By Kevin Majoros
Under the name The Swim Mechanic, Bryan Mineo offers one-on-one coaching to triathletes and open water swimmers to further their aquatic success.
As a tool to feed his growing business, Mineo began organizing free open water swims in 2013 in Redondo Beach, California.
What he did not realize at the time is that the weekend swims would evolve into the world’s largest open water swimming community and become the connection point for hundreds of athletes to become activists and stewards for ocean health.
One With The Ocean has expanded to 14 cities and each swim is preceded by 30 minute beach cleanups which take place year-round in all locations.
In the ocean the swimmers face down fears and challenges. On land they work on improving human relationships with the ocean by raising awareness for recycling, eco-friendly substitutes for plastic and ecosystem protection.
Learning Lessons in the Open Water
Mineo was a competitive pool swimmer growing up in Texas and loved being in the water. When he was just starting college, a friend asked him for open water swim lessons.
Even though he was proficient in the pool, his first experience in open water was humbling and a lesson in fear. He continued to go back to the open water looking for ways to overcome that fear and eventually he fell in love.
Those experiences led to his move to California where he would begin coaching as The Swim Mechanic.
“I found my language and my compassion for helping others through my ocean work,” says Mineo. “As the years went by my passion began to evolve. My wheels started turning towards creating something bigger than myself.”
Building an Open Water Swimming Community
In their first year of meetups, the group averaged five to eight swimmers each weekend. By year four they had reached numbers of 180 swimmers and launched new locations in San Francisco and San Diego.
Mineo was producing a podcast called SMOGcast which highlighted distinct stories of overcoming fear, personal growth through ocean swimming and building a support community.
People began reaching out about starting their own locations using the community model which led to their current count of 14 cities.
“As our community expanded it became very tangible to see the impact,” Mineo says. “We are a diverse group of passionate ocean lovers and conservation-minded individuals. We began asking ourselves how we can use that for good.”
The group organized as a nonprofit in 2019 with their mission statement to create community surrounding open water workouts and caring for the environment.
Over the past 12 months, One With The Ocean has completed 800 beach cleanups and Mineo describes a typical day together as cleanup, swim, coffee, and community.
“California has incredibly manicured beaches which are also incredibly littered. Our cleanups are a small dent, but we have the ability through our messaging and education to create impact resulting in change. Micro-choices add up,” says Mineo. “The cleanups also offer an experience for people to do more for themselves. We have spouses, kids and friends that come along which adds to the bonding.”
One With The Ocean offers Play in the Waves and SoCal Beach Sweep
With a member group that ranges from 8-year-old junior lifeguards to an 81-year-old triathlon legend, One With The Ocean is providing conservation messaging for members to take in their own direction.
Their Play in the Waves program for underserved families offers free ocean conservation education and free ocean swim lessons with transportation provided to the beach.
“We are establishing key partnerships with marine biologists and ocean scientists to further this program,” Mineo says. “Play in the Waves targets youth but we are also encouraging family to be involved. Fear of the ocean can be generational.”
The adult members have other ways of staying connected through trivia nights, book club, bike club, run club and movie nights.
An upcoming One With The Ocean event that both young and old will participate in together is the SoCal Beach Sweep. Using social distancing, members will do beach cleanup in October from Tijuana to Malibu with 2-3 people per mile covering a beach location.
“Supporting one another is the underlying element for everything we do,” says Mineo.
The Ocean as Teacher
Mineo stepped out of the water for a short period of time to focus on coaching and growing the organization. He is now back swimming and has rediscovered the love that has been there all along.
“The ocean saved my life and has been my greatest teacher about myself and what I can give to others. It is a powerful connection point that offers exercises in presence and patience,” Mineo says. “I have been able to meld all of my skills into one shape and every swim offers something new. It is literal submersion into something I love.”
- One With The Ocean online
- One With The Ocean locations
- One With The Ocean on InstagramBryan Mineo on Instagram
This piece was prepared online by Panuruji Kenta, Publisher, SEVENSEAS Media