How do you get into open-water swimming?

Open water is the glamorous end of swimming: a lake at dawn, a cove with nobody in it, the long slow glide along a Ligurian bay with a granita waiting on the shore. It is also water you cannot see the bottom of, with no lane ropes, no wall and no lifeguard tutting at you unless you choose a place that has one. The way in is to keep the romance and add some sense.

Start where someone is watching

UK water-safety charity RLSS UK recommends swimming at a lifeguarded beach or an accredited open-water venue, particularly while you are less experienced, and not swimming alone. This is good advice anywhere in the world.

• Lifeguarded beaches have a marked swimming zone and people whose job is to notice if you get into trouble.
• Open-water venues (lakes and reservoirs run for swimmers) usually have a marked course, safety cover and other beginners. Many offer induction sessions.
• Swim groups are the social route in. Local open-water clubs and informal dawn-dip groups are often very welcoming to newcomers.

What to bring

• A bright swim cap. You are much easier to spot.
• A tow float. RLSS UK recommends a securely attached one, and RoSPA suggests one with a whistle so you can attract attention. Treat it as a visibility aid and somewhere to rest a hand, not as a life-saving device.
• Goggles you trust. Tinted ones help on bright days.
• Warm layers and a hot drink for afterwards. A changing robe or big towel, a hat, socks. You will want them sooner than you think.
• A wetsuit, depending on the water. RLSS UK notes that a wetsuit is generally safer in water of 18°C or below, and advises that beginners avoid water under 12°C.

Respect the cold

RoSPA describes cold water shock as a physical response to getting into water at 15°C or lower quickly: a gasp, and breathing much faster than normal. Practically, that means:

• Get in slowly. Walk in, splash your face and neck, and wait until your breathing has settled before you start swimming.
• Know Float to Live. If the cold or anything else catches you out, RoSPA's advice is to tilt your head back with your ears in the water, relax, breathe, and use your hands to stay afloat until you can think clearly again.
• Keep the first swims short. Get out while you still feel good, not when you start to shiver.

Know the water

• Stay where you can stand for your first few swims, and swim parallel to the shore rather than heading out.
• Check conditions before you go: weather, wind, tides and any local warnings. If it looks rough, it is a day for a coffee on the terrace instead.
• Know your exit. Spot where you can get out easily before you get in.
• Tell someone ashore where you are going and when you will be back. In an emergency, RoSPA's advice is to call 999 (in the UK), or the local emergency number elsewhere.

Building up

Once you are comfortable, extend gradually: a little further along the shore, a little longer in the water, a different venue with a friend who knows it. Learning to breathe calmly in choppy water and to look up now and then to see where you are going (sighting) are skills worth practising. If your stroke feels wobbly, a few adult lessons in a pool pay off quickly in open water.