We sat down live with Brendan Cullen, a farmer from the Australian outback who took on one of the world’s toughest endurance challenges: swimming the English Channel.

In this unscripted After Swim conversation, Brendan shares the full journey behind his book The Desert Swimmer. From growing up in the bush, to battling mental health challenges, to finding purpose through open water swimming.

We explore what led him to take that first step, how he trained hundreds of kilometres from the ocean, and what it really takes, physically and mentally, to cross the Channel.

This is a raw and honest conversation about resilience, identity, community, and the power of saying yes to something that feels completely out of reach.

If you’ve ever wondered what’s possible when you commit to change, this one’s for you.

How to Choose the Right Experience! In this episode we explore the growing world of open water swim camps, swim treks, events and retreats, and how to decide which experience might be right for you.

0:00 - Intro

2:40 - 🌊 This Week In the Water

We highlighted the Irish Long Distance Swimming Association (ILDSA) Awards, celebrating some incredible achievements in the marathon swimming world.

• Open Water World Cup in Soma Bay

• Events across the Easter Long Weekend

• Yolanda - Double crossing of Robben Island

• The Australian Surf Life Saving Championships

• Jocelyn Webbs Derwent River Swim

• Jono Ridler Update - The Finish is near, petition passes 50k signatures.

18:26 - 🏊 The Main Set - What Swim Camp or Trip Should You Go On?

This week’s main conversation explored a question many swimmers eventually ask: “What type of swim trip or experience should I do?”

With so many options now available around the world, we broke the discussion down into four common categories.

• Swim Camps - are typically focused on learning and skill development.

• Swim Treks - focus more on exploration and experience. Instead of structured coaching, these trips are usually about swimming in incredible locations with support boats and experienced guides.

• Swim Events - combine challenge and community. These may include single-day races or multi-day events where swimmers complete a distance alongside others in a structured and safe environment.

• Swim Retreats - The final category we explored was wellness-focused swim retreats. These experiences are less about performance and more about connection with nature and personal wellbeing.

We also discussed the key things swimmers should look for when choosing a camp, trek or event.

40:30 -💙 Weekly Wisdom – How Did We Get Into Open Water Swimming? In this week’s Weekly Wisdom, we shared the personal stories behind how we both got into open water swimming and our experiences.

What became clear through both stories was that nobody starts as an expert.

Many swimmers begin with pool backgrounds and quickly realise open water requires completely different skills.

The ocean is unpredictable — and that’s exactly what makes it such a powerful teacher.

56:38 -🎙 Live Q&A During the live Q&A we tackled a question many swimmers think about but rarely ask openly: How do you choose the right time to take on a swim?

What factors go into this kind of decision;

• Weather stability (when in the year).

• Air Temp.

• Water Temp.

• Tides & currents - favourable vs. unfavourable

• Marine Life (breeding season).

• Night vs. Day.

• Business of waterway (ships, commuter boats) and more.

1:01:25 -❄️ The Cool Down

As always, we finished the show by reflecting on the conversation and inviting the community to continue shaping the direction of the show.

Words of the Week “Consistency wins. Because it's not what you do once in a while that matters — it's what you do every day.”

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This week’s conversation centred around something every swimmer experiences, but few people truly prepare for: what happens after the event is over.

Because the reality is that finishing the swim is only part of the journey. What you do next matters just as much.

0:00 - Intro

2:30 - 🌊 This Week In the Water

We looked at several major stories and achievements from across the global open water swimming community. Including:

• Port to Pub 2026 results

• Australian Triple Crown completions

• Catching up with Open Water Legend Grainne Moss

• The Derwent River Big Swim anniversary

• Ryan Stramrood’s circumnavigation of St Helena

• The New Zealand Ocean Swim Series – Lake Karapiro Swim Fest

• Jono Ridler’s Live Ocean challenge, continuing his long-distance journey with 129 km still to go.

• A look at the upcoming release of the film, “Don’t Be Prey”.

21:30 - 🏊 The Main Set

Physical Recovery After a Major Swim

This week’s main topic focused on post-event physical recovery, something that many swimmers underestimate after months or even years of preparation.

