
- Flip flops / beach shoes
- Packed lunch (please note we cannot currently provide food because of Covid-19)
- Flask of tea
- Your own bottle of water
Photo: Thomas Dills Nem
