What equipment is needed?

All regular swimmers must have a valid NOWCA membership which comes with the NOWCA safety wristband. This is used to scan you in and out of the water.

At our venue it is not compulsory to wear a wetsuit, however, swimmers should be aware that the Royal Life Saving Society recommends swimmers wear wetsuits in water that is under 15°C.

We recommend all swimmers use a tow float as they are perfect for aiding visibility, it can also be used as an aid if you need a rest in the water. ALL SWIMMERS on the larger courses must use a tow float when they swim.

We ask that all swimmers wear a brightly coloured hat in the water. This can be either swimming cap or a warm hat/headband to both provide visibility to other swimmers and our safety staff . A hat is good at helping to retain vital core heat to prevent the risk of hypothermia.

A good fitting pair will help your overall experience in the water, it’s even worth keeping a spare pair in your bag just in case. (let's face it we’ve all arrived to swim & they are missing)

If you are planning to spend longer in the water or are prone to ear infections we recommend treating yourself to earplugs.

We recommend gloves & hats for swimming especially in the cooler temperatures, to help protect your extremities as they will cool down the fastest.

It is only a short distance between the water and changing rooms. You will benefit from slip on, quick drying footwear to protect your feet from the stones on the shoreline.

It is important to have dry clothes to change into to help maintain your body heat. Easy to put on layers are recommended. Changing robes are nice to have especially on cooler days.

We currently don’t have facilities to make large numbers of hot drinks, we recommend you bring a warm one with you (or a cold one for summer) and a snack to help refuel your body after swimming.