• Dehydration

• Muscle damage and fatigue

• Delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS)

• General physical stress from prolonged effort We discussed the key stages of recovery, including: • Immediate Recovery (First Hours)

• Short-Term Recovery (Days After the Event) As swelling, stiffness and fatigue settle in, recovery should focus on supporting the body’s natural repair processes.

• Longer-Term Recovery (Weeks After) In the weeks that follow, swimmers should gradually transition back toward training while paying attention to any underlying issues.

40:18 - 💙 Weekly Wisdom Mental and Emotional Recovery

While the body might take days or weeks to recover, the mind often takes longer. We explored the emotional side of finishing a major goal, including the experience many athletes describe as post-event blues.

• A sudden loss of routine

• A drop in motivation

• Feelings of emptiness or lack of direction

• Difficulty transitioning back into normal life

We discussed strategies to help navigate this period, including:

• Accepting that these feelings are normal

• Reflecting on the journey and what you have learned

• Setting new goals, even small ones

• Maintaining connection with the swimming community

• Reconnecting with family, friends and other areas of life

Recovery isn’t just about muscles and fitness. It’s about rebuilding balance across your entire life.

58:06 - 🎙 Live Q&A

During the live Q&A we tackled a question many swimmers think about but rarely ask openly:

How do you overcome the fear of predator animals in open water?

1:02:16 - ❄️ The Cool Down

We reflected on the importance of what happens after the finish line and how recovery shapes the longevity of your swimming journey.

Words of the Week:

“A man is great not because he hasn’t failed. A man is great because failure hasn’t stopped him.” — Confucius

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After Swim is a global online community for open water swimmers, built around conversation, shared experience and connection.

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This week’s conversation covered a wide cross-section of the global open water swimming community, from high-altitude swims and remote expeditions to major Australian events and meaningful milestones.

0:00 - Intro 2:26 - 🌊 This Week In the Water

We took a global look at what is happening across the open water world, including:

• Dina Levacic’s 30th birthday swim in Lake Titicaca

• The momentum of St Helena. Angus McPherson completes the challenge.

• Miu Tanaka, the first woman to swim the 26km length of Lake Yingina

• Val Kalmikovs Wild West Series

• Port to Pub and the growing scale of the event

• Australian Surf Life Saving Championships and inclusion in the 2032 Olympic Games

• World Water Day highlighting global water sustainability and access

20:40 - 🏊 The Main Set – The Australia Triple Crown

We explored the Australian Triple Crown and some of the most iconic marathon swims in Australia. We discussed:

• The origins of the Australian Triple Crown.

• How the landscape of marathon swimming in Australia is evolving, and the role of Marathon Swimming Australia supporting these challenges

• Port to Pub What the event is and how it has grown.

• Derwent River Big Swim Its history, including Des Renford’s 1975 swim

• Palm to Shelly What the event involves and why it stands out

💙 Weekly Wisdom This week’s intended focus was on post-event recovery, a topic that is often overlooked once the swim is done.

Because we spent more time on the Main Set this week, rather than rushing it, we have chosen to carry this conversation into next week, where we will properly explore the depths of Post Event Recovery

58:10 -🎙 Live Q&A We answered questions from the community, including:

• Why is the hardest part often just getting to the pool and getting in?

1:03:28 -❄️ The Cool Down As we wrapped up the show, we reflect on the conversations and invite the community to continue shaping what After Swim becomes.

1:04:00 - Words of the Week:

“Excuses make today easy, but they make tomorrow hard. Discipline makes today hard, but it makes tomorrow easy.” – Michael Oher

We also left a final thought: What you do in the days after the effort determines how long the effort stays with you.

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After Swim is a global online community for open water swimmers, built around conversation, shared experience and connection.

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In this week’s episode we explore some of the places that make open water swimming so special. From global swim news to personal reflections on remote swim locations, this conversation is about why swimmers are drawn to certain waters and how we choose the challenges that shape our journeys.

