Our guest, Phil Ellison, spent 20 years in the NHS, helping people recover legs, joints and lives. As a triathlete, he chased finish lines from St Helens to the World Championships in Kona. But a cold morning dip with his wife in 2022 changed everything. One breath. One plunge. One shift in purpose.

Now Phil leads Adapted Life — a mission built on five pillars anyone can embrace:
🏃 Movement
🌙 Sleep🌿 Nature🫶 Emotional Wellbeing🥗 Healthy Eating

Our Dunkers know better than anyone: the right community can transform you. So what happens when cold water… becomes a warm awakening?

The Hoff asks the big questions. Phil brings the honest answers.
This one’s personal — for every listener craving more from life.

Phil has a real gift for cutting through the noise of health and lifestyle science, turning the overload of info out there into something simple, practical and achievable. His mission is all about raising awareness, demystifying the science, and helping people make real change with the support of community.

Welcome to The Swim & Thrive Series — a special three-part journey from the Dunkers Podcast, where we dive deeper into the benefits of cold water, community, and the kind of lifestyle that keeps you moving, sleeping, and smiling better.

Swimming might seem simple — it’s as natural as walking — yet for many, water can be daunting. These episodes are here to change that.

We’ll explore how technique, confidence, and a splash of courage can transform not just how you swim, but how you live.

In this first episode, we’re joined by Rebecca Wetten from Catch Swim, who shares simple, game-changing ways to find your flow — in the pool, in the sea, and in life.

So take a breath, take the plunge… and let’s swim and thrive together.

From ice cream beginnings in 2018 to today's coffee perfection, Jack and Laura have turned Two Islands into one of Abersoch’s most loved spots. With Welsh-roasted beans, minimalist charm, and cakes worth swimming an extra mile for, their story is one of craft, community, and cinnamon. Expect laughs, sweet secrets, and maybe even the recipe for happiness (spoiler: it might be a cinnamon bun or even a 'Dunker Styled' tasty!).

If our episode brings you listening happiness, please like, share and comment about any experience or vist you've enjoyed at Two Islands .

Mark & Debbie Baker bring beer, banter, and bold dips to Abersoch – a duo who truly make waves...What happens when a triathlete brewer and a sea-loving chef join forces in the cold waters of Abersoch? You get a duo who mix fun, flavour, and a fearless approach to life – that's Mark and Debbie Baker.

From synchronised swims to North England IPAs,this episode dives into what makes this couple such a bright spark in the Dunkers crew – with a few splashes of beer foam and sea spray along the way! Mark will also tell us how, in his excitement of being a star on DunkersPodcast, he overlooked telling us about yeast!  I guess he’s in good company as the original German beer purity law, the Rheinheitsgebot, in the 15th century also missed out yeast – but that’s because they really didn’t know it existed as the 4th ingredient for its role infermentation of sugars (i.e., making into alcohol).

Hope you enjoy, hic! and let’s make a splash!

This special episode of the Dunkers Podcast is dedicated to Jeff Taylor — a friend, a fellow Dunker, and the man whose famous words, “We must be bloody mad!”, still echo across Abersoch’s shores.

A year on from his passing, we celebrate Jeff’s spirit with stories, laughter, and reflections especially recorded for this Podcast and from those who knew him best.

More than just a tribute, the podcast is more like a celebration, and this is a reminder of the joy, community, and connection that Jeff embodied every time he stepped into the sea. 🌊💙

Gwynedd Council in North Wales added a 150% Council Tax premium on second homes, hoping to make housing more affordable for locals. Instead, homes are still too expensive for first-time buyers, the money raised isn’t being spent on housing, and locals worry it’s both not being deployed for the purposes it was claimed to be raised for, instead, sitting in council reserves.

For this episode, we have invited Mr John Brybour- Hughes (Abersoch local councillor and business proprietor), Mrs Angela Russell (Leader of Independent party on Gwynedd Council representing Mynytho and LLanbedrog) and Mr Rhys Elvins (experienced and well know local estate agent) to explore the impact and what's it really like 'on-the-ground'.

This is our second Roundtable episode and our Roundtables are always keen to hear from our listener and to chat about any issue which impacts locals and a wider audience in our area. Abersoch Dunkers are from all walks of life and have a real love of growing the success of all the communities in the area (in addition to daily cold water Dunking!).

Do let us have your thoughts in the poll below, or via the episode comments or directly to [email protected].

Today’s guest isn’t just a lawyer—she’s a lifeboat skipper, a marathon runner, and a fierce defender of Abersoch’s charm. Meet Elissa Williams, the storm-force spirit behind causes, rescues, and adventures that keep our coast alive.

On this episode of the DunkersPodcast, Mark sits down with Elissa — a powerhouse of energy and community spirit. From pulling ropes in Abersoch’s legendary tug-o-war to steering lifeboats through stormy seas, Elissa’s life is a whirlwind of action. She’s also a key voice in local policy battles, particularly around Article 4 and protecting the unique character of the Llŷn Peninsula. Expect stories of courage, purpose, and why living at full tilt might just be the ultimate form of dunking.

Today’s guest has swum the English Channel, conquered ice swimming world championships, and spends her days studying exactly what cold water does to our bodies and minds. Dr Heather Massey, from the University of Portsmouth’s Extreme Environments group, has found that wild swimming can do far more than give you a shiver—it can calm anxiety, lift mood, ease menopausal symptoms, and even help with depression.

Her research uncovers how cold water rewires the brain, builds communities, and may even protect us from ageing—while also revealing its dangers, from dangerous gasps to muscle fatigue and post-swim cooling.

So today, we’re asking: Is cold water swimming more likely to cure or to kill? And is it really the free ‘cocaine high’ anyone can get?

From child protection to clay spinning, today’s guest swims wild waters and sculpts soulful stories — her journey, to date, will appeal to many Dunkers and non Dunkers alike and may, especially as a female, even inspire your adventurous side so join us for a meandering, magical conversation with one of Abersoch’s most intriguing Dunkers.

From Vodafone boardrooms to the Porthdinllaen (Nefyn) lookout post, Andy's story is one of innovation, dedication, and watching over the sea when no one else does.

DunkersPodcast is out from the kitchen studio into its first venture to rugged coastlines in a live recording at an active Coastwatch station.