The mental health benefits of ocean swimming have been brought up numerous times in the media during the coronavirus pandemic.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
And a couple of the south-west's fastest swimmers are not surprised.
Warrnambool's Isaac Jones and Sophie Thomas made it two from two on Saturday in the Warrnambool leg of the Shipwreck Coast Swim Series.
They backed up their victories in the Port Fairy leg three weeks ago.
READ MORE:
Jones, 25, took out the men's senior class in 15.28 minutes and Thomas, 24, claimed the women's senior event in 17.11.
Thomas believes there is plenty to be gained from ocean swimming.
"I'm the kind of person who in the winter, I love to come down here - even when it's freezing cold and just jump and dive under in the water," she said.
"And I think it can certainly change your mindset that's for sure.
"Just being in the cold water - you don't have to think much.
"It's not like the pool where you're trying to focus on times or distance or whatever, you're just going for a swim.
"I think it's good, definitely a relaxing thing for people and something to take their mind off work or whatever."
She said the ocean offered variety which kept things interesting.
"It's different everyday it's never the same, you've always got different conditions and something different to work with, you don't sort of get as bored of it I don't think," she said.
Jones highlighted the community aspect of ocean swimming.
"You want to do it with a group, you don't want to go by yourself so I think for people starting off in swimming all the way through to elite people, you kind of do it as a community," he said.
"When you're out there you create bonds.
"With the pool you're surrounded, whereas here every day is different and something about the salt water makes you feel good no matter the day - whether it's cold or hot."
He said the community element of open-water swimming had been important during the pandemic.
Jones said the conditions were perfect for Saturday's 1.2-kilometre swim.
"It's a good course going out to the breakwater - it's iconic Warrnambool so it was nice to swim along there," he said.
"And then on the way in, it was pretty much a tailwind and swell behind you the whole way which made for a really fast swim.
"Couldn't have asked for a better day."
Thomas also felt the conditions were favourable with not too much wind.
"It makes it a bit easier, you can relax a little bit more rather than getting washed around in the chop and that sort of thing," she said.
She said she had to work a bit harder on Saturday than during her Port Fairy victory.
"At Port Fairy I got a nice little wave in, I didn't get one today," she said with a laugh.
Both swimmers said they intend to race in the final leg at Port Campbell on February 23.
All age group results can be found at this link.