24th April, Easter Day

MG

Exactly what we always swore would NOT happen has now happened to the blog. We got complacant, we said we'd catch up on our entries, and meanwhile we swam and swam and swam, and now we are about 250 entries behind and can never hope to catch up; SW and I on the last grey day (16th) staying in too long and getting multi-coloured and hysterical; spotting the spider crabs coming in in herds to mate at Cogden (17th); KH and I speechless at the beauty of water like cut crystal at Burton (18th); SW departing for warmer climes and the mercury here instantly hitting 27degrees; and today and yesterday my solitary splashes at 7.30am, when the beach is empty and I walk half a mile to where a drop of sunlight splashes through a dip in the cliffs and I can swim far out, alone and heroic.

I think our best approach now is to accept that our regular blogging days are over. We'll make a final heroic splash at our end of season jamboree - The Battenberg Party - where we are extemeley excited about beach themed food; polenta sandwiches (sandy crunch) cinder toffee (inside of Crunchies, exactly like the cliffs) and salt crusted Margaritas....

Meanwhile think on us and envy, for as KH and I agreed, life in general can't get much better than this.

The Dorset Contingents first attempt at a video....

MG caught this swimming moment on film, starring the mascot. It was colder than it looks! 

ps MG - thank you to JJ for pointing out that it really is our favourite swimming quote in action;

"He couldn't make out where the voices came from as no-one was about on the beach, until looking out to sea he caught sight of the heads of two figures leisurely approaching the shore, laughing and talking as happily in the deep water as if they were sitting comfortably in deck chairs on the sand"

Charles Sprawson on Jack London

Monday 11th April, West Bay 6.15

After a series of perfect days we were not going to let a little wind stop us. By the late afternoon the showers had cleared and the sky was blue again so we arrange to meet at west bay with an especially re-opened bar as the wind is making it feel a bit fresher...

head of SW just discernible in middle of photo..

Plastic bags were shooting along the beach like high-speed tumbleweed. Waves were coming in at 45 degrees. The wind was sucking out body heat. But the sky was still blue and the water did look lovely.

Most waves were quite small. Definitely not a problem in summer, probably ok today. Stripping off felt a bit foolhardy as we secured our clothes with rocks to stop them joining the tumbleweed and we made rather tentative steps into the foam. The waves were mostly fine at close range and after a few delays and prances we were both in and it was beautiful. 

The Mascot clearly thought we were madder than usual and dragged my towel down to the waterline in an unusual protest. Being sensible, we stayed close to the shore and kept the swim brief. Getting out was fine so long as timed with an in-coming wave. And I did not have to go so far for my towel.

Playing in the surf and foam was fun and after some time in the sea the whipping winds felt oddly warm. MG was taking some shots for the blog and managed to catch me being totally overwhelmed by a large wave. Luckily she did not catch me being tumbled up the beach too.

A post swim hot chocolate which tasted deliciously like toblerone rounded off the swim nicely (made with honey as SW has rather foolishly given up refined sugar for lent).

SW

Sunday 10th April, Various

Cogden, 4.15

KH

My first swim of 2011! A very happy-making event. Quite a party gathered at
Cogden - MG and SW (the hard core) but also guest swimmers CM, IM and SS and
there was a definite air of festivity, befitting the inaugural swim,
especially on such a perfect spring day - warm and cloudless and still. The
skylarks were singing; the sea kale was poking through the shingle; the tide
was out revealing a wide strip of golden sand. Having not swum since
November, which I put down to the unusually arctic conditions here and the
fatally softening effects of the Indian Ocean elsewhere, I was feeling
apprehensive - but getting in was surprisingly painless, cold but not
unbearably so, not so as to be rendered breathless and speechless. Warmer it
seemed than November, certainly warmer than last March (my first swim of
last year). Expecting no more than the briefest of dips, I had two short but
proper swims. The water was glorious, clear and green, with just a faint
odour of fish, thanks to the preponderance of fishermen at Cogden - our only
companions on the beach. Telling myself I shouldn't get carried away, I got
out sooner than I'd have liked. CM executed a few pirouttes, for joy, on the
sand. SS failed to achieve lift-off thanks to extreme pain in her feet but
did manage full body immersion. SW and MG, hardened after a winter of
swimming, predictably lingered longest. Afterwards we sat on the beach,
warmed by late afternoon sun, drinking tea and eating cake (for those who
hadn't given up sugar for Lent). Heavenly.

Titchwell 13:00- A different type of Bird

JJ

I wasn't planning to swim at Titchwell today but the coast road to Sunny Hunny was bumper to bumper with caravans and holiday interlopers. So a quick detour down the back roads and we pop out just a bit further round the coast. After the last few days of glorious weather I had proposed to M.G. that maybe it might be Bikini weather but the stiff fresh wind off the north sea soon makes me glad I opted for the one piece.  We walk through the marsh past the birders who as far as I can tell have their telescopic lenses trained on a duck... The beach is gloriously empty and we head for the dunes and shelter out of the wind. Quick change and I wrap my towel around me and walk down to the water line shivering slightly.

