West Bay, Thursday 30th June 8.30am, 12 noon, 7.30pm

Obsessive summer swimming is back... some of us managed THREE swims (MG), others only 2...

swimming into the evening light

SW disappearing

Norfolk, Titchwell 16:00 and Jersey, Guerilla Report

Jersey

MG

 St Brelades

 In a reversal of what normally happens, my last minute trip to Jersey brings with it a stupendous heatwave, transforming Jersey into a paradise island; secret coves, turquoize water, white sands. The only disadvantages are millionaires in motor boats cluttering up the water, an extremley lack lustre swimming companion (this is a recent development - I remember SH so determined to swim that she and my support team ploughed a furrow through a school of jelly fish. Salad days indeed) and - this obviously not a disadvantage to me - a distinctly cooler temperature than home. Despite this, I spend two days swimming and lazing; Jersey comes highly recommended. 

Bouley Bay

p.s having staggered straight from beach to plane covered in sand and wearing my damp bikini under my clothes in true international jet setter style, I then endure a two hour delay (the flight should take 25mins); what better way to wash off the travel than a grabbed twilight swim at West Bay enroute home?

Norfolk, Titchwell

After a few days of epic back pain (entirely self inflicted)  and torrential rain today dawns dry and with not a cloud in the sky. The sea is so delicious and warm there are at least 3 other people swimming! To be fair Titchwell is a beach for birdwatchers not swimmers and sunbathers. As it is high tide I can swim out of my depth, in no danger of bruising my knees by banging them on the sand. I feel fish around my ankles not an entirely pleasant sensation especially with my jelly fish phobia. I am V. jealous of the delicious Battenburg cake enjoyed by SW and MG but feel that the glorious blue sky is fair recompense.  Today I am trying a little experiment, I've collected some sea water and I'm going to boil it down to get some hopefully pure North Sea, sea salt.. watch this space...
J.J.

Midsummer's Day Party, West Bay, 7pm

How we talked of the battenberg. How we dreamt of cinder toffee, salted margaritas in frosted glasses, slices of delightfully crunchy polenta cake beneath a cloudless sky. But in style far more fitting to the blog, the day gets darker and darker until by 7pm, the sea's horizon has turned to the famous 'low, leaden line' and an icy gale is blowing down the beach. KH and SS have bailed - my support team has been disinvited - so it's only I, The Mascot, SW and his support team who meet to huddle beneath the cliffs. To make it worse, SW expresses an unwillingness to swim which worms it's way into my determination. Things are looking bad. At this moment, SN appears, gusted along the beach, and my determination is rekindled. We all three plunge in and have a long, brilliant swim in the grey, warm, choppy waters. With things back on track, we inhale delicious, cliff resembling battenberg and umm... Homemade cinder toffee (there is some incredulity at it's resemblance to sliced up crunchie) and, warmer post swim than pre, talk merrily of the blog and our winter season. What a joyous triumph it has been. And somehow, the party is exactly as it should be - depleted numbers, cold, grey, rainy, windy - but suitably pleasurably insane.

Wednesday 22nd June, River Teign, Dartmoor, 4.00 and Norfolk, 21.00

Norfolk 21.00

An awful day, I wake up from a dream thinking someone is knocking on the door only to hear the rain battering the windows like bullets. Sleep deprived and perhaps a little short tempered I throw everything in the car and head off to Old Hunstanton. It is cooler and quieter than yesterday although 3 kite sufers still zip about in the setting sun. I don't hang about on the beach at all today but head in straight away. It is pretty much low tide as I bob around in the shallow water. When I return to my pile of clothes and towel, my body glows red with setting sun  not because of the cold water and I am reminded of all our winter swims and the florescent colour my arms and legs would turn after a dip. I still manage to stay in too long and arrive at work shivering and longing for a hot bath (and perhaps a quiche from Blacks MG).
JJ

River Teign, Dartmoor

SW

The south westerlies continued to lash the Dorset coast and turn our sea into a ferocious foaming mass so MG suggested a river swim as a safer alternative and we headed for distant Dartmoor and a favourite swimming spot of hers on the Teign. 

I was dubious about river swimming but happy to give it a go. Luckily MG was proved spectacularly right. The swimming spot was amazing - a sheltered hollow in ancient woods below Castle Drogo. A deep pool held back by an old stone weir. There were a couple of little jettys to help getting into the water or to dive from - clearly a popular spot in the right weather. The water was high after the recent incessant rains and was roaring over the weir and insects were skimming over the rippling peat-brown surface.

