First, we welcomed spring, and now, just like that, it’s October!

There’s actually only a handful of ocean swims on around the country this month, which isn’t surprising really, as the water temps are still climbing out of their winter depths.

What we do start seeing at this time of the year are fair-weather ocean swimmers waking from their winter hibernation, and social ocean swimming groups throughout the country welcoming them back.

Did you know that you can join these groups for a regular swim?

There are some very popular, and well-known groups, such as the Bold & Beautiful in Manly. They swim from Manly to Shelly Beach every morning at 7am and have a daily blog that documents their experience that day.

In Victoria, the Mentone Pink Caps swim on Saturday’s at 8am, over in WA the Port Beach Polar Bears take their daily dip at 6am, and in Taroona, Tassy, there’s a group of “TOSSA’S”.

Speaking of funny group names, check out these ones and see if you can work out where they’re located (answers at the end): Skinny Dippers, Idiots, Swimbeciles, Buttercups, Brass Monkeys, and Beachbums.

I think these groups are fantastic, they’re everything we love about ocean swimming – the open water, the freedom, and the trading of tales over a hot cuppa.

We’ve got a list of all the groups we know about on our website (if yours isn’t there please let me know), so if this sounds like something you’d enjoy, find a group near you and simply turn up at the meeting place at the meeting time.

I wouldn’t be me if I didn’t have some safety advice for you before I send you off to make your new best swimming friends, so here it is in a nutshell.

Please be mindful that participation in these swimming groups is completely at your own risk, and there will almost always be no one responsible for your safety out in the water. If in doubt, simply stay out.

If you’d prefer the comfort and safety of instructor-led, small group swims, then check out our morning ocean fitness classes.

I’m personally pumped about the season getting underway, because, like the hibernating ocean swimmers, I’m fresh and ready to start teaching again – it’s hands-down my favourite thing.

Answers: Manly, Balmoral, Balmoral, Terrigal, Toowoon Bay, Broulee, Mooloolaba.