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Buy a swim cap. I prefer lycra fabric because it is softer but it won't prevent your hair from getting wet, just keeps it in place. I always condition and rinse my hair after swimming anyways. You will also want goggles, make sure to get ones that have a tinted coating if you plan to swim laps in an outdoor pool to block the sun a bit. You will also want silicone ear plugs to prevent water from getting in your ears. If you have poor breath control, you may want nose clips, but they are not strictly necessary.
You can sign up for swim lessons at many public pools, and they can be quite helpful. But really you can just get in a pool and practice swimming forward with your head submerged blowing air out your nose while under, then breathing in through your mouth when you lift your head.
I do a "lazy" breaststroke, with non-perfect form, I'd suggest breaststroke anyways to beginners. Just sort of pushing your arms to the side in a wide arc and kicking out your legs a bit to the side as well as you swim. Just keep swimming laps. It will be hard at first, your breath control might suck and you might have to swim more with your head above water at first. That's ok. Don't expect perfect form at first either. Just keep swimming laps and you will slowly improve.
Also, highly recommend lap swimming as cross-training for ppl who also hike.
Oh and I'd recommend getting a pair of tight-fitting trunks if you don't want to be resisting a lot of drag as you swim but you can swim in board shorts too it just won't be as smooth a motion.
