First dash to Rotters

Lovely to make the first journey back to Rottingdean.  Sara Paul and Ollie went there and back with Sara roughly timing a 28 mins there and 23 back with a slight current giving us a push.  We all had to dash off this morning and started a bit late, so Joan had already left the beach after her dip when we rounded the final groyne and beached in front of the cafe.  Well most of us.  Paul beached at the wrong beach, clearly the excitment of getting to Rottingdean left him slightly delirious :-)

On the way there I rounded the buoy first which had bobbed in and out of view over the waves and headed diagonally to meet sara who was about 50m behind.  We chatted for a moment and both carried on our way.  I was looking out for Paul but hadn't spotted him until one point when he must have been only 3m away as we passed by.  I shouted out but he was ploughing on and the ear plugs and concentration must have silenced my calls.  Feeling a little tired by the end showing that we are out of practice at this distance in the sea, approx 2.5 km, but compared to last year, we are swimming much further now than this time last year.  Bravo!

no cakes, no croissants, just a hurried change and off to work.  w eall felt like we had done a workout which was another perfect start to the day.

rottingdean will now no doubt be a regular destination in the coming weeks.

The Chicken Whisperer

Decent enough morning, although sea still slow to warm this year. We swam an anti-clockwise circuit of the buoys, although Ollie swam two. The tide was coming in, and together with a westerly wind made for quite a choppy surface. With the sun coming up, the trek down the back-strait was quite challenging. Ollie and Mike swam together, I followed Sara, hoping that she knew the way to the corner buoy. I recall it just suddenly reared up in front of me like a big black egg!

Back on the beach, Joan treated us to apricot croissants. I could quite get used to this. Wonderful stuff. Meanwhile, Ollie gave us a demonstration as to how he would be able to hypnotise Sara's unruly chickens should their behaviour not improve. Intriguing. This will have to be tried later in the year.

I believe a Forestman event was upcoming for the weekend for Sara and Hildi, so best of luck with that.

Time In: 7:11
Time Out: 7:37
Swimmers: Joan, Sara, Ollie, Mike, Paul
Air Temp: 17C
Sea Temp: 15.5C

Some swimmers went swimming

I did not attend this day, but the rest of the gang arrived on the beach and probably did something involving circuits of the buoys.

Is it too early to start the taper?

The Forestman swim for Hildi, Sara and Mike is getting closer, and Hildi decreed that today would be a good day for a last long swim in preparation. Everyone kindly agreed to start a little earlier so this could be done before work, and we gathered, minus Oliie (US trip) and Paul (getting some rest in for the assault on Brighton-London-Brighton), at 6.30am. Unfortunately, although we were there, the sea wasn't, so we paddled out to the first buoys, dived in to swim gingerly over the rocks (Dave yet to become booted as protection) and proceeded to do lengths between the outside buoys.

Sara had swum last night with Paul and needed to rest her arms, and Mike felt queezy in the swell, so after a few lengths they got out to join Joan back on the beach. Hildi and Dave proceeded to do another 4 or 5 lengths, making at a guestimate between 1600 and 1800m total swimming, and watched (it later emerged) by Anita from the clifftop. It was hard going west, much easier going east, although they started to even up throughout the swim. Dave had a few laughs at Hildi's technique of ducking under the white water and both agreed that once you relax and swim with the water, the potential for sea-sickness is reduced.

Hildi starting to feel positive about the FM - unfortunately the need to go to work meant she couldn't stay in all day, so we headed back in to be told by Joan that we looked strong out there and for some of Sara's raspberry and gooseberry cake (2 of our five a day?).

Loose talk walking up the beach about some long events next year (Brownsea Island, Dorney Lakes 10KM...). But first there is the Forestman and the joint Saltdean Seaswim Fitness and Esporta bike ride London-Brighton-London to do. At time of writing Hildi is wishing she'd joined Paul in taking the taper option....

The morning after the night before

A select group of SSF members, having convened a special moonlight swim the night before, congregated on the beach for their early morning sea swim. The tide was coming in which made for a good current running east, but other than that conditions were very favourable. The swim consisted of circuit training, which is the preferred choice at the moment whilst we are waiting for conditions for an attempt on Rottingdean.

We were joined by a chap called Mike who, I am reliably informed, will be Sara's main race rival at her next event. So the morning provided them both with an opportunity to gauge each other's pace, stengths and weaknesses etc.

