Introduction to Sea Swimming: Portland

Julie Chilvers

Julie has had a passion for swimming since a young age. She's been open water swimming for 10 years now. Julie is a level 2 swim teacher who loves sharing her knowledge and swimming experience with children and adults and seeing them progress with their swimming abilities. Julie's an open water swim coach and open water lifeguard. In 2021 Sally, Andrea and Julie set up Go With The Flow, Swimming Adventures to share their love for the open water, guiding swimmers in local rivers and the Dorset coast. They're good friends who have been wild swimming together for many years and are fully insured.

Andrea Crowe

Being in the water and swimming is Andrea's 'Happy Place', she can’t remember a time in her life when she hasn’t swum at least a couple of times a week.

Andrea is an experienced wild swimmer with over 12 years of river swimming, the last six years being all year round. In 2017 as Andrea turned 50, she swam at 50 different outdoor swimming spots, the sea, rivers, lakes and lidos in this country and abroad. Having a love and passion for swimming she became a qualified level two swim teacher, an open water swimming coach, and open water lifeguard qualified in emergency first aid and fully insured.

Andrea is an experienced wild swimming guide, having assisted guided swims on The River Wye for the last couple of years, as well as river and sea swims with Go With The Flow. In 2021, together with friends and fellow wild swimmers Sally and Julie, Andrea set up Go With The Flow Swimming Adventures to share their love, passion and knowledge of wild swimming with others.

Sally Hooper

Sally has loved the water ever since she can remember. As a child and teenager she enjoyed competing up to county level. As Sally got older she swam every day for enjoyment and wellbeing. In 2013 she joined a relay team and swam the English Channel. For the last few years, Sally and her husband have been swimming the length of the Dorset coast and have covered over 65 miles.

Sally is a very experienced open water and sea swimmer, with many years of adventures behind her. She's a fully insured Open Water Swimming coach and Open Water Lifeguard, with Open Water Emergency First Aid training. Together with Andrea and Julie, Sally set up Go With The Flow Swimming Adventures. Sally's passionate about swimming outside, in local rivers and around the wonderful Dorset coastline. She wants to share these amazing experiences with other people.

John Vinicombe (He/Him)

John's at his happiest on or in the water. He's taken part in many water-related activities over the last 30 years plus, including windsurfing, free diving, scuba diving, sailing, open water swimming and kayaking. John is an experienced safety kayak swim guide in the sea, rivers and lakes. He's a qualified Open Water Lifeguard with emergency first aid at work, British Canoeing Go Paddling Start Award, with additional safety and rescue training. Being friends and swim buddies with Julie, Andrea and Sally he often joins the team which enables him to share his passion and love for the water, whilst providing extra safety cover either in a kayak or swimming on many of the experiences.