Introducing 'The Curious Swimmer'
Here to spice up your swimming practice.
Hello, Salty Swimmers,
This is my first newsletter for the new year. I had intended on writing something earlier but the first week of January passed too quickly, in a haze of heat and beach and social commitments.
Pineapple Margaritas* and pizza. Beer and chips. Swimming and coffee.
The part of my brain that hadn’t melted somehow got me to where I needed to be at the right time, even when I didn’t know what day it was. I am rewarding it by spending the rest of the month moving with intention, staying home, and writing again. So here I am, back in your inbox.
After a hectic 2025 that delivered on all the challenging themes of life I slid sideways into the end of it shell-shocked, tired, and convinced that we make our own meaning – and it doesn’t come from material success. In fact, a lot of the things we should do have come to seem like nothing more than treats in a rat’s maze, designed to keep one trapped but searching. This year I choose to climb out of the maze and actively committing to the things that fill my cup.
That means working harder for you, dear reader, to bring ocean swimming, art, and activism to your subscription.
Let me introduce you to The Curious Swimmer.
Every Sunday I’ll be sending out an ocean swimming prompt to incorporate into your week.
Each one will be an invitation to connect with your body and the ocean. There will be activities, mindfulness, adventure, reward, and ritual. You can invite your swim pod along with you or spend time solo.
There are no goals, because ‘goal’ is too deeply entwined with hustle and productivity, and The Curious Swimmer is about shrugging off these pressures, breathing deeply, and noticing your environment.
I realise that not everyone has daily access to the ocean, so I have designed The Curious Swimmer to be accessible for all swimmers – regardless of which water you swim in.
Some activities might need creative thinking to apply to an indoor pool, but to help with that I have opened up The Curious Swimmer chat here on Substack, to talk about the prompts and how they might be adapted to other environments.
The chat is a safe space just for paid subscribers to connect with the ocean swimming community and I invite you to share your experiences with your fellow water-people.
To access The Curious Swimmer, you will need a paid subscription to Wild Waters. Subscriptions start from $7/month, which is cheaper than the cost of entry to my local public pool!
You’ll also receive all the other paid subscriber benefits and can cancel at any time. Click the link below to read more. Until the end of January, all money raised through subscriptions will be donated to the Great Southern Reef Foundation.
Give a little. Protect a lot.
For all of December and January, 100% of proceeds will be donated to the Great Southern Reef Foundation.
The Great Southern Reef stretches around the southern half of Australia, from Kalbarri all the way around to Sydney. Most people who swim in the Australian ocean swim in the area covered by this reef. It is vital to the environment and to our swimming pleasure.
I’m very excited to be bringing The Curious Swimmer to you in 2026. I have so many ideas for your weekly swims, and I hope that by sending the prompts out on a Sunday you will be able to plan for some ocean swimming time in your week. But like I said, no pressure. It’s not about winning.
Flotsam & Jetsam
Little pieces of information I’ve found interesting and are somewhat related to swimming, the ocean, or this newsletter.
Pineapple Margaritas are my drink of choice this summer. I created my own recipe, based off a Tommy’s Margarita.
First you need to make some pineapple syrup. It’s easy. You’ll need:
Half a pineapple, chopped into pieces
1cup of sugar
1cup of water
Pop it all on the stove and stir until the sugar is dissolved. Once the liquid is boiling, reduce heat and simmer until the syrup is full of golden pineapple flavour. Strain and leave to cool.
Grab your cocktail shaker and fill it with ice.
You’ll also need:
2oz tequila
1oz lime juice
Add 1/2 to 1oz of the pineapple syrup, depending on how tart the limes are and how sweet you like your drink.
Salt
Shake, shake, shake!
You can taste from the shaker and adjust with lime or pineapple syrup now, just shake again if you add anything.
Rim the glass with salt, fill with ice, strain the margarita from the shaker, and let the delightful tropical flavours transport you to back to summer holidays.
Thank you so much for reading Wild Waters. I truly appreciate every single open of the email or click on the link. If you feel inclined to like, share, or restack any of the newsletters I would appreciate it - this is what helps me grow this ocean swimming space and keep writing.
Until next time.
Stay salty,
Katie xx