Jason Quiterio has been swimming in the sea for as long as he can remember and has conquered the English Channel - but even he doesn’t like seaweed touching his leg.
‘I hate it,’ he says, laughing. ‘And I really dislike jellyfish – I find them fascinating, but they freak me out.’
Everyone knows that taking a dip in the sea does wonders for your mind, body and soul. The mental health and well-being benefits of getting kitted out and heading for the horizon are well-documented. But what if you don’t like not being able to see the bottom? What if there are big waves? What if something slimy comes towards you?
These are considerations shared by far more people than you’d think, according to Jason. He is the founder of Ace Swimming, an organisation he runs with his brother Tim to help people learn an incredible life skill.
Jason, who initially established Ace Swimming as a pool-based coaching business, soon realised he could take things into more unchartered waters.
He knew the benefits of sea swimming were huge after it became part of his daily routine to help him cope with the death of his father from cancer six years ago.
‘It had kind of turned into my therapy,’ says Jason, describing the overwhelming sense of loss he felt and then the pull of the sea. ‘I remember my cousin messaged me just after it happened and asked what I wanted to do. I just wanted to go into the sea. That was the first time it hit me, I needed to do this. We just went in and that’s kind of been what I’ve done on a daily basis on a personal level to help me get through the day and the daily stresses of life.’
What that initial therapeutic swim also highlighted was the unpredictability of the open ocean that often deters people from ever dipping their toes in.
‘I got stung by a weaver fish on that day,’ says Jason. ‘It hurt a lot, but it made me realise – it doesn’t matter what you’ve got going on in your life, the sea doesn’t care.’
‘That’s why it’s so good for your mental well-being. Out of nowhere, it can absorb you. It demands your protection, your focus and it doesn’t matter how good a swimmer you are, you’ve got to give it the full respect.’
Inspired by his experience, Jason started looking for premises for his already successful coaching business that would now include sea swimming.
He was beginning to give up hope of being able to afford the right place in the right waterfront location when an opportunity came up at Firestone Bay, accessible from Plymouth’s Royal William Yard.
‘It was a no-brainer,’ says Jason, also a secondary school teacher. ‘To be based there and to have Royal William Yard on your doorstep... it’s the whole package, really. There’s good access, lots of cafes and restaurants around if you want and it’s so convenient for the water.’
Ace Swimming now holds regular sea swimming coaching sessions for adults and youngsters, at whatever stage they’re at on their open water journey.
Whether they’re new to it or want to perfect their technique because they’re preparing to swim the English Channel, Jason can help them build the necessary physical and mental skills they need.
‘The biggest thing that makes sea swimming different from pool swimming is your head,’ says Jason. ‘That’s why it’s so beneficial to anyone struggling with their mental health because it’s what your brain is telling you to think about when you’re in the sea that gives you the challenge. The skill of swimming is pretty much the same, but the environment is different. That’s the bit you need to learn and appreciate and respect.’
Participants can choose from one-to-one sessions or go out with a group to practise their skills. There are also sessions aimed at teaching youngsters to swim safely in open water.
‘It’s really common for people to be scared of seaweed, it’s really common for people to be scared of deep water because they’re all the things you don’t have when you learn to swim,’ says Jason, who has known top club swimmers turn to jelly at the sight of a jellyfish or the prospect of deep water.
‘It’s about managing the environment you’re in and understanding how the conditions will change your technique. It’s not flat and there are no lanes,’ he adds.
Ace Swimming’s sea-based lessons are hugely popular, with high take up for the one-to-one sessions and the three-part introductory course, which covers the knowledge needed to start and the basic front crawl technique to be stronger and more efficient in the sea.
‘It’s wonderful to work with people and feel like I’ve actually helped them to be able to do something they couldn’t do before,’ says Jason, who sees Ace Swimming as an extension of what he does in his full-time job as a computer sciences teacher at a local secondary school.
‘You’re genuinely helping to make someone’s day or someone’s life better as a result of what you’re giving them.’
A series of injuries, possibly brought on by an intense period of training for his epic Channel crossing back in 2021 means Jason has had to scale back his lengthy leisure time sea swims. He ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in his knee at Christmas and hasn’t been able to go off for hours on end.
But Jason still finds time for a daily therapeutic dip, going through the historic arch that leads from Royal William Yard to the open waters of Firestone Bay to enjoy the front row view of sunrise over Drake’s Island.
‘It’s just incredible,’ says Jason. ‘Every time you go through the arch and get out on the water and see Plymouth, you think, ah, this is something else.’
Even the seaweed isn’t that bad, either.
aceswimming.co.uk