I drop my towel and walk into the shallows, very fresh. I too adopt the cormorant arm position which is almost impossible not to do. There is a slight swell and the wind is blowing the waves inshore even though the tide has turned. A cresting wave catches me full in the chest and  I force myself to submerse as getting caught unawares by waves is only going to make it more difficult. The sun shimmers on the water and yes it is fresh  but I feel absolutely AMAZING. I then break my winter swimming rule and dive under the next wave. An icy slap in the face but heavenly. I go back for more though as I don't seem to be getting brain freeze. This is my first time without gloves and my hands tingle a little but no claws today.  I swim with the current and body surf in on the waves and it could almost be summer.. almost I start to sense numbness in my upper arms and my legs are putting up a a little protest. Aware of the walk back I decide to get out. The fresh breeze of 15 minutes before feels balmy I stand and soak up the sun. I leisurely walk back to the dunes passing people wearing hats, fleecy jackets and walking trousers. I get the LOOK, and then they pretend that I am clearly a mirage.
I am pleasantly surprised at how even with the mass of wet hair I still feel normal. Only in the car home do I get that sleepy post cold water nap feeling.

J.J.

West Bay, 9.30am

MG

The obsession levels are at maximum, but I cannot fight it – I know two swims in a day is taking it too far but who cares? We have to make the most of every chance we're given with the British weather and with conditions as perfect as this I'd be mad to resist. I sneak down to the beach for an early swim just with the mascot at 9.30. It's unbelievable – still water, blue sea, an almost empty beach and just a few murderous gulls cruising above. As I dive in and swim out through the glass clear water about (keeping a nervous eye out for gulls) I feel like crying at the bliss of the moment. Through the grey skies, the snow swim, the piercing winds and endless drizzle, it seemed like this moment would never come – but we seem to be back in summer before the bluebells are even properly out....

As I stumble back along the beach, damp and a bit chilled from staying in too long, I think I see another swimmer. But phew! He's wearing a wetsuit. I give him a scathing glance, while inwardly breathing a sigh of relief.

Roll on second swim!

Saturday 9th April West Bay 6.00

MG

I have spent 6 hours on a train since our last swim (yesterday morning), at least 5.5 of those spent staring out of the window and dreaming of the sea. So I'm overjoyed to be back and traversing the familiar road to West Bay for a swim with SW. The wind had got up during the day and a few blowsy clouds appeared, but by the time SW, his support team, the Mascot and I arrive at the beach, it is pretty settled with a light breeze and just a McFlurry of waves – exactly how I like it. We'd hoped to entice KH whose blinking light has appeared on our swim radar – her presence is promised for tomorrow.

SW is not quite so keen as I having had his chiller experience in Waitrose post swim yesterday and now feeling slightly below par. I cheerfully question whether it is hyperthermia – my support team has helpfully told me you can unexpectedly die four days later from it (surely not true?) If this is the case, SW still has two days left and might as well spend them swimming. We prance and cormorant as we chat, then I eventually plunge leaving SW to reluctantly follow.

The water is gin clear and as we've so often said, the little annoyances, anxieties and irritations trickle from my brain, down my body, and drip out through my fingers and toes. SW makes it a quick dip and I return too to remove my boots and try my first dip without. It is unbelievably liberating – I feel like I'm skinny dipping and dart off to pearl dive in the shallows (brain freeze) white toes flashing behind. As I'm cruising about a gull appears in the distance and swoops along the water straight at me in an extremely unnerving fashion. Our eyes meet and I duck underwater to avoid it's penetrating gaze. I emerge to see it wheeling around for a second go. This feels a bit more alarming than yesterday and my mind is full of horror stories of babies snatched from prams and pensioners eyes pecked out  ("they can make a furrow in your head" more helpful words of wisdom from the support team). I can see SW urgently searching for his camera as it must look quite impressive from the shore, but as SH later points out, it's like a Hitchcock-ian horror, and I reach the shallows in some relief. I'm clearly being divinely rebuked for mocking GW's pathological fear of sea gulls last year….

Changed and feeling a bit chilled we part at the car with promises to meet tomorrow. I calm my jangling nerves with a few episodes of the Archers; the gulls in Ambridge are as gentle as lemon curd on a hot cross bun.

Friday 8th April 2011, West Bay, 10.30am

A near miss in the Waitrose chiller aisle...

Another glorious day. The warm sun makes the cold water a little less initially tempting but after a bit of prancing we are in.  The water is slowly clearing and after 3 swims in a row we are gradually getting better at staying in without developing disco wings, crippling claws, multicoloured skin etc.

The young fulmars were soaring over the cliffs in front of an impossibly blue sky before swooping down low over the water and giving us a very deliberate fly-by. Were they just intrigued by people in the water or were they giving us a warning not to come too close to their breeding cliffs? Whatever the reason we were blessed with numerous beautiful close up encounters - they were flying just a few feet from us and MG looked like she was going to be a direct target at one point.

Thanks to the warm sun we both stayed in a little longer than we probably should - it was just too beautiful to leave. Consequently there was much shivering on the beach as we changed and headed back to our cars. I was off to the supermarket to get some supplies for the evening and was not looking forward to the inevitable chilled section problem. 

