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NEWS |
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Rutland Water - No Swimming Until 2013 Due to draught conditions, the opening has been put back to summer 2013. The low water level leaves a long muddy area down to the waters edge from the existing grassed area and proposed beach area which would be difficult to manage. We need 2 to 3 months of the amount of rainfall we are experiencing now for water to be absorbed into the ground at depths where ground water is pumped from. The levels at Rutland Water will most likely be too low this summer because more water will be taken from the Rutland Water due to the lack of these underground water supplies. However volunteer life guard training is being progressed in preparation for an opening in 2013, in anticipation that water levels will be back to normal. Hopefully this will be the case as 1976 was the last time water supplies were as low as this year. Some triathlon club swimming should go ahead this year in Rutland Water despite the low water levels as this can be more easily managed. Anglian Water Services have stated they are still committed to opening the bathing beach, and some clearance work for the beach has already been done, but they want to wait till next year before spending any more funds on infrastructure works (signage, buoys, delivery of sand, etc) ready for an opening in 2013. Robert Aspey |
Lighthouse Cove, River Dart, Kingswear, Devon 
Help Kingswear Parish Council to regain access to Lighthouse Cove on the River Dart.
Access has been closed by the new owner after 100s of years of public access.
I feel like a mass trespass coming on! Let us know of any other access battles.
Click here for more details.
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New Wild Swimming Books Three great new wild swimming books for you. Daniel Start's Wild Swimming France reviewed by Jean Perraton (RALSA President), Rob Fryer's Wild Swimming Guide, 2012/13 edition and Taking the Waters: A Swim around Hampstead Heath by Caitlin Davies. Find out more here. |
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Henley Open Water Swimming Club join RALSA Welcome to Henley Open Water Swimming Club who have just joined RALSA. See their website Henley Open Water Swimming Club for more information. They also organise swimming events in the Thames. They are running a number of swimming events this summer. See their website Henley Swim for further details. |
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Open Water Swimming Events 2012 Lots of open water swimming events scheduled for 2012. Find out more here. |
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Swimmers at Hampstead Heath’s ponds ‘forced to pay’ The City of London Corporation is proposing to force swimmers to pay at Hampstead Heath bathing ponds to fund improvements including disabled access. See Evening Standard article for more details. |
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Organising an open water swimming event The ASA have produced a useful document about organising open water swimming events. The ASA Open Water Event Document is very comprehensive and, as always with the ASA, slanted towards competitive swimming. It may be over the top if you are organising a small event but will act as a useful guide to the things you need to think about. |
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Volunteer Lifeguards (free training provided) want for Rutland Water Summer 2012 Anglian Water Services Limited are looking for volunteers to train as beach life guards to maintain life guard cover at the proposed bathing beach on the shores of Rutland Water, near Oakham, Rutland, East Midlands. They aim to set up a dedicated group for the bathing beach which will also provide an opportunity for volunteers to help administer this group. RALSA fully support this plan to establish open water swimming at Rutland Water. Please contact Robert Aspey at robert.aspey@derby.gov.uk for further details. |
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New Farleigh & District Swimming Club Website Find out more here. |
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ROSPA changes it tune on Wild Swimming See comments from ROSPA's CEO. Also see comments by ROSPA in Sky article. We have updated our comments on ROSPA's attitude to open water swimming accordingly. Let us know if local ROSPA representatives are still pushing the No Swimming Allowed line. |
New book on the history of swimming in the UK 
Susie Parr, RALSA supporter and open water enthusiast, has just published the bookThe Story of Swimming It covers the history of swimming in the UK from earliest recorded times (Romans onward) to the current revival in open water swimming. It is full of wonderful illustrations and includes a number of short pieces about Susie's favourite swimming places. I'm sure many RALSA members will recognise how Susie feels about swimming in open water.Put this on your Xmas present list! Read review by Jean Perraton. |
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New Wild Swimming map of the UK OSS (Outdoor Swimming Society) has put together a very informative Wild Swimming map of the UK. Well worth a browse. Well done OSS! . |
