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Waterlog

The book that inspired the wild swimming movement

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Waterlog

By: Roger Deakin
Narrated by: Roy McMillan
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About this listen

Brought to you by Penguin.

Roger Deakin set out in 1996 to swim through the British Isles. The result a uniquely personal view of an island race and a people with a deep affinity for water. From the sea, from rock pools, from rivers and streams, tarns, lakes, lochs, ponds, lidos, swimming pools and spas, from fens, dykes, moats, aqueducts, waterfalls, flooded quarries, even canals, Deakin gains a fascinating perspective on modern Britain. Detained by water bailiffs in Winchester, intercepted in the Fowey estuary by coastguards, mistaken for a suicude on Camber sands, confronting the Corryvreckan whirlpool in the Hebrides, he discovers just how much of an outsider the native swimmer is to his landlocked, fully-dressed fellow citizens.

Encompassing cultural history, autobiography, travel writing and natural history, Waterlog is a personal journey, a bold assertion of the native swimmer's right to roam, and an unforgettable celebration of the magic of water.

© Roger Deakin 1999 (P) Penguin Audio 2020

 Ecosystems & Habitats Environmentalists & Naturalists Nature & Ecology Outdoors & Nature Professionals & Academics Science Sports Water Sports Western Europe Swimming

Critic Reviews

I jumped in with both feet and wanted to stay for more.
Erudite, funky and passionate, a total delight
Charmingly and elegantly written
A delicious, cleansing, funny, wise and joyful book, so wonderfully full of energy and life. I loved it
Highly entertaining...Waterlog is a book about a cold, wet subject written with a warmth and passion it surely deserves, but has rarely had before
A wonderful and romantic tale told by a true English eccentric...think Ratty, think Mole, think three men falling out of a boat...enchanting
A travel book like no other, it is rich and deep with insights on modern Britain
Deakin has written an aquatic Songlines.
Roger Deakin is the perfect companion for invigorating armchair swim. Engaging, thoughtful and candid, he also has a wonderful eye
A brilliant and compelling view of Britain from a few inches above its neglected waterways
All stars
Most relevant
Sparkling, crystalline prose; warmth, wit and just the right level of detail, Deakin's Waterlog is a gem.

Exquisite logbook of a journey through water

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In the spirit of reconciliation, Audible acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.