As another heatwave scorches the UK, a lesser-known sexual fetish is gaining mainstream attention. Aquaphilia, or erotic attraction to water, is seeing a significant surge in interest, with sales of water-related adult content rising sharply.
Sales Spike for Watery Fetish Videos
Christy Verville, who works with adult content creators for porn site Clips4Sale, revealed that demand for watery sex videos has increased dramatically. 'Last year, sales of water-related fetishes rose 47% between February and August. We're seeing similar trends this year,' she told Metro. Searches for 'SCUBA' and 'underwater' are among the top 10 most searched fetishes in the UK right now.
What Is Aquaphilia?
Clinical sexologist Ness Cooper explains that these searches fall under the broad umbrella of aquaphilia. 'This is when someone is turned on or erotically excited by water,' she says. 'Think any water, from fountains in the park, to being splashed on.' Verville also believes sales of water-related fetishes have doubled in the past few years because individual creators are better at filming it than big porn studios.
Why Individual Creators Excel
'Big production studios avoided pool scenes because they were difficult to shoot — too much chlorine, sunburn and exposure,' says Verville. 'But a creator can really zero in on a fetish, whether that's a sexy pose with a beach ball or falling into a pool fully dressed.'
What Watery Fetishes Entail
When the weather heats up, many head in search of water. 'Beaches and pools, with all that flesh bared, are already eroticised zones,' adds Verville. Searches online for 'underwater' fetishes often consist of someone swimming in a bikini under the surface. 'Or it can be about that wet look — someone emerging from a pool with glistening hair or getting caught in a rainstorm in a white t-shirt. It's the same trope you might see in mainstream films like the Notebook or a Bond film, even if we're more honest about the intent,' she says. 'Fetish content can be a way for creators to help you explore what you see everyday, but in a way that feels consensual, rather than voyeuristic.'
The Appeal of Being in Water
Sexologist Ness points out some kink seekers want to be in the water themselves. 'The weightlessness which water offers can allow some people to feel they lose control slightly and that turns them on,' she says. She adds that some people simply enjoy the sensation of floating and letting it 'massage their body'. 'The sensations alongside the difference in temperature can then trigger arousal responses for some people,' she says.
The Scuba Fetish
Even if the image of a dripping wet person exiting the water gets you going, the allure of scuba might be puzzling. Ness says there was an uptick in conversation around scuba fetishism after The Deep (AKA Chase Crawford in Scuba) appeared in The Boys. 'There are some who just enjoy the items and clothing associated with scuba activity, and many of these can be seen as a fetish in themselves as rubber, silicone, and neoprene are all turn-ons,' she says. 'For some it may be wearing the clothing. The pressure can be very calming or erotically charged.' Breathing apparatus like oxygen tanks also falls under breath play. 'This can alter how the body takes in oxygen and may lead to a heady experience for some which can be arousing,' Ness adds. 'Some people will buy scuba masks for breath play.'
Risks and Safety
Practicing any sexual fetish around water or with breathing apparatus involves risks. The sex expert says you must do it at a private pool, as public pools or beaches could 'expose others to your fetish' which they can't consent to. You also need to be a strong swimmer. For scuba, Ness warns: 'Some of the clothing can lead to reactions if you are allergic to rubber. Wearing tight fitting clothing which restrict breathing should also be limited to shorter term wear, and if you're playing with a play partner they should check in on you regularly when you're wearing these.' If using an oxygen tank, 'keep an eye-out for dizziness, if the one wearing the items becomes spacy or non-responsive,' Ness says.
Safer Alternatives
There is a way to circumvent these risks. 'Some people explore scuba fetish by playing popular computer games, including VR,' Ness explains. 'This can trick the brain into feeling sensory input such as water moving around you, through the noise and images.'
