Thursday 20th January Burton Bradstock

MG

What with one thing and another, I'm past caring about Swimmer as Hero official guidelines and head down to Burton to swim alone round 4. We've been having incredible sunsets during these glorious weathered four days, and by leaving it late, I'd hoped for something special beauty wise. The golden light on the cliffs and the lightly rouched taffetta of the water doesn't disappoint.

I'm changed and gradually wading in pretty sharpish. And then swimming. I do three bursts, each increasingly long and my third time must be a good ten minutes, by which time the burn has eased off, the feeling has returned to my arms, and it's lovely - totally lovely. I swim far enough out to get a good view back, vary things with front crawl (brain freeze) and back stroke (boots fill with water) and generally dawdle as though it's August. I cannot believe how easy it is; this time last year I wouldn't have believed you if you'd told me that a swim in January could be so painless and perfect. I know I'm probably staying in too long , and gradually drift in as my hands start to tingle, which is one thing I'm normally free from. Three people stop me as I try to get to my towel - one girl pulls down her fur lined hood to ask if I'm trained; I don't quite konw what she means by this - an image of some sort of military academy with enforced ice baths pings into my head - but I launch into a non-sensical explanation of acclimitisation, which is as much training as you could hope for. Actually with four long swims in nine days, my acclimitisation must be back on track. This has certainly been EASY....

Barring some uncontrollable shakes (especially in my left leg which makes gear changing a challenge) I don't suffer too much and make it home externally glowing and internally relieved that at least one good thing has come out of today.



Wednesday 19th January, Burton Bradstock

After what seems like weeks of rain we have a perfect day. Blue sky, warm sun and just a light northerly wind. Sheltered by the cliffs we could bask in the sun and look forward to not-to-distant long summer swims.

Amazingly, between our schedules and the weather, MG and I have not managed to swim together since our snow swim back in November. We seem to be at opposite ends of the country at opposite times. And when we are both in Dorset, its stormy. Given todays weather luck we both jumped at the opportunity of a sea swim.

The beach was deserted and glorious. Low tide revealed a huge expanse of shingle and feeling brave thanks to the warm sun we got changed by the cliffs so giving us a short walk to the water (when its really cold we change almost at the waters edge to reduce our exposure to the minimum... then we have to juggle minimum exposure with all our stuff getting wet in a large wave...).

We were both a little slow getting into the water, static at waist deep in the hope of acclimatising. When this failed to happen and instead we just started to go numb we got brave and swam out. Beautiful, the sun warming our faces while the water froze our bodies. We were on the beach again in a few minutes but then, surprised by the fact we were feeling fine, returned to the water. This time I dived, not very wise as brain-freeze followed - I did not think it could be much colder under the surface. By now however the water felt fine. We thought we could stay in for ages only we both had busy afternoons and could not risk the need for a hot bath or return to bed which has happened to some of us in the past after staying in too long... but before we could go, MG could not resist one more quick dip and her own brain freeze.

A quick change and a hot chocolate. The sun warmed us and we were able to sit chatting bare footed and coatless at the base of the cliff. We could barely believe it was January. Bliss.

SW

Sunday 16th January, Kenwood Ladies Pond

HL - Special Guest Waterblogger.

After, MG's tantalising, if not taunting text to tell me she had been at the Hampstead Ladies' Ponds whilst i was stuck in a stuffy office, i couldn't wait to get to have my own invigorating cold-water high and persuaded her to come back with me that weekend.

Sunday morning dawned bright and sunny but sadly this soon faded away and we were left with drizzly rain as we arrived at the Heath. I was soon regretting not wearing warmer clothes, but very relieved i had my wellies on as we found ourselves slipping and sliding through the muddy quagmire. Once we arrived, MG, JJ and I found ourselves changing with a couple of regulars who proudly told us they had been swimming in the ponds daily for 37 years - i was both impressed and inspired to follow their lead! Another lycra-clad lady, hot from her run was in and out before i had even got my jeans off!

It was with a fool-hardy confidence that i approached the tranquil waters, having braved the English sea the week before. With strict instructions from MG still ringing in my ears, of "no screaming", i maintained a dignified silence as i slowly lowered myself into the inky, icy water; warmth leaching from my feet in seconds. Clearly not as used to this winter swimming lark as MG or JJ, i took a few sharp intakes of breath as i struck out towards the first ring - which had seemed ridiculously close from dry ground, but now was alarmingly far away!

With an earthy taste in my mouth and numb feet i was nevertheless feeling invigorated and spurred on to fully plunge under the water for the complete experience...yes, it was brain-freezingly cold, but incredible as well! All too soon it seemed i was back at the steps and climbing out. I may have only been in the water for a few minutes, but it was well worth the hours journey there across London!

The longed-for lunch at Kenwood ended before it even began as the fire alarm blared out just as we helped ourselves to warming soup and cake...now that is what you call the Law of Sod! Hungrily we re-naviagated our way across the maze of paths to Hampstead and couldn't get to Gail's quick enough to enjoy their delicious treats, happy in the knowledge that we well and truly deserved it!

