Immerse Hebrides

02/11/2024

In the winter you’re going to hear a lot about swimming, sea safety, swimming holidays etc. on this page (not like summer when it’s mostly about boat trips and wildlife). Why? Because I have more time 🙈 and…. this business started out with little old me, a swim guide and a few people at a beach having THE BEST fun in the waves and I can’t wait to get back there this winter 🤩

Tomorrow we are going to Bosta beach at 1100 to mark the start of the 2024 The Chilly Challenge (Winter Outdoor Swim Challenge). You’re all welcome to come! Why Bosta? Because it’s been AGES!!! Did you know during lockdown I was able to run 1-2-1 swim sessions and I would just put them all back to back. Some days 6 sessions in a row. 😅 Bosta was my all-time favourite for this. I LOVE BOSTA, plus it’s very close to the most stunning island of Little Bernera, which is ear-marked for an exciting new challenge in 2025 😉🤩

So… if you’re thinking of coming to the Isle of Lewis next year here’s some examples of why we LOVE where we live ♥️♥️♥️ If you want to swim here and some secret spots, I can vouch for our swim holidays and events 🤣 Head to our website if interested or contact us through the usual channels. In the meantime… feast your eyes on Bosta Beach ♥️♥️ and a sneak preview of Little Bernera.. ♥️

Still time to sign up to the Chilly Challenge too!

31/10/2024

LONG POST ALERT!! But worth it to some (maybe!)

It's official!! We have exceeded our previous year's highest total entries for The Chilly Challenge (Winter Outdoor Swim Challenge) so far this year which makes me VERRY happy indeed!! Thank you to everyone who has registered for this year's Chilly Challenge. It means so much to me that people are invested in this challenge especially as the charities are very close to my heart. Read on if you're a new follower.

October was breast cancer awareness month and I usually do a post, a fitness challenge or share a memory or story from my own experience of breast cancer in 2020/2021. I've found it more difficult to talk about it as time goes on weirdly. Retreating and feeling people have definitely had a worse experience than me for sure. But.... when so many people sign up to the Chilly Challenge every year from all over the world (which sends funds to the Western Isles Cancer Care Initiative WICCI) this makes me want to shout from the rooftops with pride!! You guys are AMAZING for putting your money into this challenge created in the Outer Hebrides as a way of giving back after my own experience. I know some here will have been affected by cancer, its unavoidable sadly and I can guarantee you that your fund-raising for this challenge is going directly to cancer sufferers, their carers or relatives who need financial or emotional support during possibly the worst ever time of their life.

The Why Western Isles Cancer Care Initiative bit - One memory stays with me after my 1st round of chemo.. it was the day I found out about WICCI. I had started treatment during lockdown so there wasn't much support here in Stornoway with people shielding, the hospital being rearranged and people off sick. I walked to the hospital for chemo but 2 hours after the infusion finished I had the worst headache ever, nausea, disconnection and a feeling like my blood was whoosing at a force around my body and head. My husband came in with my dinner and he looked so worried about my reaction to my first chemo but I couldn't eat. I couldn't think straight even. I lay on the couch for hours after unable to move but we spoke about the people who have to experience these side effects alone and I remember feeling desperately sad for these people. It still gets me when I remember that feeling. How do people go through this alone without support?? I know people do, and have to and I also know not everyone experiences the side effects I did but when we read the leaflet about WICCI we both said that when we get through this we'd make that our charity of choice for giving back.

1 year later we made the decision to devote donations to WICCI from the challenge and it has grown every year to our surprise and amazement. WICCI provides financial grants to those in hardship during cancer treatment, they also provide complementary therapies each week and advice and support for services available. They are AMAZING!! Islanders can be disadvantaged compared to larger city areas but WICCI are filling in that gap. Thank you WICCI ❤️

And thank you everyone for supporting this challenge. It really means a lot ###xx

By the way, check your wobblies, don't second guess what you find and go see your doc! Don't be afraid, be brave instead, it could just pay off! ❤️

Love and thanks for your continued support of this challenge..

Norma (founder of Immerse Hebrides, ER+ Breast cancer thriver 2020, lumpectomy, 6 rounds of chemo and 18 rounds of radiation later... STILL HERE 🙏🙏... 🏊‍♀️)

www.immersehebrides.com/chillychallenge

29/10/2024

Did you know we permit children to join in on The Chilly Challenge (Winter Outdoor Swim Challenge) Last year Muriel Dawn Mackenzie joined in on the challenge with her friends but she brought her lovely twin girls along to our International Women’s Day dip and it inspired us to allow children with responsible guardians to take part. The girls are water babies just like their mum 🥰 and we want to encourage them to embrace winter from a young age without the dread. It’s an exciting time! 🤩

They have entered the Otter challenge and if they complete it and every other child under 16 will be given a special prize in addition to the challenge goodies. We are rooting for them!

