Fri 3rd Feb 2012, west bay

At last some cold weather. Unfortunately I have gone soft or am missing the motivational push of MG who is stuck in London. West Bay looks absolutely beautiful and the shallow parts of the harbour are covered in huge moving sheets of ice. 

The sea is flat calm and inviting but knowing that its only 11 degrees in the house I cant risk getting cold with no way to warm up. For once I wish I had central heating (I came to west bay the long way round so I could spend longer in the car, warming up, a bit sad!)

Two things that I like

MG

Evening Standard, "London prepares for... the synchronised swimming". Not a great reproduction, but still - the day that SW and I master this in the sea will be a happy one. How is she DOING THIS.

And from The Metro - not only does this ad show someone swimming in what looks like The Serpentine, but also suggests outdoor swimming might actually make you feel WELL... the text reads.... "brr, there's nothing like a brisk mid morning dip to get your heart rate going. Other health insurers might say "well done". But we'll  give you more than a pat on the back...." Thanks Pru Health. But for us... I think the reward is in the swimming.

Sunday 22nd January, West Bay

MG and the long delayed return to the waters!

SW only two weeks since last swim....

9 degrees in the water

From my position in a café on the sea front where I am having coffee and Bridport Film Festival  planning discussion with NJ and, periodically, joyously proclaiming the sea too rough for a later swim, we see SW approach, stand on the edge of the esplanade gazing out and then turn back to the café with a smile on his face. My heart sinks. There’s to be no escape. “Are you sure this is going to be worth it?” I ask doubtfully, ten minutes later, from our chosen spot by the pier, the Winter Bathing Spot. I am staring out at the grey scummy waves. Never before have I questioned the fundamental philosophy of our swimming (“It’s Always Worth It”) and as the words leave my mouth I feel SW’s horror and repulsion; what has happened to the hardened crusader of yesteryear? (“There’s no discouragement/shall make him once relent/his first avowed intent/to be a pilgrim”).Two months without a swim and there is nothing less appealing to me in my current frame of mind than taking off the majority of my clothes in the chill wind, before the assembled Sunday morning families, lined along the pier and the beach, and submerging in the unappealing murk. But after SW has helpfully pointed out many things currently in my life that I should be dreading more than this, I take the point, and follow his lead in the disrobing. Grumble, whine, and a shiver later and we are standing bare legged but with coats and jumpers still in place.

The horrified faces of the crowd slowly turn towards us. But now – there’s no going back and we cast off our vestments and run to the sea. SW plunges and I, missing that chance, prance in the surf (“Stay in! Stay in!”) then make the dash in a calm moment. We’re swimming! And immediately, I’m cursing the fact that I have let two months go by without this. It’s AMAZING! I’m really swimming, head under, back stroke and all, and though my breath has gone and a slow prickle of unpeeling skin dances along my shoulder blades, the weight has lifted from my shoulders. It’s brief, but perfect and we dash out to stand in the surf, glowing and exuberant and laughing. The wind that had felt cold is warm, the grey light of the sky and sea suddenly suffused with colours and gold, and best of all, everything we say, is hilarious. I can’t believe I’ve gone so long without this fix.

(watched by a budding wild swimmer!)

I dash back in for another submerge, and then out to dry and dress (with some difficulty – we seem to have lost the art of modest dressing over the last few weeks). SW is anxiously shaking his head, worried about stones, dolphins and container ships that may be lost in there; I’m hoping all the various bits of jewellery I’ve lost in tumbles in the waves in the last few years is going to suddenly rain out of his ears. As we are dressing we are already a) traditionally planning what to have for lunch (nothing like winter swimming to inspire intense greed) and b) planning the next outing; a week seems far too long to wait; London? Brighton?

I drive home feeling exuberant and with only a brief shiver of cold. My hair is a tangled bird’s nest, there’s sand in my eye and a ringing in my ears, but I couldn’t be happier. Forgive me my absence, but I am well and truly back in the game now!


MG

Kodak Moment

From the Guardian on Friday, lamenting the loss of Kodak. This British beach scene conjures up a whole world, and a pretty familiar one....

MG

swimmers ear?

You often hear about 'swimmers ear' but this was a bit much... I got tumbled by a big wave in summer, had bad ear ache ever since. Dr could find no problems and told me to give it time.... Well, six months later and the above bit of gravel fell out of my sore ear. No more ear ache! Now I love west bay but it feels a bit weird to have carried a tiny chunk of it around with me for past six months... 

SW.

epiphany

While the water is still a very temperate 9 deg C here and we are feeling brave with our plunges, we just need to look to Russia to see how feeble we are...

Photograph: Viktor Drachev/AFP/Getty Images

... baptisms for the orthodox epiphany are really hardcore. More pictures here

Croyde Bay, Devon 8th January

Guest Blogger AT (See Wales, 2011)

After driving for over four hours, through what had started of as a beautiful day and slowly turned into a thickening fog, there was no way we could NOT get in the sea.

The first two attempts to find a hidden swimmers beach failed, so we ended up in Croyde Bay. Another unsuccessful ramble along a coastal path to find the sea caves on Baggy Point ended up with us back on the main beach. By this point it was getting dark.

So we took on the evening surf. It was VERY cold. My deep fear of waves prevented us from getting more than chest deep, but after about five minutes of a freezing freak-out we managed to dive under, then quickly retreat to the car for chicken soup in a flask, mmm.

Brief, but perfect, first swim of 2012, I felt very brave. Definitely worth the ridiculously long drive.