About Us
Finding Inspiration in Every Turn
The Nanaimo Ebbtides Swim Club operates under the umbrella of Swimming Canada, Masters Swim Association of BC, and Swim BC. We offer pool time and coaching for both recreational and competitive swimmers who can swim freestyle, backstroke, breast-stroke, and butterfly (maybe not perfectly, but have the basic mechanics and endurance for all 4 strokes). There is something for all swimmers whether you swim for fun, for fitness or want to hone your competitive swim skills for local, provincial, and national meet.
Please note that our club is for swimmers who can swim at least 1500 metres or 60 lengths in an hour.
Our Story
The Ebbtides Swim Club began over 40 years ago, in 1980, with just 14 members under the direction of Lois Gonyer Walkling, our founding coach. We now have about 80 members from 19-75+ years of age. Some members have been with the club for over 30 years!
Our annual Ebbtides swim meet has been held for 40+ years and brings together new and seasoned competitors. Meets bring together swimmers to support and encourage each other and create team spirit both within and across clubs. Of course, participation in Masters swim meets is optional, but it is fun to earn points for the club and to see how all that training really does improve swim times. It's amazing to see how one's energy level and motivation goes up after swimming in a meet!
Our club organizes socials so that club members can get to know their fellow swimmers 'with their clothes on'. Look for e-mail invitations sent out to all members. Once you have paid your registration and session fees to swim with our club, you are automatically added to the email list.
Meet the Coaches
Board of Directors
Nanaimo Ebbtides Swim Club is run by a volunteer Board of Directors. Our club would not exist without the time and effort of our past and current board members.
Ebbtides Logo
Tides in the Salish Sea create equally powerful flood and ebbtides around the many beautiful islands of this region. In Northwest coast Native art and culture, the frog is a supernatural being which inhabits the human, as well as the spirit world. They adapt easily to their environment and communicates between the two realms. In the natural world, frogs can easily switch between water and land and they are associated with springtime, renewal, and the changing of the seasons.
Our logo has also changed and evolved over the years as shown below.