Bantham Swoosh 2017

Bantham Swoosh outdoor swim 2017

By Talyn Williams

Another weekend and another fun-packed event for Alpkit. With the van loaded up with Swoosh towels, we couldn’t wait to get down to the cosy little village of Bantham, Devon to join the Outdoor Swimming Society for the 6km swim down the estuary. There were two swims scheduled; one at dawn and another at dusk. The retreating tide creates a ‘swoosh’ where the river narrows towards the finish line, meaning swimmers are catapulted along at up to four times their usual speed. We had the chance to jump in and try it out for ourselves and can confirm that it’s great fun (wetsuit recommended)!

It was a little windy, but the Alpkit gazebo managed to stay grounded

Outdoor Swimming Swimwear and Wetsuits

  • BLACK FRIDAY

X-Small
Element Wetsuit Jacket [Mens]
Front zip wetsuit jacket. Keep warm your way and easy to put on.
$109.99 $129.99

  • BLACK FRIDAY

X-Small
Element Wetsuit Vest [Mens]
Front zip wetsuit vest. Keep warm your way and easy to put on.
$94.99 $119.99

  • BLACK FRIDAY

X-Small
Element Wetsuit Pants [Mens]
Wetsuit pants. Keep warm your way and easy to put on.
$109.99 $129.99

  • BLACK FRIDAY

X-Small
Element Wetsuit Shorts [Mens]
Wetsuit shorts. Keep warm your way and easy to put on.
$79.99 $99.99

  • BLACK FRIDAY

X-Small
Element Wetsuit Jacket [Womens]
Front zip wetsuit jacket. Keep warm your way and easy to put on.
$119.99 $129.99

  • BLACK FRIDAY

X-Small
Element Wetsuit Vest [Womens]
Front zip wetsuit vest. Keep warm your way and easy to put on.
$94.99 $119.99

  • BLACK FRIDAY

X-Small
Element Wetsuit Pants [Womens]
Wetsuit pants. Keep warm your way and easy to put on.
$109.99 $129.99

  • BLACK FRIDAY

X-Small
Element Wetsuit Shorts [Womens]
Wetsuit shorts. Keep warm your way and easy to put on.
$79.99 $99.99

  • BLACK FRIDAY

Short & Strong
Lotic Swimming Wetsuit [Mens]
Our best all-round wetsuit for outdoor swimming in open water
$209.99 $259.99

  • BLACK FRIDAY

Short and Strong
Lotic Swimming Wetsuit [Womens]
Our best all-round wetsuit for outdoor swimming in open water
$209.99 $259.99

  • BLACK FRIDAY

Small
Terrapin Natural Swimming Wetsuit [Mens]
Natural swimming position with thinner more flexible neoprene
$149.99 $189.99

  • BLACK FRIDAY

Small
Terrapin Natural Swimming Wetsuit [Womens]
Natural swimming position with thinner more flexible neoprene
$149.99 $189.99

Your next reads

Wild Swimming Guide: everything you need to know

Wild swimming is one of our favourite ways to be brave, get in touch with nature and reset. If you haven’t tried it yet, you really, really should....
August 22, 2023

Where Can I Go Wild Swimming?

Where can you go wild swimming near you? How far will you have to travel to find water you are free to swim in? Our expert team share some great ad...
May 06, 2024

SwimRun? What on earth is that?

Alpkit customer Alex took part in his first SwimRun event with his Alpkit Duel wetsuit. And he smashed it. He won his first SwimRun event. Here's h...
July 04, 2023

SwimRun? What on earth is that?

Alpkit customer Alex took part in his first SwimRun event with his Alpkit Duel wetsuit. And he smashed it. He won his first SwimRun event. Here's h...
July 04, 2023

With new eyes

The idea of conquering fear suggests that a fear that was once felt, irrational or not, is somehow destroyed or replaced. I'm not sure I agree base...
October 03, 2017

The Slingshot

We were delighted to support this yearsOutdoor Swimming Society Adventure Series, one of which was put on byJim Whittaker of Channel Training Ltdwh...
December 03, 2014

Trespass 92 - Hayfield Kinder Trespass Group and Spirit of Kinder

It’s well documented that the 1932 Kinder Mass Trespass was a pivotal event in the fight for responsible access to open spaces. However, 92 years o...
April 17, 2024