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New European Swimming Directory Website Niek Kloots has set up a directory of European Swimming organisations. It includes open water swimming organisation. There is a huge amount of information about swimming events and places to swim across Europe. Great site. Thanks to Niek for setting this up. . |
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Wild Swimming: Freshwater Biodiversity matters Read this interesting blog "Wild Swimming: Freshwater Biodiversity matters" about the new EU Bathing Water Directive and how cleaning up our lakes and rivers is not only important for wild swimming but also freshwater biodiversity. |
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New Open Water Swimming Safety Video Watch Callum Brown’s wonderful and essential video on 0pen Water Swimming Safety here. |
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Rob Fryer’s Wild Swimming Guide 2011 Rob’s new wild swimming guide is now available. Find out more here. |
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EVENTS |
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Find details of open water events in 2012
here. |
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RLSS Open Water Activity Supervisor Course in North East. Pauline Squire proposes to run the RLSS Open Water Activity Supervisor Course this summer in the North East. This qualification enables activity supervisors, school teachers and other group leaders who plan to do activities on or near water to learn important lifesaving skills and what to do in the case of an emergency. Pauline would like to hear from anyone who would be interested in taking the course this summer. Email Pauline ( pauline_squire@sky.com) for further details . |
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Great North Swim • 22-24 June 2012 • Windermere, Cumbria. Swim a mile for your favourite charity in the beautiful Lake district More details at Great North Swim . |
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Make a splash and swim the Mencap Mile • 30 September 2012 • Dorney Lake, Windsor. Make 2012 the year that you take on a great sporting challenge. Swim a mile for Mencap at Dorney Lake, the stunning world class venue which is the stage for the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic rowing competition. To register visit www.mencap.org.uk/mencapmile . . |
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HEALTH & SAFETY |
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Look, everyone is out of step except our Johnny! There is now little doubt that the attitude of some UK organisation towards swimming in natural water, inland water in particular, is not only unique - it looks increasingly irrational and obsessive. Take, for example the following extract from the official website of the Yosemite National Park in the States |
The dangers in the water • lies, damn lies and statistics 'For water safety advice talk to the cool people in swimsuits not to the wet people in grey suits' Pete Roberts Have you ever been bewildered by quoted UK drowning statistics? Warned of catching Weil's disease or of the threat posed by poisonous algae? Read more.. to discover how the health and safety merchants manipulate the media. |
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The verdict is unanimous • the H&S Bonkers must be stopped Judges, politicians, those at the helm of the Health and Safety watchdogs, a writer and a scientist (to mention just a few) have voiced their concern over the proliferation of irrational restrictions on recreational activities which has plagued our society in recent years. So who are the Health and Safety Bonkers? Read more.. |
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LEGAL & REGULATION |
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Extracts from the judgement in the Tomlinson v Congleton BC HSE clarifies scope of 'Blue Book' Heath ponds court victory Environment Agency clarifies its attitude to swimming |
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RIVER & LAKE CAMPAIGNS |
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Black Park Read more.. 
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Broomhill Lido Read more.. 
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Is the tide turning at Rutland Water? Read more.. |
EU Bathing Water Directive update. Read more.. |
More support for the river access campaign  Song of The Paddle, is an open canoe forum that is fighting for reasonable
access to our rivers. The forum
is a hub for river access campaigners.
You can help by writing to your MP and voting for the river access campaign on the 38 degrees website.
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Bury Lake Following the latest legal clarifications of operators liabilities regarding swimming in open water there is no longer a justification for keeping traditional inland water bathing sites, such as at Bury Lake, Rickmansworth closed to the public. Read more.. |
Brereton Heath Want to know why swimming is still banned in the lake which was at the centre of the Tomlinson case? Read more..  |
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The Pooling Resources Group The Pooling Resources Group has been set up to help people campaigning for their local pools |
| RALSA is an association of clubs & individuals representing wild swimmers. Membership is free and we make no demands. Whether you are a competitive, all year round or recreational summer swimmer, please join us to show your support [Click here] |
