This year took me on a special photography journey, connecting with the ‘Hythe Bay sea swimmers’. An all age & abilities group, whose origins formed during the covid restrictions when only one hour of exercise locally was permitted per day. Since then their numbers have continued to soar. Meeting regularly, some daily some weekly to buoy one another as they immerse themselves in the freezing English Channel.
I met the group in January 2023 and continued to visit through to August. What I discovered was a truly extraordinary community bound by their love of sea swimming.
Beyond privileged to have met and captured this community through my lens, with each visit encountering new members. I loved hearing their individual tales of why swimming is so important to their lives, with the infinite benefits to mind and body - all with a supportive community beside you AND great snacks and hot coffee after.
They swim in all weather, in all seasons. Even dodging sewage alerts issued by the Environment Agency as a result of private water companies polluting our coastline and waterways.
If you are interested in learning more on this @surfersagainstsewage are a great resource to discover just how widespread and serious this issue is and how it affects swimmers like these. Their website offer sobering statistics and a chance to enlist support to #turnthetide.
From the thousands of images I have made during my time with the swimmers, here are a handful of reminders that stood out from special exchanges and conversations. Through my project I realised swimming in the sea represents so much more than just swimming in the sea to me. I am someone who views the sea as a metaphor for the unknown. Watching this group ignites my belief in what is possible, with a supportive community beside you.
I am always interested to hear from anyone who has or knows of other special communities in Kent that would also like to be documented as part of an ongoing collaboration. If you know of any please message me here or via the contact information on my website if you do.