What makes the Frog Whitton the Uk's ultimate Swim-Cycle event

Have you ever had an idea that captivated you instantly? Last year at the Kendal Mountain Festival I watched the Alpkit sponsored film of Dan Du...
November 12, 2019

Dawn & Chris Enjoying Year Round Swimming

Alpkit competition winners Chris & Dawn give us three very good reasons to get in the water. 
March 18, 2020

What to do next

You finish something that you didn't think you could finish. It takes a little while for it all to sink in. You have moments of sheer joy, relief a...
March 30, 2017

Swimming 5 Lakes: An Everyday Adventure

Adventures are always more rewarding in winter. It’s so much harder to get motivated to do pretty much anything when it’s cold, and almost impossib...
February 07, 2018

Chasing The Frog

‘The Frog’ seemed destined to become another running dream consigned to the ‘that would be great but I’m too busy’ bin. For the previous two years...
November 23, 2018

Outdoor Swimming for Two

I’ve always had a strong affinity with water. As a youngster I was a keen club swimmer and spent many family holidays splashing around in the sea i...
April 28, 2021

The Joys of swimming in the Autumn

This is a blog about the joys of swimming through the changing seasons, written by one of our Alpkiteers, Katie Palmer. It’s the same every year...
October 25, 2022

Bantham Swoosh outdoor swim 2017

Another weekend and another fun-packed event for Alpkit. With the van loaded up with Swoosh towels, we couldn’t wait to get down to the cosy little...
June 27, 2017

My favourite space is swimming in the sea

This is the story of one of our customers, Jane, who got into wild swimming during lockdown. She's taken to doing point-to-point swims and has eve...
November 04, 2022

An ode to Outdoor Swimming

Wild swimming is a release, a distraction, an addiction, a cure. I started swimming regularly once I began working for Alpkit a few years ago, i...
December 31, 2020

Hurly Burly outdoor swimming event - The Pioneer Year report

Last weekend, I headed over to Wales to join the Outdoor Swimming Society in Barmouth for the very first Hurly Burly, where participants could choo...
October 17, 2017

Manchester Swim / Bike / Run / Triathlon 2016

We’re really excited to be exhibiting at this years Swim / Bike / Run / Triathlon Expo at Manchester’s Event City. 1 ticket gives you access to all...
March 15, 2016

OSS and Alpkit Story competition

Is there a swim you want to do, a multi-sport adventure you want to embark on? Well, pitch the idea to the Outdoor Swimming Society for the OSS Alp...
March 29, 2018

Hurly Burly 10k outdoor swim: The Pioneer Year

What is the Hurly Burly? In its pioneer year, that's what the Outdoor Swimming Society are trying to find out. Discover with them. Hurly Burly is t...
August 19, 2017

Project Big Swim

There's no point in hiding what #ProjectBigSwim is, so I'll tell you the tale of how the idea came about... Once I managed to let go, to deal wi...
August 22, 2017

Scree to sea

Like all the best ideas, Scree to Sea was dreamt up over a pint on a warm summer evening in the Lake District. The idea was a simple one - returnin...
May 30, 2017

Lindsey Cole's 2019 Dart 10k outdoor swim

There wasn’t a soul in the high street as I strolled through Totnes under the soft pink hues of the morning sky early on Sunday. It was quite encha...
September 26, 2019

Iconic wild swims

Author of Swimming Wild in the Lake District Suzanna Cruickshank shares her favourite iconic swimming locations. The mere use of the word ‘iconi...
May 11, 2021

Whitby cold water Christmas dip

A Treasured Outdoor Moment - Nina Carter-Brown. This year I spent Christmas in Whitby on the North Yorkshire coast! I grew up here and as a teen...
January 09, 2021

Simon Griffiths on the Joy of Open Water Swimming

Simon Griffiths is the founder of Outdoor Swimmer magazine. He lives and breathes swimming. In the pool, training for triathlons and masters races....
February 10, 2023

From Summer Dips to Winter Plunges: Steph's Journey into Wild Swimming

I’ve been outdoor swimming for around a decade – when I lived in Canada for a few years, it was a daily occurrence during the warmer summer months ...
July 11, 2024

Leave a comment

Please note, comments must be approved before they are published

=