Bloody Mary's and ice cold plunges: National Swim Day the Sapling way

On our brand trip to Eilean Shona, the Sapling team went up a few days early to prepare for our guests. The days were busy, with everyone pitching in to traverse the island, Sapling-ifying canoes, setting up carts, creating tablescapes, and moving stock onto the island. It was a go-go-go kind of few days.

So, we made a team decision. Amidst the chaos, we’d meet together every morning at 8:00 a.m. to jump into the beautiful waters surrounding the island.

The spot we chose was called Otter Bay, named after the otters often seen lying on their backs and paddling around the crystal-clear waters. We’d all trot down with towels wrapped tightly around us and plunge into the sea, hyperventilating and laughing. It was such an invigorating way to start the day and a reminder to stay grounded in the moment, even when our minds were elsewhere.

We loved our morning swims so much that we encouraged our guests to join in the ritual when they arrived.

So, for World Swim Day today, we’re taking inspiration from that trip to Eilean Shona. Those early morning swims followed, of course, by Bloody Marys made with Sapling Vodka, a hearty and warming treat when our hands were almost numb from the cold. It was the perfect reminder of what we stand for: being rooted in the moment and celebrating nature in its purest form.

But cold water swimming isn’t just invigorating, it’s genuinely good for you.

Medical research has shown that regular dips in cold water can:

• Boost circulation and metabolism
  

• Strengthen the immune system
  

• Reduce stress and anxiety
  

• Increase dopamine and endorphin levels, nature’s own mood lifters
  
  

Dr. Mark Harper distils the benefits of cold water swimming into this: ‘The answer, in a word, is hormesis, an adaptive response of cells and organisms to moderate and intermittent stress.” So, all those natural bodily reactions that come with cold water swimming: the fast breathing, the accelerated heart rate, and that bizarre sensation of needing to pee, are actually good for you. Through cold water swimming, we can teach our bodies how to react to stress in a healthy way, because, as Dr. Harper notes, “the more often the body is exposed to cold temperatures, the less intensely the body responds to this exposure and stress as life-threatening.”

After our swims on Eilean Shona, we gathered together for warming drinks, Sapling Bloody Marys, crafted with our naturally smooth vodka and The Pickle House’s Spiced Tomato Juice. There was laughter, shared stories, and a deep sense of calm that only comes from spending time outdoors, together.

For us, that’s what it’s all about, finding moments of connection, community, and care for the world around us.

Here’s to jumping in, moving our bodies, and raising a glass to the moments that bring us back to ourselves.

Here's our Bloody Mary Recipe!

40ml Sapling Regenerative Vodka
100ml Tomato Juice (we love Pickle House's)
Pinch chilli flakes
10ml Lemon Juice
A couple dash Scottish hot sauce
Pinch Scottish sea salt

Method:
Build all ingredients in a highball glass with cubed ice. Garnish with seaweed.