The water was soft and peaty. It felt very strange to taste non-salty water but it did feel fresher and cleaner than the sea. Swimming against the current was hard work near the weir but as the weir got closer the water became more shallow so we could stand up and not feel apprehensive about being sucked over into some kind of devilish Jacuzzi. 

The only frustration was not being able to stay in too long before getting too cold. We were starting to shiver after about 15 minutes and so headed for the bank. As we emerged it started to rain and I had to run back in to enjoy swimming amongst the splashing rain drops. Tea and cake revived us for the trek home during which we were already planning our next river jaunt...

Norfolk, 21.00 Midsummer

Despite my unsociable working hours I am determined to swim today. The sea unfortunately doesn't want to cooperate with me this week and the tide is all wrong, I wait in the soft glow of  the sunset for the tide to turn. The kite surfers are out in force and  a  guy zooms up and down the beach on a go kart pulled by a kite, so I wait a while. It's cool but not cold so eventually I strip off and wade out. There's absolutely no point in hoping the water will get above my thighs so I dive in and try to not knock myself out on the bottom. I love floating about with the red glow on the water. It's choppy but nothing to West Bay. I have to get out after about ten minutes to move my clothes back as the incoming tide is so deceptively fast. The second dip is lovely but I begin to feel that evening chill and work awaits me so I finish up. I arrive at work flushed and salt encrusted.

J.J.

Longest Day, 21st June, Ringstead 12.15

I'm loathe to put this above J's AMAZING video - previous entry - please watch that first!!

MG

I'm in melodramatic mood as SW and I meet at West Bay to assess the conditions, with lots of cursing of the sunny climes of East Anglia and damning of the British summer. The sea is grey and churning, waves thrashing the beach and a gale is blowing us inside out. Even the mascot only makes it half way up the cliff to greet SW before returning exhausted. But we are determined to swim to celebrate the solstice and abandon ourselves to the current washing us toward Ringstead, scene of our happy swim over a month ago (not quite my last sea swim but the last I remember – 15^th May is marked in my diary with "swim early am and pm, Burton", but worryingly I remember nothing at all about it…). SW volunteers to drive and we quash the question of the sanity of a three hour round trip with swimming banter, exchange of gossip and party planning for our Friday shindig (KH – salted margaritas??). In the vein that drives our support teams insane, we agree that our winter swimming season was far superior to our summer one so far – constant swims, brilliant stories, good health and the glow of self satisfaction that is entirely missing in the balmy climate of the summer (when it is possible to get in the water). Also, none of the sharks, jelly fish and spider crabs that we now have to worry about…. White tip spotted off Cornwall….

driving over (perfect swimming conditions)

We reach Ringstead where the sea and wind are pretty fierce but in the sheltered bay, seem manageable. Anyway, there's no question of bailing after driving all the way here. There is some prancing, whining, and delaying of clothing removal as the wind whips through us. I remind SW that we made less fuss when it was SNOWING and eventually deem making a video the only way to force us into a pretence of bravery. With cameras rolling and the eyes of millions upon us, we stagger ungracefully in (video consequently blown out of the water by JJ's). In less than a split second as I dive under, I'm happier than I've been since the 15^th May and come up laughing, my joy reflected in SW's face. The sea is perfect, the temperature bliss, and even the sun seems to be coming out. I'm light as air. My ambition to get the train and head to London this afternoon fades to nothingness as I remember exactly what it is that keeps me in Dorset. How could I have forgotten! We swim and splash until both my ears have filled with water and SW's hands have gone the traditional purple, black and dead person white. SW is also mauled by a wave and nearly loses his goggles.

Attempting to dress in the now warm wind, I lament the fact we aren't videoing this as our swearing, hopping about on one leg, entanglement in clothes, blowing away of various costumery articles, things blowing inside out, is the stuff of cinematic dreams. That'll be for another day. The super sweet hot chocolate is very welcome especially as I have managed to twist my back in my changing contortions and have become hysterical with giggles through the pain, one of the best swimming side affects.

We leave the beach and meander homewards which seems to take no time, and part at the cars with hopes for another swim excursion tomorrow. Longest day; usually sad, but this year the winter doesn't seem so bleak with it's promise of another snow swim…

ps note for SW - there is a natural swimming pool at a house in Mangerton! I saw it through the hedge and did an emergency stop and the car behind me was a hair's breath from hitting me.