0:00 - Intro

1:52 - 🌊 This Week In the Water We discuss:

• The Completion of the Winter Swimming World Championships held in Oulu, Finland https://wswc2026.fi/

• Yolanda Carson completing the False Bay crossing in South Africa

• The “NEWS” swim series concept https://infinitychannelswimming.com/honour-roll/news-swim-series/

• Andy back in the pool and what happened on race day.

• The 30th anniversary of the Coogee Jetty to Jetty swim in Western Australia https://www.instagram.com/p/DVnQ3K3ABz1/

• Jay’s own experience racing Coogee Jetty to Jetty swim

• Update on Jono Ridler reaching the 1,000km milestone of his incredible endurance swim. https://liveocean.org/swim4theocean/

• Reflections on the anniversary of the Epic Swim Maui reconnaissance swim https://www.instagram.com/epicswimmaui/

15:30 - 🏊 The Main Set – Why We Swim Where We Swim

This week’s conversation focused on:

• Maui, Hawaii - the incredible water clarity, dramatic landscapes and the vibrant community

• Kununurra and Lake Argyle in Western Australia - including the remote beauty of the Ord River

• The realities of true wild swimming in remote environments.

• Montenegro, where swimmers experience stunning Adriatic coastline

35:45 - 💙 Weekly Wisdom – How to Choose Your Swim

We explored a simple decision matrix that considers four key factors:

• Personal Aspirations – Does the swim align with your personal goals or passions? Is it a location that genuinely excites you?

• Career Aspirations – Could the swim support your professional goals as an athlete, coach or content creator?

• Altruistic Goals – Does the swim allow you to raise awareness or support causes that matter to you?

• Opportunistic Factors – Are you already travelling to a location, or do you have a connection that makes the opportunity possible?

48:15 - 🎙 Live Q&A This week’s live audience question explored a big topic in the world of sport:

• What are your thoughts on the Enhanced Games?

59:20 - ❄️ The Cool Down Words of the Week:

“A man cannot step into the same river twice, because it is not the same river and he is not the same man.” — Heraclitus

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After Swim is a global online community for open water swimmers, built around conversation, shared experience and connection.

This week’s episode dives deep into one of the most unpredictable and respected channel crossings in the world: Cook Strait.

From remote island circumnavigations to ice swimming in Finland, we begin with a global lap around the open water community before unpacking what makes Cook Strait such a unique test of patience, preparation and perspective.

00:00 - Intro 02:02 - 🌊 This Week In the Water We discuss:

• Dina Levicic’s 48km circumnavigation of St Helena https://www.croatiaweek.com/dina-levacic-first-circumnavigation-saint-helena

• Joanne Norman completing the Ocean Seven with her Molokai Channel crossing https://www.facebook.com/share/v/19wUGkVTPz/

• The Winter Swimming World Championships in Finland https://wswc2026.fi/

• The Coogee Jetty to Jetty 30th anniversary https://www.jettytojetty.org.au/

• The Trans Cape SwimRun in Western Australia https://www.soletrails.com.au/

13:30 - 🏊 The Main Set – Cook Strait In this episode we explore:

• Why Cook Strait has the reputation it does

• Tides, wind funnels and volatile weather systems

• Neap vs spring tides and how they affect strategy

• Wellington vs Picton as a base

• The people, pilots and swim groups who shape the culture of the crossing

Cook Strait is not just 22km of water. It is timing, trust and respect for the environment.

34:20 -💙 Weekly Wisdom – Dealing With Uncertainty Inspired by Cook Strait, we talk about:

• Managing shifting timelines and narrow weather windows

• Blocking out external noise • Trusting your team when decisions are out of your hands

• Letting go of control while staying fully prepared

Sometimes the hardest part is not the swim. It is the waiting.

58:00 -🎙 Live Q&A This week’s community questions:

• What can you do to battle salt tongue?

• What are your thoughts on the Enhanced Games?

• What are your favourite goggles?

1:01:45 -❄️ The Cool Down Words of the Week: “When nothing is sure, everything is possible.”

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After Swim is a global online community for open water swimmers, built around conversation, shared experience and connection.

Because the most important conversations in swimming happen after you get out of the water.

