Swim Chats

• James Groombridge on Coastguard NZ and The Big Swim

  Coastguard NZ rescues thousands of Kiwis a year and relies on the dedication of its volunteers, who require training and equipment to save lives on the water.Wellington president of Coastguard NZ (and surf lifesaver) James Groombridge talks about The Big Swim, a month-long fundraiser involving swimmers of all ages and abilities. If you're not swimming, you can sponsor a swimmer!Shona's Big Swim page is bigswim.org.nz/s-riddell. Please sponsor me if you can – all funds go to Coastguard NZ.I'm part of The Tridents and together we're swimming 100km – visit our team page: bigswim.org.nz/the-tridentsLearn more about The Big SwimLearn more about Coastguard NZVisit Volunteering NZ to search volunteer roles around NZ

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• Ann Skelly on painting the sea, mermaid tails, and the many moods of the ocean

  Ann Skelly is a Waiheke Island artist who creates beautiful seascapes and landscapes that feature the ocean in all its varying moods: dappled and rippled in the sun, fierce and churning, blue and inviting. Shona talked to Ann at the 2025 NZ Art Show, which runs annually in Wellington over King's Birthday weekend.NZ Art Show websiteAnn Skelly on InstagramAnn Skelly on Facebook *In June Shona is taking part in Coastguard NZ's The Big Swim – follow and support The Tridents!

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• Nicole Miller on filming underwater forests, her new seaweed documentary, and championing our oceans

  Dr Nicole Miller is a Wellington scuba diver who cares deeply about our underwater kelp forests and marine life. She's the Chair of the Friends of Taputeranga Marine Reserve Trust, the former President of Wellington Underwater Club, and the founder of Explore Your Coast, with the goal of filming 70km of Wellington Harbour, Te Whanganui-a-Tara, and documenting changes to our coastal ecosystems.In this marine conservation episode we talk about giant kelp, octopuses, creative ways of showing people what's below the surface to raise awareness, protecting what we love, and Nicole's new documentary called Seaweed, a Love Story. Watch the trailer for Seaweed, a Love Story and keep up to date with the latest news and events. Nicole is also looking for partners and sponsors to bring the film to different parts of NZ. To find out more, contact her at [email protected] Explore Your Coast for more about Nicole's project to film and document 70km of Wellington's coastline. Visit Taputeranga Marine Reserve on Wellington's South Coast.Watch a video about kina/sea urchin grazing in Wellington Harbour (2021 and 2022 comparisons), then learn about kelp forest recovery after kina removal and community action. Watch Nicole's TedxWellington talk (2024).

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• Graham Joe on capturing sunrises, providing hot food for cold swimmers, and swimming under the stars

  Graham Joe is the owner of Gelissimo @ Freyberg, an outdoor cafe/kiosk right next to Freyberg Beach in Wellington. It’s a hub for morning swimmers who congregate there for coffee, scones, porridge and toasties. The post-swim conversations I have there every week, over excellent coffee, were the inspiration for this podcast. Graham started getting in the sea a few years ago after an accident left him in pain and unable to run. He found that getting in the cold water helped his recovery so he kept doing it, slowly building in confidence and distance. Now early swims are a staple of his day, all year round. If you're in Wellington, you should definitely check out Gelissimo @ Freyberg!Gelissimo website gelissimo.co.nzGelissimo on Instagram www.instagram.com/gelissimo_gelato/

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• Brett Richardson on pre-dawn sea swimming, marathon strategies, and the vital role of support crew

  Brett Richardson is a Wellington swimmer who swam across Cook Strait (Te Moana-o-Raukawa) in 2020 and Foveaux Strait (Te Ara a Kiwa) in 2024. He swims in the ocean year round, often early in the morning – which, in winter, means it’s pitch black in the water (aside from his head torch) from start to finish. In this episode Brett shares how his swimming grew from new-to-ocean-swimming to marathon level, the strategies he incorporates for successful long swims, and the joy of getting in the sea every week – no matter what the weather’s up to. Health and safety note: Brett is a highly experienced ocean swimmer. If you’re new to sea swimming the best advice is to join a local group, start in the warmer months, check the conditions before you get in, and stick close to shore as you grow in confidence and ability. Brett’s YouTube video of his Foveaux Strait swim‘After 10 hours, Brett Richardson emerges from Cook Strait hypothermic and victorious’ (Stuff, November 27 2020)NZ Sports page for Meda McKenzie, who swam Cook Strait at 15 years old in 1978.

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