Waterlog

A Swimmers Journey Through Britain

By: Roger Deakin

Narrated by: Mike Cooper

A masterpiece of nature writing, Roger Deakin's Waterlog is a fascinating and inspiring journey into the aquatic world that surrounds us.

In an attempt to discover his island nation from a new perspective, Roger Deakin embarks from his home in Suffolk to swim Britain - the seas, rivers, lakes, ponds, pools, streams, lochs, moats, and quarries. Through the watery capillary network that braids itself throughout the country, Deakin immerses himself in the natural habitats of fish, amphibians, mammals, and birds. And as he navigates towns, private property, and sometimes dangerous waters and inclement weather, Deakin finds himself in precarious situations: He's detained by bailiffs in Winchester, intercepted by the coast guard at the mouth of a river, and mistaken for a dead body on a beach. The result of this surprising journey is a deep dive into modern Britain, especially its wild places.

With enchanting descriptions of natural landscapes, and a deep well of humanity, boundless humor, and unbridled joy, Deakin beckons us to wilder waters and inspires us to connect to the larger world in a most unexpected way. Thrilling, vivid, and lyrical, Waterlog is a fully immersive adventure-a remarkable personal quest, a bold assertion of the swimmer's right to roam, and an unforgettable celebration of the magic of water.

©1999 Roger Deakin (P)2021 Tantor

Love this book

This is my favorite nonfiction book. Deakin’s writing is superb, full of meanderings just like his rivers. So happy the audiobook is now available to US listeners, I have been waiting for years!!! Next month I am going to go swim in his moat— it’s now an Airbnb! So excited and grateful.

Amazing book, loved it!

This was a fantastic book - amazing storytelling and narration. Extremely well written. Loved the descriptions of all the different types of rivers, lakes, and inlets.

"It's OK" - Amazon review scale 2 stars

This was published in 1999 and I suspect anyone interested in "wild swimming" has probably already read it. I'd never heard of this term and am not much of a swimmer anyway. I can see why it's so famous, dense with colorful prose and incident. The problem is it's very British, in terminology and culture to the point I had trouble maintaining interest. It's not only swimming but reports of local towns and pubs and other landmarks. It's as much a report on the less known areas and stuff that has nothing to do with swimming rather off the track tourism. And it's well over 20 years old now.