13th January Kenwood Ladies Pond 9.30

MG

"Only a pond, but large enough to contain the human body and pure enough to reflect the sky"
Forster, A Room with a View

I'm writing this from a cafe where I'm still trying to come down from a euphoric high - Kenwood Ladies Pond, Hampstead Heath, Winter swim - DONE! 4 degrees, 5 minutes, and each minute a joy. I'd been introduced to a lady who swims here through the Winter, JS,  and arranged to meet her at Highgate Tube at 9.30. I'd been feeling nervous about this swim - it's been a month since I was last in, the 3 degrees the pond was last week is colder than anything I've done before - but equally I knew that if JS swam and I didn't I'd regret it to my dying day. And when I see the beautiful ponds and the four or five bobbing heads there is no question or moment of doubt. JS introduces me to the lifeguards ("she swims in the sea!" at which they look suitably impressed) and then we're changing amongst a gaggle of breathless, glowing women. I feel like someone who's been living abroad for years and suddenly I'm surrounded by people speaking my language. I pull on my boots (thank god for the boots) and follow JS to the ladder in. She's in and away, and, turning only to make a terrified grimace at the lifeguards, I lower myself in and am away before I can question it. AMAZING AMAZING AMAZING. It's cold of course, a slow, burning cold, but no stabbing pains or breathlessness, completely manageable (aided hugely by the boots and my discombobulating hat). I swim out and from ladder to ladder (not too far away as I'm worried I might cramp up or lose the feeling in my hands and be unable to get out) and out, and then repeat this twice more, even managing an underwater moment in the green, gentle water. I've often swum here in the suumer, but summer or winter, every time I come I just cannot belive how lucky and privilged we are to have this amazing "facility" 20 minutes from Oxford Circus.

I emerge glowing and euphoric and change far more leisurely and calmly than I can on the beach - I must say, a warm changing room and not the howling wind and total exposure of the beach, does make a huge differene. SW thinks that this is one of our biggest challenges. But when I think how cold I was after the much warmer conditions of the Sharrah Pool and then one of our Autumn swims when KH had to go to bed with two hot water bottles - cold really does seem to be relative, and a lot to do with your state of mind.

It's a fantastic, indescribably good, way to start the day and I feel quite ridiculously pleased with myself as JS and I re-combobulate over coffee and croissants at Kenwood House (lush) and talk swimming like two jackdaws. On the Northern line home, the sad and solemn grey faces are the shade to my sunshine. I've got a feeling that's not my last Hampstead swim this winter.....

Sunday 9th January 2011, Brighton and 2010 Review

*

Being house-bound due to the snow, ill health (I thought winter swimmers did not get colds??) and duties around Christmas all conspired to keep me from swimming.  After over a month out of the water it was a relief to be able to splash about again - even if I dont think I swam more than 20 metres.

The sea was not too rough, the sun was out, the wind was low and the sky was a beautiful deep blue.  It would have been mad not to swim. I decided to sandwich the swim between a run and a cycle - hoping that overheating while running would keep me from feeling the effects of the water and cycling after would prevent me from seizing up. And it worked. I was so hot that the sea felt like a giant post sauna plunge pool. I could dive under the waves and splash about (and even swim a few metres) and apart from my hands which felt like they were doing time in an acid bath, I felt absolutely fine. And I did not even have my gloves and booties (bad planning, not masochism).

It was all over a bit fast - I did not want to get too cold as I still had the cycle ride to go - and I was dry and drinking tea within minutes but it was a great feeling to swim again. I must not let it get so long between swims again.

* I forgot my camera and the support team camera battery ran out before it could take a single shot. Instead, when I got home I took a picture of the sea glimpse we get from our temporary place in Brighton - it really is just a glimpse, bottom right of picture in case you missed it!

... and then went back to the beach at night and took some long exposure shots in the dark from where I had swum earlier... now I am looking forward to warmer summer waters and the chance to swim at night...

SW

And in other news... West Bay, 1.00

It goes entirely against our Health and Safety guidelines, but today, refusing to be beaten by circumstances and, even worse, the rest of the team, I decide I can't go on another moment without swimming - I have to swim alone. It's a beautiful, flawless day and there's only one way I know to make the most of a warm, clear January day a few miles from the sea… I choose 1 o'clock as the time most likely to get an empty beach (strange that in September and October I loved having a few people on the beach to impress – now, the sight of people looking on fills me with dread) and motor down singing the old hymn "…there's no discouragement/shall make him once relent/his first avowed intent/to be a pilgrim" to the Mascot. But it's not to be. We've been spoiled by deserted beaches through December and lulled into a sense of privacy… this first lovely day of 2011, a million, billion people have poked their noses out of their burrows and shuffled, blinking on to the beach. The car park is packed and the sands full of walkers and children swarming all over OUR BEACH. On top of that, the sea is brown and swollen, muddy waves crashing and swilling on to the beach. Circumstances, yet again, have beaten me. Damn it! If only we had a private beach. Or a little tarn. Or a lovely stretch of river….

Beaten, but not defeated (I'm swimming this month even if it kills me) I content myself with many, many happy swimming memories of 2010, my best ever swimming year... some of the best, incredible evening swims in May,

Blissful Lake District swims on holiday with JJ… Rumplestone's Jump,

    

Wild Cat Island,

The stream above Wastwater

As well as the gorgeous swims featured on the blog...  the early Autumn days

delicious snacks

the snow swim, Dartmoor and the Sharrah Pool... and all the hysterical, joyous, everyday swims, each one totally and utterly perfect. Happy days.