Of course, this is nothing new. The Romans famously saw public bathing as a civil right and constructed a number of sites – most notably, The Roman Baths in the city of Bath – throughout the 5th century. The hammam was a core hub for social gatherings throughout the Ottoman Empire and the Finnish sauna ritual (followed by rolling in snow or leaping into an icy lake) has been documented as far back as 7000BC. In England, the Hampstead Heath bathing ponds were originally dug out in the 17th and 18th centuries, and Victorian physicians prescribed seaside holiday to improve health ailments and the Public Baths and Wash-houses Act was passed in 1846.

Back in Issue 01 of Oceanographic, surfer and marine social scientist Dr Easkey Britton shares her thoughts: ‘Wave-exposed coastlines could have added benefits with research suggesting that negative ions released by breaking waves alter our biochemistry and light up our mood, relieving stress. A recent study in England by the European Centre for Environment and Human Health found that living near the coast can make us healthier.’

Studies have found that physically being out in nature provides a transition towards thinking outwards towards the environment and can help put life into perspective. Water-based activities do add another element as you have to focus on and tune in with the natural elements, whether that be wind force, currents, tides or changing weather. Whatever it is that is connecting you to the water, you are immersed in that blue space, which can be incredibly meditative. In fact, simply looking at a body of water changes our brain frequency, which puts us into a more meditative state. Whether it’s crashing waves or ripples created by tiny fish – large bodies of water allow us to surrender, even just for an hour or so.

‘Our bodies have been shaped and formed by water – we have an ocean inside us. Like the Earth, we are 70% saltwater,’ Dr. Britton writes, in Issue 04. We couldn’t have put it better ourselves.