Considering a Sustainable Pastime?
How about WILD WATER SWIMMING in your ETHICAL SWIMSUIT, at your local TIDAL POOL?
Image Credit Gabrielle Swimwear
Gabrielle Thorn Print Monokini
Image Sourced Warren Witte on Instagram @warren_witte
Sparks Bay Day Camp Tidal Pool
Image Sourced Warren Witte on Instagram @warren_witte
Miller’s Point Tidal Pool, Simon’s Town
Image Sourced Gabrielle Swimwear on Instagram
Gold Plunge One-Piece
Wanting to shine a bright light on the plight of the world’s oceans? Keen to try an activity that helps release stress and promotes deep sleep, one that relaxes muscles, repairs the whole body and sharpens the mind? On top of all, sick of dragging yourself off to a sweaty gym?
Well …
The global trend for sea water swimming has never been more popular than over the past eighteen months of lockdowns with public swimming pools out of bounds. Neither are sea water and wild water swimming purely reserved for the epic annual Scottish bottom-baring Hogmanay skinny dip. There are devotees all over the globe who start every day – come rain or shine, Summer or Winter, with an invigorating wild water dip!
With South Africa’s ‘human polar bear’, UN Patron Of Oceans, endurance swimmer and eco-celebrity Lewis Pugh continually making waves in conservation circles in his quest to save the world’s oceans, this enthusiasm has rubbed off on many local swimming aficionados as well as those who have never before dipped a toe in freezing wild water. Wild water swimming is not exclusively reserved for scorching hot summers days either, thousands of exuberant devotees have been taking to oceans and rivers throughout the Autumn and Winter months too, sans wetsuit, au naturel, braving the seasonal drop in temperature.
If you’re fortunate enough to stay near an ocean or river, try wild water swimming. It ticks all the boxes and it’s free! The physical and mental health benefits of this form of exercise are undeniable and add to that the symbolic focus on our oceans … it’s an undisputed win-win.
Now, if you do this while also sporting an ethically produced swimsuit, you’re firing on all eco-cylinders (wind powered of course)!
Image Sourced Lewis Pugh on Facebook
Lewis Pugh has just completed ‘the toughest swim of his life’ across Greenland’s Ilulissat Icefjord to show the dramatic impact of the Climate Crisis. https://lewispughfoundation.org/news/no-ice-no-life
Watch a video of Lewis Pugh in action in the Arctic here:
We’ve rounded up a few of the numerous seawater tidal pools around Cape Town to whet your appetite and thought we’d throw in a little selection of Cape Town Slow Fashion swimwear designer Gabrielle Swimwear’s extraordinary creations too, in keeping with the ethical, conservation vibe that comes with shining a torch on the plight of our planet’s oceans.
Give it a try, wherever you are in the world!
Gabrielle Swimwear is a designer swimwear label based in Cape Town, with a strong focus on sustainability and ‘slow-fashion’. They’re renowned for their exclusive prints – from iconic protea to aloe, thorn bush to arum lily, strelizia to acacia – showcasing the immense natural beauty of South Africa. These works-of-art swimsuits are ethically produced, made of the highest quality fabric and come in a delightful array of styles.
All fabric, trims, printing and production are locally sourced, supporting fair trade and the lycra used is certified by Reach and Okea-tex. The latest collection and all future pieces are made up using REPREVE fabric, which is 82% recycled plastic bottles cleaned up along coastlines. With a strong focus on sustainability, the environmental impact is considered from start to finish, including the selection of materials, quality, production and packaging.
Another awesome thing about this range is that you can access them at select *Stockists from South Africa to Sri Lanka, Botswana to Texas as well as online!
“I believe in slow fashion. Quality goods that have been ethically produced and show off the beauty and diversity of South Africa’s natural environment. I want to bring awareness to the general consumer and help put South Africa on the map for swimwear fashion”
– Gabrielle Kool, managing director and designer
https://gabrielleswimwear.com/
Image Sourced Dan Grinwis on Instagram @dangrinwis
Maiden’s Cove Tidal Pool
Image Credit Gabrielle Swimwear
Flame Lily Bikini – The name says it all: Gloriousa Superba. This exquisite flower is found in the Southern parts of Africa and is the national flower of Zimbabwe.
Watch Gabrielle Swimwear’s latest videos here, showcasing their stunning products as well as the natural beauty of Cape Town’s coastline:
Image Sourced Maku Visuals on Instagram @maku_visuals
Fick’s Pool, Hermanus
Image Sourced Florence Poretti on Facebook
Early morning aquarobics at Camps Bay Tidal Pool, Cape Town, with the Twelve Apostles Mountains in the background.
Image Sourced James Medcalf on Instagram @jamesmedcalf
A drone shot of Camps Bay Tidal Pool, Cape Town
Image Credit Gabrielle Swimwear
The Protea Shaped-Top Bikini: Protea is the national flower of South Africa.
