Open-water swimming has grown in popularity in recent years – the attraction is obvious – but safety is paramount. Clare Kenny joined the Blue Lagooners to get some expert tuition and take her first dip into the wild swim world.
From better circulation to enhanced mood, there are many reasons to try open water swimming. It’s a great way to challenge yourself mentally while soaking up the numerous health benefits, so I decided to, literally, take the plunge.
The last place I expected to end up when I accepted an invite to try open water swimming was Womersley in Doncaster, but Spring Lodge Lake, home of Blue Lagooners, really is idyllic. The only clue you’re near civilisation are the trains that occasionally snake their way past, obscured by the surrounding trees.
My friend Chris, who’s a regular, was on hand to show me the ropes before I got into the water. First up was hiring (and fitting into) a wetsuit, the latter being a workout in itself! Different to surfing wetsuits, open water suits are designed to keep the body temperature higher and reduce the ‘shock’ of getting into the water. Their built-in buoyancy also provides an added element of safety; if you get tired you can go on your back and float ‘starfish’ style until you’re ready to start swimming again. Genius!
Stepping into the lake, I was surprised at just how much water enhances the experience of being in nature, and the sounds of splashing and chatting were wonderfully evocative of the magic of beach holidays. But encouraged by a friend to make my way further into the lake, I realised that I felt surprisingly nervous. I can swim fairly long distances in a normal pool, but there’s a lot more to think about when swimming outdoors.
At Spring Lodge Lake there are two routes to choose from: 250 or 500 metres, both snaking around giant buoys. I must add that you can’t grab onto these if you’re tired, although those in wetsuits can of course try the aforementioned back float.
Many swimmers take a flotation device, known as a tow float, along with them for extra reassurance. This is something I’d definitely recommend for those new to the hobby – I’ll be taking one with me next time. They’re also mandatory if you’re swimming without a wetsuit, something which is only permitted once the water is 18 degrees and above and highly unlikely in the autumn and winter months.
Claire Kenny takes the plunge. (c) Claire Kenny
Safety is something Blue Lagooners take extremely seriously. The team of staff on paddle boards patrolling the lake are unobtrusive but have an almost telepathic ability to spot anyone who looks like they’re struggling, or even apprehensive. They certainly sensed my nerves and headed across to check I was ok while providing reassurance and encouragement. As a first timer, it made a huge difference.
Completing my swim brought a real sense of achievement. Physical tiredness and mental exhilaration are a powerfully healthy combination, and focusing on nothing but the rhythm of your body against the water and the sights, sounds and smells around you is incredibly absorbing and calming. There’s a richness to the experience that you just don’t get in a traditional swimming pool.
A vital social hub
At Blue Lagooners there’s a real mix of ‘serious’ and social visitors, and a warm welcome for everyone. Chatting with co-founder Morg – aka ‘Coach Morg’ – after my swim, he told me how the club has provided a much-needed social hub: ‘I think during the pandemic we all realised just how crucial exercise and social interaction was to our mental health. So many of the people who come here do so because of the psychological benefits of physical exercise and the connections with others; there’s a group of new mums who use it as an opportunity to support one another, and women who are experiencing menopause who are using it to manage symptoms. We also have a significant number of ex and serving military and emergency services personnel who swim with us and find it a great release from the daily pressures they face in their careers’.
This is a great time to take a dip into open water swimming – it truly is a hobby that can be enjoyed all year-round. In fact, swimming in colder temperatures packs an even more powerful physical and psychological punch, so there’s no excuse not to take the plunge!
Claire can be found on Instagram and facebook @my40pluslife.me. Blue Lagooners are at bluelagooners.com

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ListenLive
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The answer to why submarines are black might seem straightforward, but it’s not quite as obvious as it seems and is closely tied to why car tyres are the same colour. 
Let’s delve into a bit of the history of submarines before expanding on that. 
It was during the First World War that submarine hulls started to be painted grey and the decks black to provide camouflage.
However, once the enemy’s aircraft started flying over water, submarines could be spotted when they weren’t fully submerged.
Before nuclear power, diesel-powered submarines contained leading-edge technology but, compared to today’s modern subs, were slow underwater vessels and spent a lot of their time on the surface to refuel and resupply. 
Fast forward to 1955, when the US Navy created the first nuclear-powered submarine, USS Nautilus, an underwater vessel that changed the course of maritime history.
Due to the now vastly increased time a submarine could spend submerged underwater, and wanting to make the vessels as difficult to find as possible, led to a rethink when it came to the colour scheme. 
Warships are grey to reduce the chance of the vessels being spotted by the enemy. 
For example, when a vessel is close to the horizon, a haze grey exterior can make it hard to identify accurately, even more so in foggy or cloudy weather conditions. 
Keeping that in mind, why are submarines black when they are also found at sea? 
You might have seen posts on social media about which swimming costume colour parents should choose to help keep their children safe in the water in case they should find themselves unable to swim and go underwater.
Neon yellows and greens are more visible the further the costume sinks underwater whereas the blue, white and black swimwear becomes barely visible very quickly. 
The same applies to submarines.
Of all the colours of paint, black is the most durable and reflects the least amount of light, helping to camouflage the vast vessel when it is near the surface. 
And according to reports, there is barely any light once you reach 200 metres into the ocean.
The test depth of a submarine is the maximum depth an underwater vessel can operate under normal peacetime circumstances.
Submarine test depth information is often classified to prevent enemy forces having a tactical advantage. 
Official statistics released by the Royal Navy about its stealthy and powerful submarine fleet include the vessels’ lengths, top speeds and weight – not the test depth. 