Do you have any family who’d be up for this? Bring them along to the Chilly motivation swim at Bosta Beach on Sunday at 11am to inspire them 🥶🤩🥰

This is also a reminder that the challenge starts on Friday 1st Nov but some late entries might just slip through 😉



www.immersehebrides.com/chillychallenge

28/10/2024

Get your Chilly Challenge ON!! Starts 1st November. LAST CHANCE to join the fun community and earn your badge of commitment.

CHOOSE FROM
1, 3 or 5 dips per week
5-100km Distances over 5 months
Skins or Wetsuit

We don’t care! This is about you motivating yourself! Finding something achievable whilst donating to a brilliant cause. Join the community before entries close. We are waiting 🥰

www.immersehebrides.com/chillychallenge

28/10/2024

Almost time to start the Chilly Challenge!! It starts on Friday 1st November with options from 1 dip or swim per week to 100km skins!! Wetsuit, no wetsuit, swim or dip we have something for everyone.

But why would anyone want to do a winter swim challenge?

1. Maintain your swim camaraderie with friends throughout winter
2. Discover that winter is just as fun as summer and avoid the dread we are so often used to having when winter comes
3. Pop a patch on your robe or towel to add to your collection 👏
4. Motivate yourself to do something achievable and amazing when others might shy away and retreat inside
5. Permit the winter outdoor environment to boost your confidence (it 💯 will!)
6. Do it for a cause close to your heart and by signing up donate to ours too (Western Isles Cancer Care Initiative + The Immerse Hebrides Swimming Through Cancer Fund).
7. Be part of a fun community and share your pics on The Chilly Challenge (Winter Outdoor Swim Challenge) page! 🤩

Your entry fee will cover all that plus you’ll receive a Chilly mug, a sew-on patch of your category and one of our new Killer Swimmer badges designed by our Chilly Challenge mascot Chilly Willy, the Killer whale 😉 Plus more merch available to purchase to support the challenge!

Don’t miss out! Be part of the winter fun and choose your category here:

https://www.immersehebrides.com/chillychallenge

23/10/2024

Who loves Bosta Beach? Who’s doing a winter challenge this winter??

Join us on Sunday 3rd Nov 1100 for a lovely group The Chilly Challenge (Winter Outdoor Swim Challenge) motivation swim with community, cake and plenty motivation for winter swims ahead 🥰

No excuses! Some of the best memories at Bosta 🥶

And if you haven’t signed up we have categories to suit everyone! Take a look here:

https://www.immersehebrides.com/chillychallenge

ALL WELCOME to come to the swim at Bosta!

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/dg3xHcD5KAFrDv9d/?

21/10/2024

13/10/2024

Norma here! 👋

With winter approaching and this present cold snap are you looking forward to those chilly swims ahead? The shock, glee, camaraderie and post-swim highs??

If like me your motivation for cold water swimming has taken a dip 😉 our winter charity Chilly Challenge could be just the ticket! We have a new category this year.. frequency of swims! So you can choose 1, 3 or 5 dips per week depending on your circumstances. You can still record your distance though and even get a patch for dips and distance if you enter both categories.

I have signed up to 1 dip per week 🙈 but hoping it’ll kickstart more frequency for me. I genuinely think the Saltbox Sauna has made me soft 😂

Look out for our Chilly motivation swim the first weekend of November.. I need it badly 😂

SIGN UP HERE ⬇️

https://www.immersehebrides.com/chillychallenge

21/09/2024

Some lovely footage from Kenny MacLeod at Eilean Glas Rib Tours 😍

19/09/2024

To all our subscribers!! Check your inboxes now as our 2025 breaks are finally here and available to book now to subscribers only 🙌🙌

If you’re not a subscriber head to our website, join our mailing list and be part of the exclusive Immerse Hebrides club and we’ll send you the details again before Sunday.

