~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ o ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 

Join artist Riitta Ikonen as she takes on winter swimming as artistic practice. The weekly workshops are an opportunity to collaborate with gravitational flows of this planet and to build courage through cold water immersion. 

Ikonen started regular winter swimming in 2018 as part of a pact to connect with her collaborators across the Atlantic. During the global pause, the surf at Rockaway Peninsula is as near as Ikonen has been able to get to her Nordic roots. By setting just a date and a time: 2PM on Sundays, Ikonen invites individuals worldwide to metaphorically swim together at the edges of the same water. Such mental and physical training is conceived as a way to connect with one another, with known or unknown neighbours, beach creatures and the weather to challenge one’s personal limits. 

This simple exercise, along with the natural adrenalin high and good company, hopes to bring about a profound transformation, a sea change, by emboldening you to be a conscious part of the natural processes and to be attuned to the movements propelling us through life.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ o ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 

2pm local time every Sunday at a shore near you until May 2021. 

Join the workshop anywhere in the world by swimming in a waterbody near you. 

Submit images/video of your plunge or location by tagging @seachange_rockaways in instagram or email mail@riittaikonen.com and you’ll be added to the family.

Ikonen will swim at Rockaway Beach, NY, waves permitting, (rain never cancels). She might come swim near you and will post any changes to the location on the @seachange_rockaways instagram account. 

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ o ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 

There are as many approaches to winter swimming as there are swimmers, but it is often a good idea to wear your swimsuit under your very warm getup (woolly socks, hat, gloves, scarf too) and be ready to ‘go’. Ensure you feel warm right to the core before getting in the water. Try hopping or running around to build some heat so that you are ‘radiating’. Swiftly undress and make your way into the water, breathe. How long you stay in doesn’t matter, follow whatever feels good at the time. If you’re not cold by the time you’re back on the shore you did great! Wearing a swimming cap is good for style and for keeping your hair and head dry and warm. Putting your head underwater is not for everyone, especially if it is your first time. Bundle up as soon as you’re back on the shore and check-in again, you might want to walk a little, sit and have a cup of something, call your grandma, eat cake, enjoy the adrenalin, follow what feels good. 

The Outdoor Swimming Society is a fantastic source if you like to prepare more thoroughly: 

https://www.outdoorswimmingsociety.com/

These workshops exist to empower and encourage you. It is your individual responsibility to voluntarily accept and know your limits, abilities and assess risks involved in any swim. There are no lifeguards present. 

~ ~ ~ ~ o ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 

Sea Changes is part of the programme curated by FLOCK and is presented with support from Nordic Culture Fund and Nordic Culture Point.