‘You feel you’ve conquered the world’: a Thames swimmer on the river’s first bathing site in London

While there are still days the Thames is so dirty even dogs avoid it, steps are being taken to restore public waterways Some people think we are odd for swimming in the Thames. “Isn’t it cold?” they ask with a shiver, like they are the ones who just took the plunge. Er, yes, that’s the whole point. Cold water ignites the central nervous system and reboots the mind. “Isn’t it dirty?” they ask. Yes, sometimes, particularly when it’s rained. Then we don’t get in the Thames, we get in a rage inst...

By Mark Rice-Oxley