A few wee changes ahead and of course something exciting and new coming for 2025! 🤩🤩🤩

Subscribe to us for more information!
https://immersehebrides.us2.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=b4e5be97eedb3f4c62ccecdb4&id=73cb2be92c

19/09/2024

Amazing progress made in tricky conditions but what I’m worried about the most is will H2OTraining make it back to Cornwall in time for our online Safer Sea Swimming course first week of November?? 🤣

Follow their progress and donate to this cause! Incredible adventure with a real story behind it x

18/09/2024

Hello! It's glorious weather here for the next few days so we've put on a NEW LOCATION short-notice sea swimming cave adventure at Gress on the east side of Lewis. It's a 3.5 hour boat tour going past Tiumpan Head and across Broadbay towards Grass and Tolsta and is suitable for new or novice sea swimmers. Passengers also welcome. Book your spot here:
https://bookeo.com/immersehebrides?type=221UM3F6H19204885E98

We also have some spaces on Friday for our 2 hour whale & dolphin tour and you can book in here:
https://bookeo.com/immersehebrides?type=221WNAKYK18B94757520

17/09/2024

The season for coastal adventures and wildlife spotting is not over yet! Whilst we're busy preparing your 2025 calendar for boat tours, swimming adventures and multi-day breaks in the Outer Hebrides we haven't taken our eye off the forecast for the next few days! (Do we ever take our eye off the forecast... ever.. ever!?🤣)

It's looking great and perfect for a boat tour. We have some availability at 1030am tomorrow and Friday for a whale & dolphin tour leaving Stornoway but if these times don't suit, get in touch for a private charter, a sunset tour or a group swim adventure while the boat is in operation for the season and we'll see what we can do before we enter low season.

We've been very blessed with sightings of humpbacks, fin whales, orcas's, risso's dolphins, common and bottlenose dolphins in the Minch this season (never forgetting our common and harbour seals!). It's been truly mind-blowing that this is available to us from the place we grew up. Our business grew from a love of the open water and here we are sharing all the delights we've discovered with you. How lucky are we? 🥰 Come and join us in the awe this week while the weather is on our side 🥰🙏

Here's the link for our scheduled tours or email us on [email protected] to arrange a private tour:
https://bookeo.com/immersehebrides?type=221WNAKYK18B94757520

15/09/2024

Get buying your tickets for the Bethesda raffle 2024! A wonderful place that supports patients and caters in their hours of need ♥️

Are you ready to do the Bethesda Raffle 2024 with me - Bethesda is at the heart of this island community and we all know how much it means to so many people. Please SHARE this post and support the amazing businesses that have already donated to the raffle and raise as much money as we can. The draw will take place on the 30th November. Raffle books will be available in the shop from October if you prefer to get your tickets that way. All money raised will go Bethesda.

https://www.justgiving.com/page/sandwickbaycandles2024raffle

Immerse Hebrides Saltbox Sauna The Isle of Harris Distillery The Crafty Weaver The Island Spirit Whisky Shop Hebridean Bakehouse Charlie Barleys SurfLewis & Harris Harris Tweed Authority Acair Books Hebridean Spa and so many more businesses ❤

14/09/2024

We thought we’d try something different this year and take ourselves (and you) inland a bit to try out some river pools, castles and little islands near Oban with Great to have local guides with local knowledge on our tours 👏

We hit the weather right with the highest air temps we’ve experienced this year! ☀️ but that pool was still so refreshingly cold 😍🥶 It’s making us look forward to the chill of winter temps!

If you face winter with dread we have you covered for motivation and community with Now in its 4th year! 👏 or if you’re a heat seeker in winter but still need the outdoors for breathing space why not try out our

If you get through winter by planning next years holidays we have you covered on that too… we had a delay in releasing our 2025 holidays but they are being released in the next few days! 🤩 Make sure you’re on our mailing list to hear first!

09/09/2024

I’m not going to say I fully understand how wing foiling works but I am fully behind Steve Bowens of H2OTraining and his pal Simon who are foiling around the coastline of Britain right now in aid of Cancer Research 👏♥️

Steve is our business partner in our popular Sea Safety for Swimmers course and this challenge is in memory of Simon’s brother Mark. You can give them a boost and a cheer by donating on their page or just give them a follow and message of support 👏👏

Good luck guys!! We’ll be following you 💪🏻💪🏻

https://www.foilaroundbritain.com

Charity organisation

04/09/2024

The Chilly Challenge (Winter Outdoor Swim Challenge) is open for registration now!

In its 4th winter we started the Chilly Challenge to motivate local swimmers throughout the winter to get outdoors whilst raising money for charity. We have fund-raised for a defibrillator and have sent nearly £4000 to the Western Isles Cancer Care Initiative the past 2 years.

