Courtesy of WOWSA, Huntington Beach, California.
Across all continents from Oceania to Europe, Africa to Asia, the Americas to Antarctica, we see people smiling all the time in the open water.
Some do it constantly whether in training or after a race, like Yasunari Hirai of Japan and Lexie Kelly of California [see below].
They simply enjoy the aquatic environment and appreciate the tactile feel and emotional response they get with swimming, whether it is in an ocean or lake, a river or an Endless Pool.
Whether it is letting go of the stresses faced at work or at school; whether it is enjoying full-body, cardiovascular, strength-building exercises, or whether it is simply splashing around and diving under the surface for fun, life in the water brings smiles to many.
Copyright © 2016 by World Open Water Swimming Association