Folk singer, Stanford Graduate, and water baby Allette Brooks is all wet - literally. As she tours the country, she is always on the lookout for new ways and places to enjoy her favorite element: water. Brooks has been swimming since she was 18 months old. In fact, her first memory is of her family applauding a solo swim in the backyard pool when she was a toddler.

For the 26-year-old Brooks, watching how people enjoy the water from her own private submerged world provides a freedom and relaxation that enhances her focus when she's not in the pool. The title track to her latest CD "Swim to Me" was inspired by a hike that consisted mostly of swimming upstream near her home in Palo Alto, California. But when she's in the water, she leaves work behind in order to appreciate everything about the moment. Brooks makes it a point to swim at least three times a week for fun, fitness, and relaxation. "Being in the water is such a joyful experience for me," she says. Although Brooks was a member of a swim team, she never competed, preferring to enjoy the water on her own terms. Those terms include atmosphere, and she's compiled a list over the last two years of what she likes and why.

Outdoor pools are a favorite if they have good scenery surrounding the pool. "A beach view or redwoods next to the pool enhances the whole sensory experience," says Brooks, and she considers cold water "invigorating", sometimes swimming at night or in rainy weather to vary her downtime enjoyment. Brooks also appreciates indoor pools that give the swimmer visual stimulation. She cites the Astoria Aquatic Center in Astoria, Oregon as a good example: they have a mural on one wall that provides a "view", as well as an Olympic-sized lap pool, kids' water slide and fountains. "I love it when people bring an artistic sense to their aquatic center. You don't feel like you're just in a pool." But her best water encounter occured in a pool with a current generator. "The 'ravine' quality of the water allows you to go with or against the current, and the 'active' water promotes energy exchange between the swimmer and the medium of the water."

Since she doesn't stay in hotels while traveling, Brooks has come up with a few tried-and-true methods for finding the best places to swim. She recommends using the phone book to scout out local YMCAs or the Parks and Recreation Department for public pools. Another resource is www.swimmersguide.com, which provides information on over 10,000 places to swim internationally.

"Swim to Me" is Allette Brooks' third self-produced album, and if traffic on her web site (www.allettebrooks.com) continues to increase, she may be indulging her enjoyment of night swims even more frequently to keep up with a demanding tour schedule. But no matter how busy her music career becomes, Brooks is a commited hydrophile. "I'm going to swim three days a week for the rest of my life," she says. With that kind of attitude, it's sure to be a long and happy one.