This year we are splitting funds between WICCI and a new fund we’re in the process of setting up. The Immerse Hebrides Swimming Through Cancer fund which will enable those affected by cancer to take part in swimming events or breaks during or after treatment to motivate them and assist them back to normality. Some of you will know this is a very personal cause having had a diagnosis & treatment of breast cancer 4 years ago. Cold water, the ocean, social contact - all of it was necessary to wash away the effects of treatments in my opinion. More on that again! 😊

**NEW this year** This year we have added in a frequency of swims category! We still have the distance categories but given the fact distance is not always possible during winter or through ill health we decided to add this in.

**REWARDS** You’ll get a Chilly Challenge mug, your reward patch and the new orca mascot Killer Swimmer badge of honour for completion.

It’s a brilliant way to see the winter through with motivation whilst donating to charities. It starts on 1st November and ends 31st March. Join our Chilly page or click the link below for more info 🥶🙏🏊🏼‍♀️🥳🥶

Norma & Neil

www.immersehebrides.com/chillychallenge

03/09/2024

4 seats available on our whale & dolphin boat tour tomorrow departing Stornoway at 10.30am. Weather looks amazing to spot any wildlife! Here’s a taste of what’s been happening the past few days! Booking link below 👇

https://bookeo.com/immersehebrides?devent=221E94NTT18B94785E75_2024-09-04_Mu2jAV4ur7fg

30/08/2024

Summer finally arrived this afternoon 🥳 so .adventure and I put the out of office on and headed to a far away beach with Loki 🐾 to remember what we love about the Hebrides.

This was Leanne’s last week with us 😢 and we’ll miss her loads as she became much more than our business support these past few months. Not to mention sauna crew at the , boat crew with but also retreat leader on our swim breaks 👏 Leanne rolled up her sleeves and made the best of the worst summer we’ve had in 90 years 😣 but also became a friend and trusted adviser too.

I’m pretty sure she’ll be back but she might check the forecast first ☺️☔️🙈

Thank you Leanne! All the best for your next adventure xx

25/08/2024

ℹ️ SPRING TIDES for sea swimmers, seaside sauna users and dippers ℹ️

With the recent super moon have you been wondering how this might affect you as a swimmer in the water? Is it safe to enter the water when there’s such big tides? Will you be carried away??

If you’re fairly new or inexperienced in the sea, here’s 3 introductory facts about tides you might not know:

🌙 Twice a month we have a ‘spring’ tide. A spring tide doesn’t happen only in the Spring. A spring tide refers to springing forth or upwelling and you’ll notice higher high tides and lower low tides. You’ll see spring tides just after a full and a new moon. The super moon was a big spring tide due to the position of the sun, moon & earth. ⚠️ The movement of water during a spring tide (as opposed to a neap tide) is faster at certain points of the tide so get to know how fast in your area by looking at tidal current apps or charts.. or take our popular sea safety for swimmers course coming soon in autumn to learn more.

🌙The outgoing tide will not carry you straight out to sea. Visually you may think the tide comes straight up a shoreline or beach and straight out. The tidal current usually moves along and parallel to the beach coming in and going out so general advice to not swim on an outgoing tide is factually incorrect. It will carry you along not out. ⚠️ Swimmers might find it harder swimming one way or another along a beach so make sure the tidal current in your area doesn’t carry you to a place where you can’t exit or swim back against. During spring tides it could feel stronger one way or the other. Rip currents on the other hand will carry you out!

🌙 The time difference between high and low water (or low tide) is just over 6 hours. The movement and speed of the tidal current is not the same in each of those 6 hours. Generally speaking, the 3rd and 4th hour is faster than any other hour and will be even faster on a spring tide due to the tidal range on spring tides. ⚠️ Get to know tide times in your area and speak to experienced locals who understand the area. The tidal flow around high or low tide is generally very slow moving and is called ‘slack water’ so if you want to avoid faster tidal current this may be the better time to swim but take warning that this might not be the case for every area due to tidal anomalies so do your research if you want to be safe.

If you want to learn more about keeping safe in the sea or you’re an instructor or someone working near or in the sea you’ll learn a lot more by taking our collaborative STA accredited Sea Safety for Swimmers online course with H2OTraining due to be released again in time for winter. You’ll also get 1 CPD point.

Sign up to our mailing list below to get notifications of new course dates coming soon:

http://eepurl.com/hl19lH