Sea pools allow for recreational swimming in coastal environments that have dangerous tides, extreme surf, or other factors that make swimming in the open sea unsafe. Wild swimming is more than an occasional cold plunge, it is a way to safely experience the water for many people around the world. Constructed or adapted from a variety of forms incorporating manmade and natural materials, sea pools are intended to have little to no effect on the natural environment, blending into their coastline.

Since the Victorian era, when recreational “wild” swimming was introduced, these unbelievable structures have been a fixture among coastal communities. No two pools are the same, which is why Jessica Cantlin began her years-long effort, traveling the world, documenting the diverse collection of sea pools and people using them as part of their everyday life.