Friend never went swimming in the UK on fam hols

We went every year to the south coast of England (Lancing was a favourite) and my mother, who loved the sea and taught us all to swim, insisted we swam every day, even in the rain. I still swim every day on holiday and we regularly go up to the local Normandy coast for a morning dip. I would feel very guilty if I wasted an opportunity. 😂

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I used to holiday on the East Coast and it was usually freezing, I did swim but not much, West Wales is better, South Wales quite good

I am a poor swimmer despite lessons with school and my dad taking me weekly - the best bit of going with dad was Horlicks in a milk bar after.

We always went in the sea on holiday and once we had porpoises swimming amongst us. Luckily, Jaws was way in the future!

Like Monica, I spent many years living abroad. In Cyprus, every spare moment was spent at the beach and in the water.

However, in Britain, I've never done more than paddle. It's just too cold.

I have never really lived far from the coast and so swimming has always played an important part in my life, particularly as a child. I lived near a surfing beach and body boarded - wooden flat boards - from the age of about 5-6. I’ve swam in rivers and lakes, European waters, tropical waters and the Mediterranean. I’ve snorkled but never dived ( didn’t learn). Swam for the school.

Now at 78 I am more selective - and choose only clean warm water, so my swimming days are practically non-existent as I’m not keen on swimming pools unless pristine and enough said sbout our waterways!

I am not a strong swimmer, but love sea swimming. Cold water was no problem ...maybe would be now. We lived in Ramsgate and I spent hours in the sea at Ramsgate, Broadstairs and Cliftonville. We knew to swim away from the outfall pipes and our beaches were clean. Everyone put their rubbish in the bin and drinks and snacks were infrequent treats. I am very sad that our seas and beaches are now so polluted and what was a pleasure has been spoilt in many areas.

I m still swimming in the North Sea and have swum in many other seas and oceans cold and warm
Love my North Sea

My Mum liked to swim and her idea of warm was Bridlington. I used to swim in that freezing cold North Sea in October. Horrible, wouldn’t have a bar of it now. I won’t go in our pool unless it is at least 28C (water temp) and that is still a bit cool for me. If we go up to Queensland we will get in what they think is cold water- they immediately know we are from down South!

We did occasionally go to the seaside as a child (Southport) but the sea was always miles out. I never learned to swim and was never really interested in it. Never really been into the beach and pool scene.

I can recall being in Bali asking a fellow guest if he would like to join me in a car trip around island. I had hired a driver and was looking for someone to share costs. He responded that he wanted to "stay near the pool" in the hotel. I told him that I didnt come halfway around the world to sit by a pool. I did find an American couple who wanted to see a bit more than the Bali Beach hotel.

I love to swim in the sea. Definitely prefer to swim abroad though. Weather being much better

As has been mentioned, there was a lot of sewerage in the sea back in the 60s. In fact on a local beach there was a large pipe that was depositing the stuff.

Also, when the tide went out you'd see numerous sanitary pads washed up.

It's been a problem for years. Also Europe has issues today as well.

But yes, I love to swim in the sea
Just gorgeous.

Blimey. Other people's lives. I can't swim and never had a holiday as a child.

I wouldn’t want to swim in sewage either but it’s not a new thing. We had times on the Kent coast when we emerged from the sea covered in flecks of godknowswhat and we’d be hauled home for a hot bath. The discharge pipes were just offshore - it’s a disgrace it’s still happening nearly 60 years on.

Never swam in the sea and live on the coast.

I happily went into the sea as a child but wouldn’t do so now. I like to see what I’m treading on and what’s floating alongside me so couldn’t bear to do it now. I’d rather not ingest raw sewage or any other of the horrors that pollute our coastal waters.

I've swum in the Baltic as well as other seas, it was surprisingly warm and very clear.

M0nica DH said he couldn't swim when I met him to avoid going in the cold seas around Britain.
When I persuaded him in he was covered in goosebumps!!
(Of course he could swim, he taught lifesaving.)

Paddling, sailing little boats, swimming, surfing (well, body-boarding), also river swimming and sailing on lakes and reservoirs.

I loved the sea until not long ago but not sure I'd want to venture in there now with all the sewage discharges.

Holidays at the beach meant water to me. Paddling, wading, swimming, as long as I was wet I was happy. Even when I was blue and shivering!

I’ve never been swimming in the UK or anywhere else. Whe I was a child my parents said that my brother was having swimming lessons, and did I want them too? I said no, thank you, and that was that. No regrets. Swimming has just never appealed to me.

When I was 8 my father was posted to Hong Kong and then Singapore. After 3 years learning to swim and swimming in tropical waters, we came back to the UK and the first time I went to the sea in the UK, with water, I described 'as so cold, it brned me', I vowed, never again. Since then the number of times I have done more than paddle in northern European waters can be counted on the fingers of one foot.

However, I have a daughter who is a wild swimmer , swims all year round, without wearing a wet suit and both grandchildren have followed suit. Having been born and brought up in Yorkshire and in the sea of Yorkshire, they are very hardy.

We spent our summers on the beach and in and out of the sea on the Kent coast. Despite that, neither my dad nor my brother ever learnt to swim. I don’t ever recall my brother even coming to the beach with us, let alone go in the water.

I believe my dad may have removed his jacket and rolled up his trouser legs once or twice in order to paddle.

I love to swim in the sea, many holidays when I was a kid and took my own children and grandchildren for seaside holidays for many years.

Am a reasonably strong swimmer and on the two days a year it was warm enough I swam in Southend when I lived nearby. Unfortunately somebody stole me and my sister’s clothes so we had to return home on the bus in our bikinis. Can’t remember how we paid for the bus!

Yes, I learnt to swim in the Solent, my Granny lived practically on the beach, no canoeing, but sea fishing and once sailing.