The first circuit was a leisurely affair, with the faster people patiently waiting at each buoy for the more sedate members to catch up. On the second circuit there was no such concession, and the racing began in earnest. Hildi had brought her iron-man suit (suspiciously similar to the one worn by Robert Downey Jr in the film of the same name) and set a ferocious pace. I was trying to keep track of timings, my laps clocking in at just over 12mins, so I suspect the others were near the club records though probably still a little outside.

All safely back onto the beach, changed and home - or to school or work.

NEWS JUST IN: Angry looking Mako sharks have been sighted off the coast of Cornwall and are heading our way. They should arrive in Saltdean by Friday although fortunately I am advised that neoprene gives them indigestion (and gets in their teeth) so they will be unlikely to us :-) Besides, there is a lot of tastier flesh to be found in Brighton...!

Time In: 7:09
Time Out: 7:39
Swimmers: Joan, Sara, Hildi, Mike, Pete, Paul
Sea Temp: 15.5C
Air Temp: 17C

Catching the train down the backstrait

The tide high was high and on the turn, overcast skies and a lumpy sea. Not the best conditions we have seen, but not the worst either. Today saw the return of the mighty Anita and her friend Dave, who was joining us for his first swim with SSF.

So, straight into the sea without further ado, and out to the first left-hand buoy which, given the position of the tide, was a fair distance to swim. After congregating at the first buoy we decided to go for a lap, swimming clockwise and meeting and each corner to make certain the group was safe. With the tide going out, but the wind not particularly strong, the prevailing current was running westwards - which was very noticeable when we stopped at each corner. This did mean that the trip donw the back strait was easy, which Anita later compared to "catching the train". After one circuit we all opted to swim another, finishing at the same buoy we started from. And from here we headed back to the beach to compare notes and make preparations for the fortcoming moonlight swim on Wednesday night.

Time In: 7:13
Time Out: 7:58
Swimmers: Anita, Dave, Sara, Joan and Paul
Air Temp: 15C
Sea Temp: 15C

Saltdean Sea Swimmers and the Order of the Wuss Suit

Upon arriving, I saw a whole bunch of wuss-suited individuals standing in the centre of the beach, I assume thinking of reasons not to go into a very lively sea. Come on people, this is June!!!!! Get that neoprene off and get your Vitamin D .... Anyway, I spent a moment or two scanning the faces of those present, half expecting to see the Wolverine which would mean the warm-up run, for me at least, would not be optional. Fortunately, no-show.

It was this day in 2010 that Ollie and I embarked on our first swim together, out to the first buoy and back. Just the two of us in those days. Then it was sunny, warm and the seas were calm and blue-green. Today, the only thing that was the same was the tide going out. The waves really were big and the sea rough. Swimming out to the buoys was probably the only realistic target for the morning, and even that was going to present its own problems. My real concern was getting out of the sea afterwards, as I have experienced a few "washing machine spin cycles" on Brighton beach of late so was keen to avoid the howls of laughter and ridicule that follows from those watching.

So with the gang all suited and booted, we headed down to the water. Joan provided us with the necessary data: tide going out, wind gusting to 26 - be careful. And Joan also decided to be lifeguard which, given the conditions, made perfect sense. Pete was first in, throwing himself in the oncoming waves. Unusually, I decided to go for it and dived straight in and headed off to the right hand buoy, the others went left. My intention was to repeat the swim of 2010, but alas I stopped around 10 meters short as the wind was dragging me menacingly eastwards, plus the outgoing tide was snatching at me every time I dipped into a wave trough. So I callws it quits and head back in. Between waves, I could see that the others had reached the left hand buoy and were now also on their way back. The sheer length of the wave field was quite disconcerting as I bobbed over each and watched its long roller-coaster ride to the shore, where it would then hammer onto the beach. Suddenly none of this seemed a very good idea and I could begin to appreciate the merits of wearing a wetsuit after all. Fortunately, the others reached the shore before I did so gave me something to aim for, and getting out wasn't the problem I thought it would be. Pete stayed in and frolicked around in the waves for a few more minutes, periodly disappearing into a wall of water, but bobbing up again, seemingly unperturbed.

Back at the ranch, we noticed that new girl Annika had arrived, although wisely chose to pass on the swim. Joan, unimpressed with my previous disagreements about sea temperature suggested I take the reading today. It is noticeably warmer by the water's edge which, I believe, was beceause Joan had sneakily emptied Sara's hot water bottle into the sea to distort the reading. Ha! Well, we'll see about that. So I decided to subtract a couple of degrees from the 16C to remove any possibility of gloating. This time last year it was a healthy 16C for sure, the early winter and snow have certainly taken their toll.

