In many places in the world, day-to-day survival takes precedent over all other activities and swimming is just another non-essential activity that gets very little thought. Yet, in places where swimming pools are abundant, the suggestion that swimming should be made available to all is not unreasonable. On the surface, France is one of those…
Author: otleyhaynes
Parliament Hill Lido: The Big One
With the current restrictions on travel, the chances to visit unseen pools has been few and far between. Recently though, I had the pleasure to swim at Parliament Hill Lido in London. It is really a special place. The late summer heat brought out lots of swimmers plunging into still very chilly 18 degrees water…
Lane Rage!
Most regular indoor swimmers will have witnessed or even been involved in a lane rage incident. In an article in the Sunday Times, Josephine Perry reports how a male swimmer went beyond lane rage to what was tantamount to a physical assault. Perry was held under water by the ankles by a man in the…
No Swimming! Is This The Answer?
With depressing regularity, tragic deaths of swimmers continue to be reported during the summer months. These tend to be young people swimming in cold water in rivers, lakes and reservoirs. Recently in the Yorkshire area, three such drownings have been reported involving swimmers aged 13, 15 and 16. I have noted that in the spot…
Bl-aquaphobia
The work of Ed Accura is definitely worth checking out. A short trailer of the film ‘Blacks Can’t Swim’ can be found through the link to Youtube below: Similarly, the Guardian features an article on Ed Accura’s work below. https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2021/apr/04/i-was-the-only-black-kid-in-the-pool-why-swimming-is-so-white
Hats off to Hathersage!
Where and how to swim during a global pandemic may be the least of many people’s worries at present, but the act of swimming can also be the key to maintaining mental sanity during these difficult times. For this very reason, I found it nearly impossible to remain patient for the announcement of permission for…
Goodbye Swimming (for now)
On the last day that swimming was allowed at my local pool before shutting due to the COVID-19 pandemic, I looked around at all the familiar faces and swimmers. They glided through the water quickly and efficiently with the benefit of having spent countless hours swimming. I wondered what they must be thinking as I…
Racial Discrimination in Pools
ASw is following the progress of Alice Dearing the Olympic hopeful who is aiming to be the first black woman to represent the UK in the Olympics. She has now spoken out about the challenges that she has faced as a black swimmer in a recent BBC article below. Racial discrimination in publicly- accessible pools…
Moseley Road Scaffolding is Off!
After 17 years, the scaffolding is off the Gala Pool at Moseley Road Baths. Although it won’t be used immediately for swimming, it is another step forward for this proud, local endeavour. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-birmingham-51463367
Cultural Appropriation and Body Image
This image is from a recent exhibition from the Tropenmuseum Amsterdam which was part of a display engaging with cultural appropriation. In this example the geometric shapes of the tattooes have a link with the Marquesas Islands and their use of these patterns for objects such as war clubs. Wearing these types of tattoos without…
An Anthropology of Swimming 