Burton Bradstock 21st July or
"The day when RL crammed in several months worth of swimming into a single day"
9.15 Sydling St Nicholas
MG arrives to pick me up. Surprisingly, the sun is out in full force which bodes well for our day of swimming. I arrive furnished with large green apples which we eat in misguided attempt to prepare us for our morning swim. Drive passes with much hilarity, Tim Minchin and reminiscences of previous delightful swims. Cannot believe that this is the first time I have swam ALL YEAR, except for very brief immersion at Greenhill in May. Rather wish I had not shared this fact with MG and SW shortly after his arrival. They are smug, and boast of many many respective swims in the icy depths. In order to persuade them that I am in fact, hardy swimmer, I cast off all garments with reckless abandonment, and encourage immediate entry into the sea, which does look very inviting (although I know from experience that appearances can be misleading...). They seem reluctant, but woman appears who is swimmer known to MG from previous expeditions. She describes MG as "beacon for Bridport swimmers", and refers to her many brave marine endeavours with evident admiration . MG looks highly pleased and I kindly do not remind her of previous incidences when her reluctance to enter the sea has not been quite akin to this description (I don't know WHAT you are refering to - if it's the time when I said it was too rough to swim THOSE CHILDREN SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN IN! Ed). After this episode, woman looks hopefully at us from along the beach, and there seems nothing for it but to go in. After the water (11 degrees) has frozen off several layers of my skin, I'm really quite enjoying myself, and we all agree how lovely it is. The sun is already rising high in the sky, and I look forward to my return.
(hearty swimmers breakfast RL has neglected to mention.... Ed)
14.30, BB
My second trip to BB is without my fellow swimmers. I pass a lovely afternoon reading on the beach, and it really does feel quite hot, so in I go again. Am much cheered by squealing of two men as they go in. A warning comes from a lady in a floral swimsuit who tells me that it is quite cold in there, really, and I had better be careful. Oh no I say breezily, I've been in once this morning and it's really quite warm (Question why I feel that I have to exert superiority over her, when in all reality I was not having the time of my life, temperature wise - think must be down to the floral swimsuit). Actually, the sea has warmed up quite considerably, and it's really very pleasant swimming in the afternoon in the hot sun.
18.30 Return of MG and SW.
Very pleased to have some company in the sea once more. Most of the other people swimming and sunbathing have gone home, and we sit on the beach and chat. The beach looks beautiful in the early evening sun, and it is one of those precious moments in life when you are in good company and have had a quiet day of enjoyment. The sea is still fairly warm, and very clear, with the occasional fish. We swim out quite far, and SW chooses this moment to remind me of the shark washed up on the beach on Boxing Day which I had hitherto managed to forget.
We swim back to shore, I feel that the day has made up for a week of horrible Dorset weather. On BB beach in the sunshine, there's nowhere I'd rather be.
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