However, a testimony of a submariner on the Royal Navy’s official website reveals a depth where there is rarely any light. 
Chef (Submariner) CH Hayes, said: “You can’t beat the buzz of working in a kitchen – especially when you’re 200 metres underwater.” 
But submarines aren’t black for that reason alone. 
Sometimes the perfect material for the job just happens to be black. 
It’s all about anechoic tiles.
According to the Royal Navy, Astute is covered by “more than 39,000 anechoic tiles that absorb active sonar and reduce noise radiated from within the boat.”
Photos of Royal Navy submarines resurfacing show off these impressive tiles for the world to see. 
Reports say anechoic tiles make detecting submarines more difficult because their unique design distorts sonar waves being used to discover the vessel’s location.
In layman’s terms, anechoic tiles to submarines are like the invisibility cloak to Harry Potter. 
The durable, porous material absorbs active sonar waves helping to make them less visible underwater.
But what are active sonar waves?
Just like whales and dolphins, submarines rely on sonar (sound navigation and ranging) to navigate in water. 
To find an enemy submarine, the Royal Navy uses two types of sonar – active and passive. 
Active sonar is a pulse of sound – a ‘ping’, let’s say – that travels through water to an unknown object, only to return, be analysed and interpreted to give sonar operators an idea of what is around them. 
However, when a sound wave hits an anechoic tile, it is partially absorbed so, when it reflects back, it is reduced and distorted – confusing the enemy as to the submarine’s whereabouts. 
There is, however, a downside to using active sonar.
There is a risk the ‘ping’ sound could be detected by enemy submarines so, more often than not, passive sonar is used to protect the vessel’s location. 
Passive sonar is where operators listen for sound in order to detect a ship or other submarine and determine the trajectory. 
And thanks to black anechoic tiles reducing the sound coming from within submarines, doing that isn’t as straightforward as you might think. 
So why are submarines black? 
Because their invisibility cloak, anechoic tiles, just happen to be black. 
And why are they black?
Rubber anechoic tiles contain carbon black, an odourless, insoluble, ultralight, fine black powder, to make them more durable underwater. 
The same goes for car tyres. Remember the connection between submarines and car tyres?
Rubber is naturally white, not a colour usually associated with car tyres which are made up of a variety of different types of the highly versatile and malleable material. 
To increase the durability of tyres, a substance known as carbon black is added to reduce wear and tear over time, increase tensile strength and protect the rubber from UV light damage. 
The same can be said for anechoic tiles. 
Also made of rubber, anechoic tiles used on submarines contain carbon black to increase their durability when submerging and resurfacing over and over again. 
So that is why submarines are black. 
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Bedfordshire's firefighters are not meeting "the minimum fitness requirements", inspectors have said.
His Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services said this was "a cause of concern".
Chief fire officer Andy Hopkinson said there had been a backlog in assessments due to the pandemic and "95% of operational staff" had now passed.
The service was rated good in understanding risk and fire and required improvement at fire response.
Chief fire officer Andy Hopkinson said it had "made steps forward in many areas".
HM Inspector of Fire & Rescue Service Roy Wilsher said: "The service can't assure itself that its firefighters meet the minimum fitness requirements.
"There has been a decline in this area and this is a cause of concern."
Mr Hopkinson said the service had suspended annual fitness testing during the Covid-19 pandemic lockdowns.
"We made it clear to HMICFRS that the backlog would be cleared and their cause for concern fully discharged before the report published," he said.
Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue Service was assessed in 11 areas covering all elements of fire and rescue service work carried out by firefighters and staff at all levels.
Its last inspection was in January 2021.
Inspectors, who visited in February and March, criticised the service for not meeting its own response standards and said it did not fill staff vacancies quickly enough.
The service needed to be better at handling staff grievances and it needed to improve development for its on-call firefighters.
But staff were proud of the service, its work and their own contribution, Mr Wilsher said.
He praised the "positive and constructive way in which the service worked with our inspection staff".
Jacqui Burnett, chair of Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue Authority, said: "The service has invested great time and effort on important issues like establishing a more detailed understanding of risks within the county… and importantly, improving service culture and how we recruit, develop and look after our staff.
"We now have a much better understanding of the risks we face in Bedfordshire, which will directly shape what we do, and the inspection report recognises this."
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A WORLD champion swimmer has coached the next generation of talented athletes at an event at Winchester.
As previously reported, three-time Olympic gold medallist and eight-time world champion Adam Peaty brought his AP Race Clinic to Winchester Sports and Leisure Centre on Friday, August 11.
The 50m and 100m world-record holder was joined by his support team as they coached young swimmers from across the county.
Children across the county had the opportunity to be coached by Adam Peaty and his team (Image: Everyone Active)Four stations were set up on the day of the event, three for swimmers and one for parents, as well as a gym and racing edge stations, where attendees could receive expert advice from a strength and conditioning coach and a psychologist.
READ MORE: Test Valley swimming club celebrates council grant
To finish the event Adam gave a presentation on his career, the lessons he has learnt and how he has managed to maintain his success.
Speaking before the event, Alison Lewis, Everyone Active’s area contract manager, said: “We are hugely excited to welcome Adam and his team to Winchester Sport and Leisure Park. This is a fantastic opportunity for promising swimmers from the local community to receive the best possible training and advice.
The clinic was attended by dozens of children and their families (Image: Everyone Active)“Adam’s incredible achievements in swimming speak for themselves and for swimmers, parents and coaches to learn from him in our state-of-the-art facility is too good an opportunity to miss.”
Founded in 2019, AP Race Clinics aims to inspire swimmers, parents and coaches.
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A four-mile front crawl, then a hike — my very wild swim  The Times
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