Just when you think you have warmed up again and are feeling relatively 'normal', a few minutes by the open fridges of a supermarket chiller aisle can send you back to near hypothermic shakes and chatters. With 'it could go either way in 10 minutes' ringing in my ears I entered our local Waitrose and after about 3 minutes by the fridges gathering fruit and cheese had to dash to the bakery section in a desperate attempt to find some warmth. Scoffing some bread and a date and strawberry bar helped bring me back to reality and keep me going until I could reach the sanctuary of the car heater.

A slightly shorter swim tomorrow perhaps - or maybe the moral is just keep away from supermarkets?

Thursday 7th April West Bay 4.00

MG

Freaked out by noticing his resemblance to the dodgy lifeguard in EoD's birthday book (who actually turned out to be Captain Matthew Webb, the first person to swim the channel) SW arrives clean shaven at the beach...

I am in high spirits brought about by the sun, the spring and the general sense of well-being that being reunited to swim with SW on these blissful days in this blissful place inspire in me. We prance along the beach debating, who knows why, whether clotted cream is the greatest of the dairy products. SW reveals that he has butter AND clotted cream on his scones, which seems a contentious issue. It may be pleasing to note that we in the West Country really do have conversations like this.

We arrive at a spot suitably isolated, revelling in the glorious desertion of the beach, which state is soon to be broken by the distant rumble of the Easter hordes. I'm sure someone else must have swum here today, but since we haven't seen them, we can pretend it hasn't happened. We have had a genius idea for the blog and spend some time in discussion and set-up – to be revealed when all is ready – and once prepared, we prance to the waters edge and make what feels like a graceful entry with no prancing and little cormorating. We have three long bathes, each more joyous than the last. We are truly wallowing in this gift of clear skies and hot sun, and things could not be more perfect. We are able to swim, talk, go underwater (just – the brain freeze is fairly crippling but as SW puts it "good in a really bad way") and prance about on the water's edge. It's heaven.

As we change we agree that looking forward all day to the swim that is over in ten minutes is a drag, but for the obsession levels, an evening swim is better, as we know it is there, and can just about bend your mind to other things during the day. These sacrifices are necessary in order to fit in with society. We change leisurely and cheerfully with barely a shiver and many a hysterical giggle.

Wednesday 6th April, West Bay 4.15

The first swim of summer? 

Unbelievably this is the first time MG and I have managed to swim together since February. Colds, moving house, too much time in big cities have all conspired to mean that it has been 6 weeks (and a few degrees) since we were last both in at West Bay. 

Today is a stunner however. Blue sky, gentle breeze, warm air. The beach is almost deserted. Perfection. 

After much catching up - particularly admiring JJ's night swim bravery - some prancing, cormoranting and general cold water reticence (I blame the huge air/water temp differential) we were in and swimming almost like it was summer. Pushing the furthest out that we have risked this year gave us a spectacular view back to the battenburg cliffs and the temperature was fine to float for a while and enjoy the experience. As the cold started to bite we swam to shore and ran around in the sun for a few minutes to warm up before dashing in again (no prancing this time). Brain freeze dives and another warm up in the sun followed by a third and final swim combined to make it our longest dip of the year too. 

another gratuitous beach shot... 

The forecast is excellent, hoping for clear water by the end of the week and as much swimming as possible (hopefully with some more original photographs!)

SW

Sunday 3rd April Kenwood Ladies Pond, Birthday Dip

MG

Those who say that birthdays get less fun as you get older, are talking nonsense – mine gets better and better. This one began well with EoD's incredible birthday book, an early Puffin "Book of Swimming", quotes from whence are to make many appearances in the dying days of the blog.

The day itself commenced with a glorious swim with HL chronicled by FHH, at the Kenwood Ladies Pond. It's a sunny, clear day and we approach our swim only disappointed that the Mixed Ponds are closed, so that the gentleman of our party is unable to join us. He makes no secret of his relief. HL and I are excited to see that the Ladies Pond temperature is a balmy 11 degrees. This however does not make getting in any easier, and without my boots, my toes are burning pretty quickly. But we soldier on and once through the initial burn, it feels absolutely amazing – HL cannot believe how much easier it is than last time she was here (Jan) and we frolic about, gossiping and generally behaving like it's August. I do a few dips and eventually get out after about 10 minutes. HL however remains in, and is eventually told off by a lifeguard who is clearly concerned she's about to drop dead of hyperthermia. In the changing rooms, I launch into Winter Swimming Tzar mode, giving bossy advice about how to stay warm, and forcing her to put on jumpers and conserve her body heat. In the middle of this, a lady changing alongside us, quietly says "give it 10 minutes, and you'll know which way it's going to go" which does not fill us with confidence. HL blanches even paler. But she's made of strong stuff and though extremely cold she not only recovers quickly but never reveals how cold she actually was, both admirable qualities. We decamp to a pub for an enormous lunch and more glorious swimming themed presents from FHH.

Thank you everyone for a brilliant birthday!