FAQ
Do I need to be able to swim?
Yes, a little bit. All Iconic Swimmers must be capable of swimming 50m in a pool and able to tread water for two minutes. We aim to be as inclusive as possible, so it doesn’t matter if you are new to open water or the sea, but if you aren’t able to swim at all then a swimming pool is probably the safest place to learn.
Is it safe?
Yes. All swims have been tested out rigorously and a safety plan worked out for each route. Our guides are qualified beach lifeguards and open water swim coaches and our boat skippers fully qualified, licensed and insured.
Must I be a fast swimmer?
No. Unless there is specific guidance included in the booking notes you should assume that we cater for all speeds of swimmer. Having said that, you should know what your estimated swim speed is and work out how long that would mean you have to spend in the water to cover the published distance, so please do not book a 2km swim if 50m is the farthest you have swum before.
Will there be food and drink?
Yes. Some of our swims advertise a picnic. All other swims will include hot drinks and snacks.
Will I get cold?
Yes, a bit, but then that’s part of the whole experience and, don’t worry, we’re experts at looking after you and making sure that you warm back up again with lovely hot drinks.
How cold will the water be?
A little on the chilly side, but it’s lovely once you’re in. For most of our swim dates, the sea is between 15-20 degrees C. May is typically 10-15C and during August it can touch 20C. Unlike lakes or rives, the sea rarely falls below 7C in the winter.
Find out more by viewing the
Milford local sea temperature chart.
What should I bring?
Swimwear, goggles, hat, a wetsuit if you’re likely to be in the water for more than an hour, sensible footwear if hiking to the swim, and lots of layers to warm up afterwards, including a woolly hat, gloves and warm socks - even in the summer. You’ll be getting changed with other people around, so think about a changing robe or generous-sized towel to hide under when changing.
Do I need to wear a wetsuit?
Whether to wear a wetsuit is entirely your choice.
If you’re coming to one of our swimming for health sessions, you’ll likely find that most participants do not wear a wetsuit during the summer months as the cold water is part of the therapy.
For our longer swims you’ll find many of the swimmers do wear a swimming wetsuit and we’ll ask you to prove that you are a confident ‘skins’ swimmer if you want to swim without one. Wetsuit rental available from
My Wetsuit Hire.
Can non-swimmers watch?
Yes, unless we are heading out to sea on the boats it should be possible for others to accompany us whilst walking along the beach.
Do you cater for people with disabilities?
We welcome all swimmers. Please contact us before booking and we’ll discuss how to make the swimming work for you.
How many other swimmers will there be?
Our swims are restricted to a maximum group size of ten.
Where do I park?
There is public parking available nearby for all of our swims. The Council car parks use the Ringo parking app.
Are there toilets nearby?
Yes, there are loos near all of our swim starts and finishes and aboard our swim mothership.
What about cancellation due to bad weather?
Most of our swim experiences have been devised in order to withstand poor weather. However, in the event of us having to cancel your swim due to unusually poor weather we will re-book you to another date. We will always let you know at least 48 hours beforehand if your swim is going to be postponed.
