Inspired by the increasingly popular global trend of combining summer holidays with rewarding practices such as learning a new art or sport, Ioannis Drymonakos has recently launched ‘Swimming Cruise‘, a fresh project that introduces open water swimming aficionados from around the world to the Greek seas and the country’s rich cultural heritage alike.
A thalassophile from as early as he can remember, Greece’s first European Champion will be sharing the professional knowledge and experience he has built over several decades to help swimmers significantly to boost their practice as they also discover stunning locations in the Saronic Gulf by boat and on foot.
In the project’s first year, Swimming Cruise will gather its participants on Poros island in the Saronic, from where daily, over the course of a week, they will set off on a sailboat to different locations that Drymonakos and his team have carefully mapped out. The plan is to enjoy swimming in the Aegean Sea coached personally by Drymonakos, who will be offering customised advice and support. The course, which is open to people of all ages and swimming levels, will include visits to beautiful cultural spots like Epidaurus (including a swim over the Submerged Ancient City of Epidaurus), Cape Sounio, Aegina, Angistri and more, and dining at hand-picked tavernas where both the foods and views are special.
A professional swimmer of matchless calibre, with a well-grounded yet contagiously upbeat attitude to life, Drymonakos first fell in love with the sport at the age of 14, dedicating himself to training and eventually competing in three Olympic Games, becoming the first ever Greek swimmer to hold a European record, and succeeding as a seven-time world finalist.
In later years he hosted a travel series called ‘Thalassolykoi’ on the Greek Skai TV channel, which sailed him across 4,000 nautical miles and 64 Greek destinations. It was during this experience that the athlete first envisioned combining swimming and sailing with travel, and when he went on a kiteboarding cruise in the Caribbean in 2019 the idea crystallised.
Although the world – and within it, his idea– was put on hold for three years of Covid, he emerged from it determined to actualise his plans – and Olympic athletes don’t tend to mess around when they set their mind on a goal.
Right after Drymonakos returned from this year’s annual Spetsathlon and before he heads off on his first Swimming Cruise, we sat down for a chat.
As a pro swimmer, what’s it like coaching swimmers of so many different levels?
Above all, swimming is about sports, health, and well-being. It’s one of the reasons I continue to enjoy it, but I also take great pleasure in teaching swimming to people of all ages, from young children to the elderly (his oldest student is 84).
Everyone is unique, and their interaction with the water is different. It inspires me to pass on my knowledge to people, regardless of their age and body weight, teaching them how to swim safely, with proper technique, and how to be faster in the water.
What are some of the major differences between swimming in a pool & swimming in the open sea?
There are several small but significant differences. A pool restricts the space available, you ‘count tiles’, there are lanes, etc. It has a specific form with minor variations.
On the other hand, the seabed is always different, which makes it much more interesting but requires a completely different approach. You need to learn the correct way to lift your head forward to see where you’re going without that affecting your movement and technique, and you need to have the correct frequency in your strokes, depending on the sea currents.
How hard is it for an inexperienced swimmer to learn & enjoy open-sea swimming?
In the open sea it’s easier, the buoyancy of the sea is greater than that of the pool. The seabed makes it much more interesting. On the Swimming Cruise, there is always a coach-lifeguard within breathing distance in case you get tired and want to stop, or in case you want to take a sip of water.
What is the greatest, most fulfilling takeaway from your life as a pro swimmer?
In truth, picking just one is impossible… Perhaps that I swam against Michael Phelps, the greatest athlete of all time, in the world championship finals. The three Olympic Games I competed in. The medals at the European Championships. Swimming with dolphins in the Aegean Sea. But the greatest reward for me is that through all these experiences I became a better athlete and a better person.
Outside of competitions, what have your most rewarding swimming experiences been?
Over the years, I have participated in countless open water races, and have kept discovering how every race, every different swimming route, has its own magic. Swimming long distances, reaching one island from another, one bay from another, and then looking back to see what a great distance I’ve covered, has become a way of life for me. I consider myself blessed and lucky to have grown up in this country with its endless blues, beautiful sunlight and safe, clean waters, where I can swim long distances and always feel completely at home in the water.
What is your greatest aspiration for the future?
To take people on the Swimming Cruise all over Greece!
Finally, now that summer has begun, can you offer readers your top 3 swimming tips
- Prioritise focusing on learning how to breathe underwater.
- Try to balance yourself in the water. All bodies have buoyancy, so learn to be relaxed in the water. Trust your body and the support of the sea.
- Don’t ever swim too far from the shore, regardless of how experienced you are.
Read also:
Otherworldly beauty of Samothrace: Swimming at the vathres, or plunge pools, in fairytale-like settings
Hydra, Spetses, Poros: Island winter getaways close to the capital
The best scuba diving spots in Attica
