By Coach Eric
Recently, I had the chance to join a local ocean swim group at North Cottesloe Beach, Perth, and it turned out to be one of the most eye-opening experiences of my swimming journey.
Even though I've trained countless hours in the pool and have swum in many of our local lakes and seas, the open sea fronting the Indian Ocean along Western Australia's coastline is a completely different experience. It's colder, stronger, and far more unpredictable. It reminded me that learning to swim isn't just about technique, but about resilience, awareness, and mental calmness.
The first surprise was the cold water. Even with a wetsuit, my chest tightened and my arms and legs felt heavy. That instant cold shock can trigger panic if your mind isn't steady.
The key? Stay calm and breathe.
I eased in gradually, took deep breaths, and let my body adjust before pushing off. That brief moment of stillness made all the difference between anxiety and control.
The swells at North Cottesloe were powerful. It's far much stronger than what we experience back home in Malaysia. Every wave carried force, and the backwash could pull you in unexpected directions.
To manage that:
Open-water swimming is a constant dialogue between your body and the ocean.
At Swimin12, we've seen how adults often approach swimming with hesitation — some even overcoming lifelong water phobia. That's why our Adult Evening Swim Squad (a.k.a. EVO Tribe) on every Tuesdays is designed to give swimmers the space, structure, and community they need to build real-world confidence.
EVO Tribe is for adults who have completed the Learn to Swim program and are ready to refine their skills, build endurance, or progress into open-water and masters-level swimming. It is also for amateur swimmers who want to stay consistent, train more regularly, and grow within a supportive community.
My experience in Perth reinforced a few important truths:
Many drowning incidents happen because people panic, overestimate their readiness, or underestimate nature's power. Learning to swim is not just about strokes, but about reading the environment and managing fear.
Our goal at Swimin12 is to create swimmers who are not only capable in pools, but also prepared for real-world water situations — whether that's a lake, river, or ocean.
The ocean humbled me, but it also reaffirmed what we teach:
"Confidence doesn't come from strength alone — it comes from awareness and calm."
Coach Eric, Swimin12
Coach Eric is an Ironman Langkawi finisher and passionate open-water swimmer. A Certified Learn-to-Swim Coach and Open Water Swim Coach, he specialises in helping adult swimmers build endurance, refine technique, and gain confidence in all water environments. He also coaches the Swimin12 EVO Tribe programme, guiding swimmers towards higher performance and sustainable progress.
With over 16 years of experience in corporate talent development and coaching, Eric brings both discipline and empathy to his teaching. He has completed major open-water events including Oceanman, and the Perhentian Island Challenge.
Swimin12 is Malaysia’s leading water phobia specialist swim school since 2009, helping both children and adults overcome fear and build real water confidence. Our certified coaches teach swimming across all environments - pool, river, and sea.
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