Image Credit Gabrielle Swimwear
Strelizia Reversible Scoop Top Bikini: exploding with vibrant hues, Strelizia is one of South Africa’s most popular indigenous flowers.
Image Sourced Warren Witte on Instagram @warren_witte
Brass Bell Tidal Pool in the exquisite seaside town of Kalk Bay
Image Credit Cape Grace Hotel (www.capegrace.com)
The inimitable St James Tidal Pool flanked by its colourful beach huts
Image Credit Surfers Corner https://www.surfers-corner.co.za/2018/01/29/st-james-drone-view/
St James Tidal Pool
Image Sourced Warren Witte on Instagram @warren_witte
Another tidal pool on the Deep South coastline
Image Credit Gabrielle Swimwear
The Acacia Thorn Backless One-Piece
Image Sourced Gabrielle Swimwear on Instagram
The iconic Protea features beautifully on this swimsuit.
Image Credit Gabrielle Swimwear
A sultry Protea Bikini for balmy days
Gabrielle Swimwear
*Stockists:
South Africa:
Purr, Lifestyle Centre Cape Town @purrclothingsa
Houtbay Collective, Hout Bay #houtbaycollective
Xpression on the Beach, Muizenburg Cape Town #expressionsonthebeach
Spence and Mae, Hillcrest @spenceandmae
Not Sheep Boutique, Southbroom @notsheep_boutique
The Oysterbox, Durban @theoysterbox
Sabi Sabi Luxury Game Lodge , Kruger Mpumulanga
International :
Flying Solo, NYC @flyingsolonyc
Okavango Wilderness Safaris, Botswana #okavangowildernessafaris
Oscar and Olive, Namibia @oscarand olive_boutique_namibia
Le Ketiya Boutique, Sri Lanka @le.ketiya.boutique
Asch Building, Texas @aschbuilding
Online Stockists: International:
Flying Solo NYC – https://flyingsolo.nyc – US
Saski – https://sasski.com/ – Poland
AKOJO Market – https://akojomarket.com/ – UK
That Pretty Place – https://www.thatprettyplace.com.au/ – AU
Image Credit Gabrielle Swimwear
Take the plunge in the Protea Vintage Set!
Image Sourced Warren Witte on Instagram @warren_witte
Sparks Bay Day Camp Tidal Pool
Image Sourced Warren Witte on Instagram @warren_witte
Woolley’s Tidal Pool
Image Credit Gabrielle Swimwear
Green Aloe Banded Plain Janes
Image Credit Gabrielle Swimwear
Protea Plunge One-Piece
Image Sourced Florence Poretti on Facebook
Camps Bay Tidal Pool
Image Sourced Gabrielle Swimwear on Instagram
Sleeved Aloe Bikini in White
Image Credit Gabrielle Swimwear
Take on the world in this Guinea Plain Jane Bikini! The Guinea Fowl is a unique South African bird.
Image Credit Gabrielle Swimwear
White Aloe Brazilian String Bottoms
Now that you have your ethical string bikini, here’s a list of a few super scenic natural seawater TIDAL POOLS around Cape Town to show off your assets!
Camps Bay Tidal Pool – Victoria Road, Camps Bay
Dalebrook Tidal Pool – Off Main Road, Dalebrook
Glencairn Tidal Pool – Glencairn Beach, Glencairn
Graaff Tidal Pool – Sea Point Beach Front, Beach Road, Sea Point
Harmony Park Tidal Pool – Jan Bruin Street, Strand
Kalk Bay 1 Tidal Pool – Off Main Road, Kalk Bay
Kalk Bay 2 Tidal Pool – Off Main Road, Kalk Bay
Maiden’s Cove 1 Tidal Pool – Off Victoria Road, Camps Bay
Maiden’s Cove 2 Tidal Pool – Off Victoria Road, Camps Bay
Miller’s Point Tidal Pool, Simon’s Town
Milton Tidal Pool – Off Beach Road, Sea Point
Monwabisi Tidal Pool – Off Baden Powell Drive, Khayelitsha
Saunders’ Rock Tidal Pool – Sea Point Promenade, Beach Road, Sea Point
Shelley Point Tidal Pool – M6, Glencairn
Silwerstroom Tidal Pool – Silwerstroom Resort, Silwerstroom
Soetwater 1 Tidal Pool – Lighthouse Road, Kommetjie
Soetwater 2 Tidal Pool- Lighthouse Road, Kommetjie
Sparks Bay Day Camp Tidal Pool – Clarence Drive, Gordon’s Bay
St James Tidal Pool – Main Road, St James
Strand Tidal Pool – Beach Road, Strand
Wooley’s Tidal Pool – Kalk Bay
