Swim Chats

At the time of recording, Eddie was recovering from a mountain biking accident so we talk about that at the start of the episode. All the best with your recovery, Eddie!Eddie Spearing lives in Wānaka on New Zealand's South Island, and is the founder of Ruby Fresh, a wetsuit that was designed (by Eddie) for freshwater swimming – he's since grown the business and now also sells wetsuits for ocean swimming. Eddie is the co-organiser of the hugely popular Ruby Island Swim event, which is held every year in late January. Entries are limited and open on September 1st.In this episode we talk about what goes into designing a wetsuit, launching and growing a swim business, how to look after your wetsuit so it lasts longer, the history of Ruby Island and the annual swim (which started in 2015), lake conservation, the pūteketeke (the Australasian crested grebe famously championed by John Oliver), the meaning of 'lake snow/snot' and 'duck itch', and how Eddie went from running snowboarding events in the UK to launching a swim business in Wānaka. Thanks to Lesley Cornish for the photo of Eddie, taken in 2025 during our swim adventure in Wānaka. *Support the podcast via ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon.com/SwimChats⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow Swim Chats on Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Contact me at swimchatswithshona at gmail dot comHit 'Follow' so you don't miss an episode. Thanks for listening! :-)

It's a Swim Chats festive episode! The seaside town of Felixstowe in the UK hosts an annual Christmas Day Dip to raise funds for St Elizabeth Hospice. 2025 is the event's 21st year and last Christmas there were 650 intrepid souls who made a winter's dash into the chilly North Sea, dressed in all sorts of festive outfits. The hospice's Events and Challenges manager, James Fox-Golding, came on Swim Chats to talk about the joy of the event, how it's grown over the past 20 years, and its significance as a fundraiser for a service that provides medical attention and support to people with life-limiting illnesses.​Learn more about the Felixstowe Christmas Day Dip​Make a donation to St Elizabeth Hospice​Watch That Christmas, a 2024 animated film that closes (no spoilers involved) with a heartwarming community swim! It's on Netflix.Leave a comment below the episode to share your own Christmas swim/dip/plunge traditions. Here in Wellington, I enjoy a wharf jump with friends on Christmas morning. We also have the 'Twelve Bays of Christmas' event organised by Kate Camp, who has her own episode.Photo courtesy of St Elizabeth Hospice *Support the podcast via ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon.com/SwimChats⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow Swim Chats on Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Hit 'Follow' so you don't miss an episode. Thanks for listening! :-)

If you're an ocean swimmer, you've probably encountered jellyfish at some stage. Depending on the species these watery, tentacled, heartless/ brainless/spineless (literally) invertebrates can dish out a painful sting!Earth Sciences NZ (formerly NIWA) marine scientist Dennis Gordon came on the podcast to answer my questions. In this episode, we talk about:What is the definition of a jellyfish?What are their life stages? How do they move around?How do they still sting people even after they've washed up on the beach?Common species such as moon jellyfish and lion's manes, bluebottles / Portuguese Man O'Wars and box jellyfish – how dangerous are they?What's the best way to treat a painful sting?What are salps and sea lice?Here's a link to the 'Jiggling Jellyfish' PDF Dennis mentions, with lots of colour photos to learn more and identify the jellyfish we might see in NZ waters. Have a look at some of Ernst Haeckel's beautiful illustrations from his Art Forms in Nature book (Kunstformen der Natur, 1904).If you spot anything you can't identify on the beach, in rock pools or in the water, you can send a photo to Earth Sciences NZ and an expert can help to solve the mystery (this is a free service and they welcome new photos).Lion's mane jellyfish (Cyanea rosea) photo by Richard Robertson and supplied by Earth Sciences NZ. This species is the common New Zealand lion's mane (also found in SE Australia). The photo shows the characteristic warty appearance of the top of the bell.*Support the podcast via ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon.com/SwimChats⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow Swim Chats on Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Hit 'Follow' so you don't miss an episode. Thanks for listening! :-)

I watched JAWS as a kid and was subsequently scared to go in the water, just as the movie's tagline promised. Now I swim in the sea regularly and I know a bit more about sharks, but I wanted to talk to an expert. Clinton Duffy grew up with a fascination of sharks after encountering a bronze whaler, and he has spent much of his life and career in the pursuit of knowledge about these sharp-toothed ocean predators (as well as other marine creatures, such as rays). He worked in marine science at DOC and is now a Curator of Marine Biology at Auckland Museum – and there's a very cool exhibition about sharks opening in December. In this episode, we talk about:What to do (and not do) if you're swimming and meet a sharkWhere (and when) not to swim if you're actively trying to avoid sharksThe many and varied species of sharks that live in NZ waters (most of them prefer deep water)The likelihood of being attacked by a shark (hint: it's not high)How shark populations have declined worldwide due to overfishing and habitat destruction Clinton's career as a marine scientist, including tagging and studying great whites (he explains how to tag a shark; definitely a job for the professionals)Clinton's favourite shark: it can walk!The fascinating sharks of the deep sea (here's a link to the Deep-Sea Podcast)How to respect stingrays in the shallows when entering and exiting the water, and how Clinton dealt with a stingray that sat on his head while he was diving.The photo of Clinton holding a tagged school shark was taken by Brit Finucci, Earth Sciences NZ, in Dusky Sound this year. Clinton was assisting Dr Alice Rogers, Victoria University of Wellington, and Dr Finucci tagging broadnose sevengill sharks and school sharks. *Support the podcast via ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon.com/SwimChats⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow Swim Chats on Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Hit 'Follow' so you don't miss an episode. Thanks for listening! :-)

