Sea Shannon

Offering intro to sea swimming, competitive and advanced swimming, and everything in between! STA Level 2 Qualified Swim Teacher,  STA Level 2 Open Water Swim Coach, RLSS Open Water Lifeguard, former Red Cross Beach Lifeguard in the USA.

-Group fun swims

-Group instruction

-Private instruction

-Learning front crawl, breaststroke, backstroke, butterfly

-Sea swimming and beach safety awareness

-Confidence building

-Event/race coaching

-Swimming for fitness

-Sea swimming techniques

-General advice and best places to swim in the New Forest area

Discounts available for return customers and block bookings.

We believe the sea should be safe for everyone.  Open water swimming is a highly inclusive activity full of welcoming smiles (and occasional shivers!). Please don't hesitate to get in touch regarding any hesitations, worries about body shape or size, lack of confidence or experience, accessibility concerns, or even concerns about paying.  We can help you.

With a background in environmental management and sustainability, I aim to connect people to the environment through swimming.  Born in California, I could swim before I could walk.  At a young age my family relocated to New Jersey. Here I spent my summers learning how to swim with the waves.  Winters were spent training as part of various swim teams, but the summer’s seas were home for me.   Having never lived more than a mile from water, and spending 7 years as a seafarer, near the water is where I belong.  I hope to inspire others to love the water, and feel safe in the seas.

See you in the sea!

Notes:  All sessions will be held at Hordle Cliff Beach in Milford on Sea unless arranged otherwise. There is a pay and display car park with toilet facilities and a takeaway café (both of which may or may not be open during your session). You will likely get a parking fine if you don’t pay for parking, or are not parked on the road legally. Please arrive on time, and ready to swim for the start of your session.  Sessions begin and end on time, as there may be others waiting for sessions after yours. If at any time you are uncomfortable, cold, feeling tired, feeling unwell, feeling unsure, it is important that you communicate this. Cold water swimming has risks, and it is important to communicate your feelings so that you are kept safe.  

Essential items list: 

1.      Towel 

2.      Goggles and swimming cap if you are planning to do front crawl. I have extras available for purchase at my cost price (usually purchased from Decathlon). I cannot loan these due to hygienic reasons. 

3.      Water 

4.      Hot drink if it’s a cold day 

5.      Hot water bottle if it’s a cold day. I recommend wrapping your post-swim clothing around the hot water bottle, and then placing this bundle in an insulated bag. 

6.      Light snack 

7.      Ocean safe sunscreen (not all sunscreens are safe for the ocean, some are pollutants!) 

8.      Lots of layers to wear after your swim.  Several loose fitting layers are better than tight clothes. Don’t forget hats and gloves too! 

9.      Wetsuits, neoprene socks, neoprene gloves, changing robes… these are all personal choice, and entirely up to you on what you are comfortable wearing.  

10.   Tow floats… a good idea for doing front crawl, but not mandatory for supervised lessons.  If swimming on your own or with a group, these are an excellent idea and every swimmer should have one.  They are not lifesaving devices, but do make you more visible to other swimmers, boaters, fishermen, etc.  If using a tow float, please write your phone number on it in case you are separated from it. If it is found later, you might get it back, and it saves the RNLI from having to search for you in the sea when you are safe on land. 

11.   Lastly, bring an enthusiastic attitude!   Spectators, cameras, and dogs are welcome as Hordle Cliff is a public space.  

Anyone can listen to your safety brief or post swim de-brief. There is no extra charge for this.