Old Hunstanton, Norfolk 12.30

A shameless rip off of MG and SW but I did just swim off the edge of the world...
JJ

Old Hunstanton, Norfolk Sun Set 22.00

Since the thrill of winter swimming has worn off a little and the need for gloves, socks and hats is long past the swimming in the not so frozen north has been much the same, not boring of course lovely and glorious but not exactly summer blog worthy. Not that this excuses the radio silence. I thought that this last week before the summer solstice/Midsummer I should try and make the most of the long evenings/early mornings and swim as late or early as possible or really whenever I can grab the chance.

The beach seems to be completely empty( apart from a couple disappearing off into the sand dunes clutching glasses and a bottle of wine). As ususal I start to feel ridiculously self conscious but this soon passes as I wade into the water. There is slight swell so I  dive under. I float around waiting for the red glow to finally disappear on the horizon. The sun has definately gone but as I dive under and float over the waves the sky stays stubbornly pink. Clearly I am not going to win this waiting game with the Sun so I get out before the chill sets in, maybe a little earlier than normal because I am alone. When I look at the photos at home the sky is so much darker than it actually seemed at the time.

Lighthouse

JJ

Literary Dips, Hay on Wye

MG

During a frantic week working at the Hay Literary Festival, swimming gaps are hard to find which is a constant frustration when the Wye here is as deep and swimmable as a swimming hero could hope. I grab a half hour gap on the Thursday, the first blue-skyed day, and hurry down to the river bank to take the plunge. In previous years I've had a struggle with the current here, but with lower water due to a lack of rain, and a better spot above the rapids of the Warren (recommended by HL, who is also here working and has managed to persuade not only Spot the Dog but also one of her authors to swim with her...) I'm in seventh heaven, plunging in and swimming up river. It feels warm and though murky (not the icy clearness of the Dartmoor rivers I am used to) it's glorious and perfect. I return to the site and burst into the green room, bedraggled but reborn.

I grab a second swim on the final Monday, delaying my unwilling departure as far as possible. I persuade a river swimming novice, AT, to join me and together, heads pounding with hangovers, delirious from lack of sleep, heart broken from the end of the festival, we get the hit we need from the perfect, still water. If we'd planned it better we could have left early and practically swum home, or at least down the Wye as far as Tintern. Maybe for another year.

Literary and aquatic gems. Thank you Hay.

Cogden, Saturday 4th June 2011, 3pm

After yesterdays sun more unsettled weather returned but the air was still warm and the sea still calm. A quick picnic on the beach with SH and the visiting EW and P was followed by a swim. P dived in fearlessly while EW took some encouragement but made it in on the second attempt. During our picnic we had been watching mackerel running up the beach in small shoals, making the water boil and hoped to see some while we were swimming but they had moved on up the coast by the time we got in. Drying off in the warm wind the sky became increasingly threatening so we headed off before we could be caught in the coming rain.

SW

Cogden, Friday 3rd June 2011, 3pm

Perfect weather, quiet beach, calm and clear water. Ideal conditions, a perfect swim and lovely to be in the water with KH again.  First time this year that it has been really warm and sunny - so good to lay on the smooth hot shingle after a cool swim. Heading back to the car, the yellow horned poppies were looking glorious at the back of the beach and provided an alternative to the standard pretty beach shot..

SW

Thursday 2nd June 2011, West Bay

Wind from the NE on our part of the coast means calm seas and lots of swimming.

I recently found a new running route to the sea from my home which is half cross-country and today seemed like the ideal time to try it out. I managed to persuade a member of the support team to meet me at the beach so I only had to run one way. 10k is enough for me at the moment.

Dodging cows and cow pats and more dangerously, deep hoof prints in dried out mud I had a great run along a river towards the sea; bounding over electric fences, (mostly) avoiding nettles and clambering over stiles. I heard my first cricket of the year, saw a beautiful fox and plenty of buzzards. The town stretch a bit less interesting but tarmac easier going and I was getting knackered by then so appreciated not having to concentrate so much!

Its half-term so the beach was busy for West Dorset but thats still pretty quiet. The water was flat calm, murky but clearing (in a few days it should be crystal) and fantastically refreshing.

SW

cake

A more palatable image for MG than last weeks shark... Practice baking for mid-summer beach cake eating evening... 

SW