Dan Feisst is a big part of NZ's swim community – he runs the Ocean Swim Series, the Summer Swim Series, the Beach Series, and Swim Vanuatu. He's also a swim coach in Auckland and owns The Swim Shop, which sells gear for pool and open water swimmers.In this episode we talk about:the upcoming 2025–26 NZ Ocean Swim Series: which events are running around the country and when? There are the classics (such as Rangitoto, Beach to Bay in Russell, Legend of the Lake in Rotorua) and some exciting new ones!listening to swimmers' feedback and making adjustments each year – such as introducing a Newbie Tent to support newcomers and nervous swimmersthe Beach Series and Summer Swim Series including SwimRun eventsDan's own swimming and career path to retail, coaching and event management; what drives him to run these swim events?Dan's annual Swim Vanuatu camp and all the cool places and adventures it entails (I hereby volunteer as Vanuatu podcast correspondent)Dan's Swim Shop on Mt Eden Road in Auckland and online* Support the podcast via ⁠⁠⁠Patreon.com/SwimChats⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow Swim Chats on Instagram⁠⁠⁠Hit 'Follow' so you don't miss an episode. Thanks for listening! :-)

Outdoor Swimmer magazine is the world's only monthly, printed magazine about open water or wild swimming (as far as we know!). It was founded by Simon Griffiths in 2011 and October 2025 is the magazine's 100th issue, edited by Ella Foote who has been Outdoor Swimmer's editor since 2022.Simon and Ella are (unsurprisingly!) very passionate about swimming. They have both written books and accomplished many impressive swims in all sorts of locations. Ella is also a swim coach and provides guided swim experiences through her company, Dip Advisor.In this episode we discuss the highlights and challenges of publishing a swim magazine that celebrates the fun, joy and connections of swimming outdoors, from dipping to ultramarathons, and which includes safety tips and swim gear advice. We also talk about Simon and Ella's own swimming journeys and the importance of swim communities. Visit the Outdoor Swimmer website where you can subscribe to the magazine (they deliver the print version internationally and/or there's a digital option), sign up for their free weekly newsletter The Dip, and read feature articles, gear reviews, and swim tips.Simon's book is 'Swim Wild and Free: A Practical Guide to Swimming Outdoors 365 Days a Year.' (Bloomsbury Sport, 2022)Ella's book is 'How to Wild Swim: What to Know Before Taking the Plunge.' (DK, 2023)Ella's Instagram pageOutdoor Swimmer's Instagram page*Support the podcast via ⁠Patreon.com/SwimChats⁠⁠⁠Follow Swim Chats on Instagram⁠Hit 'Follow' so you don't miss an episode. Thanks for listening! :-)

Sinéad Kehoe is the founder of Wāhine Wai, a dippers' group in Wellington. In this episode we discuss eight swim books we've enjoyed, two swim songs, and two swim films:Lonely Planet's 'The Joy of Wild Swimming', 2023.Anna Deacon and Vicky Allan, 'Taking the Plunge: The Healing Power of Wild Swimming for Mind, Body and Soul', 2019, Black & White Publishing.Nina Mingya Powles. 'Small Bodies of Water.' 2021, Canongate Books.Ingrid Horrocks. 'Where We Swim.' 2021, Te Herenga Waka University Press. Annette Lees. 'Swim: a Year of Swimming Outdoors in New Zealand.' 2018, Potton & Burton.Julie Otsuka. 'The Swimmers'. 2022, Penguin.Tracey Baumann and Emma Levy. 'The Swim Mastery Way.' 2024, InHouse Publishing.Lynne Cox. 'Swimming to Antarctica: Tales of a Long-Distance Swimmer.' 2004, Harcourt.Louden Wainwright III, 'The Swimming Song'. 1973.R.E.M. 'Nightswimming.' 1992.'The Swimmer' (film), 1968.'Kim Swims' (documentary), 2017.*Support the podcast via ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon.com/SwimChats⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow Swim Chats on Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Hit 'Follow' so you don't miss an episode. Thanks for listening! :-)