Swimmingly: Adventures in Water

by Vassos Alexander

Sports journalist and ultra-athlete Vassos Alexander takes the plunge and explores the delights and rewards of wild and open water swimming.

Vassos Alexander got bitten by the swimming bug during lockdown – heading to his local patch of the Thames to find distraction and solace during that hot summer. And he stuck with it. He now pretty much can't pass a stretch of water without wanting to jump in it, even if just for a few minutes. And, of course, he is one of those people with an ice bath in his back garden.

Wild and open-water swimming has exploded in popularity in the last few years. The benefits of cold-water swimming are well known and we all know someone (or we are that someone!) who swims outside throughout the year.

Vassos works with the best trainers and interviews the great and good of swimming, such as Alison Streeter, the first woman to swim the Channel three ways non-stop, and figures out what makes so many of us want to wade, jump and dive in.

Genres: Sports

208 pages, Hardcover

Published August 12, 2025

Reviews

[Kate Reilly]

I’m a former swimmer, and this audiobook completely reignited something in me. I literally bought new swim gear before I even finished it.

Vassos Alexander takes you deep into the world of open-water and endurance swimming, and as someone who thought I knew swimming, I was shocked at how much I didn’t. From the English Channel to icy whirlpools in Norway, his journey is filled with surprising history, wild conditions, and conversations with legends like Diana Nyad and Lewis Pugh.

What stuck with me most is how much this book celebrates the swimming community. Whether you’re a marathon swimmer or just splash around in the summer, there’s something here for you. The narration (partially read by Alexander) is honest, warm, and keeps things moving.

If you’ve ever been in a body of water, or want to be, this is 100% worth a listen.

[Kelly Hollingworth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Extreme runner to extreme swimmer Vassos Alexander has written this excellent book about the benefits of open water swimming. In no way sugar coated he describes the challenges but also the rewards of liberation, invigoration and elation that this type of swimming brings. I loved the notion of it being “a dance with the waves.” But this dance is often a group dance with others - a community, a social gathering of friendship and a shared love of nature in a non competitive, simple and natural way. The book also highlights Vassos’s own swimming training and preparations for challenges - perfecting his stroke, technique and endurance. I loved the included photographs in the book showing this. My friend is part of an open water swimming group and she absolutely loves it - the community, the bonding, the shared experiences of sun rises, sun sets and moonlight swims. I see the same love in this highly enjoyable book and may well be seen at a waterside edge myself one day soon.

[Helen Scott · Rating 4 out of 5]

Generally a very joyous description of a life impacted by swimming with only a few pretentious chapters... it's interesting that he got commissioned to write a book about swimming the Channel, didn't, and still got to write this book. I'm not sure what that tells me about his status in society.... some good laugh out loud moments and a few chapters I only skim read but a good read for anyone vaguely already interested in, or who wants to get interested in swimming!

[Sarah Allars · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book. Torn between reading the next chapter vs grabbing my swim stuff and heading to the nearest lake or pool!

[Becca Burbage · Rating 5 out of 5]

Classic Vassos, extremely entertaining, full of meaningfulness and a joy to follow his journey.