This week’s show had plenty to unpack. From major events across the globe to one of the biggest disappointments on the Australian open water calendar, we dive into the conversations that happen after the swim… and sometimes when the swim does not even happen at all !

We reflect on the cancellation of the iconic Rottnest Channel Swim and what it really means when months of preparation are suddenly halted by conditions beyond your control. How do you respond? How do you process the disappointment? And what can you actually control? Plus the role of the support team.

00:00 - Intro

02:15 - 🌊 This Week in the Water Around the world, we shine a light on:

• The incredible impact of the Cole Classic in raising nearly $250,000 for charity https://coleclassic.com.au/ https://www.instagram.com/coleclassicswim/

• Ivan Puskovitch taking on the brutal challenge of an ice mile https://www.instagram.com/p/DVG5IpkCSpi/

• A 45km channel crossing from Saudi Arabia to Bahrain

• The global open water community continuing to grow in places you might not expect

22:15 - 🏊 The Main Set – The Role of the Support Crew Who is really on your team? What does each role involve? And how do you build a team that gives you the best possible chance of success? From skippers and handlers to paddlers and spotters, we break down what makes an effective race-day team, why alignment matters, and how the wrong atmosphere can quietly derail a swim. We also share honest stories. The good. The uncomfortable. And the lessons learned.

42:45 - 💙 Weekly Wisdom – Setback and Disappointment Finally, in this week’s Weekly Wisdom, we talk about dealing with setback and how to deal with disappointment. Whether it is a cancelled event, a failed crossing, or a goal that slips through your fingers, how do you move forward stronger?

54:50 -🎙 Live Q&A with Andy & Jay We answered community questions and expanded on: • what is your most underrated habit?

• What is a good book on high performance everybody should read?

• What's your favourite drill in swimming?

59:20 -❄️ The Cool Down Words of the Week:

• Your present circumstances don’t determine where you can go, they merely determine where you start - Nido Qubein

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After Swim is a global online community for open water swimmers — built around conversation, shared experience, and connection.

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This week didn’t exactly start to plan. A live power outage in the opening minutes forced us to reset in real time. Which, in many ways, became the perfect reflection of this episode’s theme: Resilience.

From major global swims to the meaning behind Rottnest, this episode explores what it means to prepare well, and what it takes to respond when things don’t go to plan.

00:00 - Intro A slightly chaotic start thanks to a technical outage… but a reminder that open water (and live streaming) rarely goes exactly to plan.

01:52 - 🌊 This Week in the Water We took a lap around what’s happening across the open water world, including:

• U24 Safety to Sorrento Swim in Port Phillip Bay. 24km, 12km and 6km events with an incredible finishing rate !

02:55 - Video Update from Jono Ridler

• Update from Jono Ridler's 1,400km non-wetsuit swim down New Zealand’s east coast to raise awareness about bottom trawling and ocean health 🌊 Jono Ridler Website: https://swim4theocean.org/ 📸 Jono Ridler Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jonoridler/

• The Cole Classic in Manly and its powerful fundraising impact - https://coleclassic.com.au/

07:25 - Rottnest Final Countdown - https://rottnestchannelswim.com.au/ • Final countdown to the Rottnest Channel Swim and what the forecast means for swimmers - What to be aware of, what you can look forward to.

18:20 - 🏊 The Main Set – The Rottnest Channel Swim We deep dive into the history, culture and impact of the 19.7km crossing from Cottesloe Beach to Rottnest Island. From its origins in a 1956 pub bet to the first official event in 1991, Rottnest has grown into one of the most iconic open water swims in the world.

44:58 - 💙 Weekly Wisdom – Robust vs Resilient Last week we spoke about robustness. This week we explore resilience.

We unpack reacting vs responding, managing nerves before a big event, and how to mentally prepare for challenging conditions.

58:06 -🎙 Live Q&A with Andy & Jay We answered community questions and expanded on:

• What do you do for sea sickness

• What do you think about during swims

• How do you deal with post swim blues

1:00:04 -❄️ The Cool Down Words of the Week:

• Calm Seas Never Made a Skilled Sailor

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After Swim is a global online community for open water swimmers — built around conversation, shared experience, and connection. If you enjoyed this episode:

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