P B Hughes is a cold water swimmer and poet from London. In this episode she describes the courage needed to attempt cold water swimming, and observes that this courage is something she’s been able to take strength in during difficult times. She also describes the parallels between cold water swimming and her creative work.
P B finishes the episode by sharing a couple of her poems.
Tamsin Calidas followed her dream of moving from London to a remote Scottish island. Relocating and adjusting to island life wasn’t without its challenges, and Tamsin shares how sea swimming and finding a bond with nature has helped her overcome those difficult times, and has now started to inspire her creative work.
I love how Tamsin describes the transformative impact swimming had for her, from forcing her to face her fears, to motivating her to get up in the morning. It’s allowed her to connect with her physical self and find a sense of release, or a place of peace, while being held by the water.
Tamsin shares an extract from her book at the end of the episode, and listening to it is like being in the water, swimming alongside her.
Tamsin is a writer and photographer. Her memoir, “I Am An Island” explores the challenges we all face, and is available now.
“I Am An Island” by Tamsin Calidas is available now
The podcast is back after a short break! In this episode I talk about why I needed to take a break, and how swimming has helped me with recent life challenges; from allowing me to focus on being in the moment, to making me more resilient.
For more information on the cold water research I mention in this episode, have a look at these articles: