The Best Ways to Stay Warm When It’s Cold At The Beach

With open water swimming amongst other Wild Atlantic activities growing in popularity this year, it is important to realise the power of cold water; particularly during the winter months.

If you have ever entered the waters along our coast, you will soon realise that we are not living in the tropics and although it’s refreshing in our waters, not only the views can take your breath away; the water can too.

Therefore it is increasingly important that if you are getting in and out of the water, or even spectating from the sidelines, you must try to stay warm, as the Wild Atlantic winter is upon us.

A few standout tips to help keep your body temperature at a safe & comfortable level are:

1. Pack a flask of hot water

When you’re packing up the car and getting ready to hit the waves, chuck in a flask of hot water. With endless uses such as warming up gloves and boots before use, or helping warm up your hands and feet at the end of your session, you will never regret packing a flask of hot water. You could even keep a jar of coffee or a few teabags in your boot and pour yourself a fresh brew to warm yourself up from the inside out after your dip or surf.

2. Keep your heart rate up

Whether you’re braving the elements on the beach or in the sea, it’s important that you keep your heart rate raised to help keep yourself warm. In particular, if you’re about to surf or bodyboard, it’s important you warm up just like you would for any other physical activity. A dynamic warm up is best and includes things such as jogging (along the beach or in one place), bodyweight squats, arm and leg swings, neck rolls and stretches and a series of jumping jacks or other static movements. Keep your activity short and focused so you don’t expend too much energy before your surf or swim.

3. Fuel up

Carb loading is just as important for wave catchers as it is for marathon runners so fuel up. In preparation for a day catching waves, you may want to treat yourself to warm, hearty food such as porridge, pasta, energy bars or a good bowl of stew,  but be sure to give yourself an hour or two to allow your body time to digest your food before entering the water. We suggest you leave fruit or other foods with high water content until after your session as they contain lots of water, which can lower your body temperature, which isn’t what we want in winter.

4. Get cosy

Last but not least, it’s important to try to keep yourself warm and get dry as quickly as possible after leaving the water. Once you leave the water, a quick jog towards your car or van will help to keep your body temperature up until you can get dried off. When you’ve stopped moving, you can throw on a Wild Atlantic wet and dry changing robe to keep cosy. You can then take off your wetsuit and swimwear easily without the fuss of trying to keep your dignity in front of prying eyes. Once you’ve got your wet gear off, the  Wild Atlantic sand free towel will help you dry off before getting dressed….getting changed has never been so easy!

Now you know how to keep yourself warm, what is stopping you from taking the plunge?

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