There was a bit of a discussion about swim hat colours at the beach lately, as the number of swimmers back in the sea grows quite quickly.  Not a fashion discussion – a safety one.  As the Summer season begins, it’s good to think about safety again.

A quick scan of safety rules for open water swims online came up with these:

• Brightly coloured swim caps to aid visibility while in the water must be worn.
• Standard kit would include wetsuit, goggles, high visibility swim hat, flip flops, towel, changing mat, and water proof watch.
•  High visibility swim caps are worn by swimmers to make ocean swimming safer.
• A high visibility swim cap shows where you are – especially valuable if there are boats passing by.
•  All swimmers must wear a high visibility swim cap.

I stopped after five events – I reckoned it was clear enough.  I couldn’t find any that said “cool, black or dark, invisibility-inducing caps must be worn“.  I looked – really.

This, for example, is a high visibility swim cap:

It’s easy to see in the sea.  See?

Here’s one that isn’t high visibility:

It’s cool, black, low-profile  – AND BLOODY USELESS IN THE SEA UNLESS YOU WANT TO PLAY SUBMARINES!

So, jokes aside, black is great in the pool.  Totes the coolest. For the sea – go bright. As bright as you like.

Absolutely worthwhile to re-read this from Tom McCarthy, as the boats start to reappear around Myrtleville as well: Stay Safe.  Swim Safe.