“I think I’ve just rediscovered joy to be honest”….
Back track to the summer of 2024, a yoga and wild swimming retreat with dipping in Coniston Water & Loughrigg Tarn.
Dot had come along, and by her own admission, she was scared. Scared of the water, scared of the cold, scared of the deep. But over the course of the weekend with our assistance, support and encouragement… she stepped into both lakes! Simply dipping, feet planted firmly on the lakebed, tow float being cuddled. This was the incentive she needed to begin to conquer the fear once and for all.
So Dot, in her late 50s decided to book lessons with Kuotos Swim.
Lesson one at the Stone House Hotel and she would describe herself as terrified, she would stand with water up to her neck clinging to me for dear life. Slowly the fears subsided, with desensitisation and repetition, her confidence grew, she floated, she blew bubbles, she swam. There were tears, there was laughter.. and all the while Dot’s confidence grew stronger the more time we spent in the water.
We moved her lessons to the Swim Cave and Dot truly blossomed, learning crawl and breaststroke, but going on her back was still a challenge. Slowly but surely she relaxed, she floated, she got her ears in and yes she was floating – a huge achievement!
Dot then decided that the time was right to have another go at the open water, so she booked an Introduction Course at Whitmore Lakes with Kuotos Swim. Taking the plunge into the cold water was a real challenge but one she tackled, prepared with her usual humour and sense of adventure.
A year to the day we were back in the lakes! And this time Dot ventured into Coniston freely – faced with ambitious conditions, windy and wavey. She met the challenge head-on! With our support beside her, she was soon lying back in the water, relaxed and smiling, enjoying the freedom that once felt impossible.
Next on the list was Loughrigg. Another sunny day, another challenge met. And once again, Dot was in the water. But this time, she wasn’t clinging to her tow float, she was swimming freely, confidently. It was an incredible physical and mental achievement, a monumental success not just for Dot, but for Kuotos Swim too.
Jetting off on her holidays to the South of France, Dot set her sights on conquering the sea – and conquer it she did! Not only did she swim, but she did so on her back, floating with ease and truly enjoying the water.
There was a slight wobble in the pool along the way, a reminder to everyone that we are all human and progress isn’t always linear. But setbacks are part of any learning journey. On her return, we explored what had happened, worked through it together, and restored her confidence once again.
Imagine my surprise, walking into the Cake Shack at Whitmore and seeing Dot, towel around her shoulders, glowing like someone who’d just been swimming. And she had!
Not only had she been swimming, but she’d also sauna dipped, gone out of her depth, and even braved the water in skins. It was an incredible culmination of her journey, a testament to her strength, her courage, and her determination.
An amazing achievement by an amazing woman – our Dot!
Quote from Dot….
“Swimming balances me. It’s allowed me to start to believing in myself again. I’m learning to have trust in my body and my mind.
I’ve rediscovered the joy of laughing out loud when I get into the water.
I think I’ve just rediscovered joy to be honest.”
