From the author of the bestselling book A Guide to Tidal Pools of the Western Cape, and co-authored with Matthew Dowling, comes a new offering: A Guide to Wild Swimming in the Western Cape. It is both a love letter to nature and a practical companion for those drawn to wild swimming. From tidal pools and mountain streams to remote river bends and kelp-lined coves, this guide invites you to explore 100 of the most breathtaking, soul-restoring swim spots across the Western Cape. Blending personal reflections, ecological notes, and historical context with everything you need to plan your swim, including detailed directions, maps, accessibility notes, safety tips, and information on parking and ablutions; it's a book for seasoned swimmers, curious newcomers, families, solo wanderers, and everyone in between. More than a guide, it is a call to tread lightly, listen deeply, and return to something ancient and healing in ourselves. Let this be your invitation to remember that immersion in wild water returns us not just to ourselves but to belonging in nature
Serai Dowling is a writer, photographer, mediator, researcher and director with a deep affinity for nature and the healing power of water. She has been swimming in tidal pools, rivers, and wild coastal spaces for over 26 years, through rain, wind, and sunshine, always returning to the water as a place of refuge, wonder, and connection. She is the author of the bestselling A Guide to Tidal Pools of the Western Cape and through her writing and photography, she invites others to fall in love with the natural world.
Matthew Dowling is a Waldorf teacher, photographer, qualified mountain guide, and certified wilderness first aider. Quietly observant and deeply attuned to the natural world, he has spent more time in or on the water than out of it. His knowledge of the Western Cape's coastline and inland waters is grounded in decades of personal experience. This book is a tribute to the waters that have shaped his life.
