Guerilla swimmers are defying the authorities to go swimming in the Thames – don’t listen to the gloomsters telling you it’s not safe, says James Bethell

Swooshing down the Thames past the pubs and bridges on the powerful tides in the warm summer water is utter bliss.

We met at a pub for some chat, entering the water at the turn of the tide. Everyone had a bright float, with their clothes to change at the other end. We checked the temperature, a balmy 20c. And the water company website for overflows, but it is all clear. Five kilometers of swimming to Hammersmith, five bridges and an hour of blessed mischievous fun.

The river is surprisingly wide, the evenings are empty of water traffic, the banks teaming with wildlife. Wild swimmers are a cheerful bunch, so there’s always lots of banter. It’s more a mental health work-out, as the tide does all the work. An hour of sploshing around, and we celebrated our achievement with a pint of London Pride at the Black Lion to celebrate.

From June to September, you can see the Thames’s “guerrilla swimmers” discreetly entering the Thames in Richmond, Kew, Hammersmith and Putney for this secret urban adventure.

They’re quietly breaking new ground to establish a “swimmable city” that might one day rival one of the thriving urban swims in big city rivers once overwhelmed........

© City A.M.