All back safely, packed up and off the beach, Sara dreaming of the day that her friend Lenny would finally agree to be her muse and be the star of a new tryptic. Or something like that, I still had a fair bit of seawater in the ears so couldn't be sure.

Well done to everyone who completed the River Arun swim. Sara wins with a very creditable time of 1:07. Certainly the one to watch.

See ya Friday, with a promised guest appearance from Ruth, and a cameo from fellow founder member Anita.

Time In: 7:11
Time Out: 7:34
Swimmers: Joan, Hildi, Pete, Sara, Annika and Paul
Air Temp: 14C
Sea Temp: 15C

Wind 22kph, very wavey. Tide in, going out.

How would you describe Domino, Paul?

Yes indeed, I once again step into the elephant trap that Sara baits and lays before me. You would think I might have learnt my lesson by now, but alas no....

Anyway, I arrive to discover Joan and Sara already on the beach. Shortly afterwards new recruit Annika appears. We had hoped for super-Ruth and iron-Hildi also, but unfortunately each could not make it. And Ollie too had been called away. So just the four of us and not a wetsuit to be seen. Which suprised me as the north east wind had returned with a vengence. This made for a nice flat sea, so the going was likely to be good. Tide was out and about to come back in. The three girls began chatting about - stuff - so averting my ears I began warming up by running across the beach, and back, and back, and back again. Still no sign of them heading into the water. So, in I went all alone - somewhat gingerly I might add, because Joan advised me earlier that she had spotted basking sharks between the buoys earlier in the week. Great! Eventually the other three followed me in, but only after they had let me thoroughly test the conditions...... Fortunately no shark, just a few a crabs and half a dozen starfish. Water a little chilly as usual, maybe a degree colder than what we have been used to. Joan and Sara amused themselves in-shore, Sara understandly having to conserve energy for her River Arun swim on Saturday (best of luck!). Annika followed me out to the second buoy, although as we were still both able to stand on the bottom at this point, this was not as impressive as it might have been at high tide. I did contemplate heading out to the third buoy, but the incident with the nets remains fresh in my mind. So instead, a leisurely dash across the back strait, after which Annika heads in and I swim back, completing 4 lengths in total. Some real surface chop, which is to be expected, but otherwise fine. Sighting is improving as well.

The other three are back on the beach and preparing breakfast, fortunately I wasn't too late to join them. Now, nurse Joan who is ordinarily in charge of the thermometer asked me to guess what the sea temp was. As Fiona (from the Brighton group) measured it as being 13.4C on Wednesday night, I didn't believe it to be too big a leap of inductive logic to guess that it would be around about this level, after all, it is technically the same sea. So, I proudly guess 13.5C, believing my guess to be the closest and likely to win me extra breakfast rations. Oh no! The real answer was 16C. What? I immediately dispute the result, believing that the thermometer may have ended up on Sara's hot water bottle, or some such other warm location, so a recount must be in order. Well, the dispute raged, and clearly honour was not going to be restored, nor was the stewards enquiry going to be conclusive. 16C? We agreed to differ.

A delicious breakfast followed by Annika asking how she could lend SSF support at the Arun swim tomorrow. Sara suggested she team up with her other half Domino, who was also planning to spectate. Of course, never having met Domino before Annika was uncertain how she might recognise him. There then followed a flurry of visual descriptions ranging from Lenny from Motorcross to a "real lived in face" to George Clooney's older brother. But Annika remained none the wiser. "So how would you describe Domino?", Sara asks, turning to me? Like I fool, I take the bait. "Oh a bit like the Wolverine character from the X-men", I offer helpfully, believing young Annika might actually have seen those films. "Would you say that to his face?", Sara asks incredulously. Now, let me clarify what I meant. I meant he looks a lot like dashing Hollywood A-lister Hugh Jackman, except Hugh isn't quite as handsome. I mean Domino is rump steak compared to the hamburger that is Lenny. My one consolation is that once in the water, I will be quite safe. And if not safe, then at least I should be able to swim faster.

We all left the beach, except Annika who decided to hang around to top up her tan.

Time In: 7:13AM
Time Out: 7:43AM
Swimmers: Annika, Sara, Joan and Paul C
Air Temp: 17C
Sea Temp: 13-16C

PS. Ollie, we noticed another swimmer on the beach who chose not to seek permission from ourselves to take a dip. Can you sort it? I thought everyone knew they had to report to an official of the club before heading out.  :)

the birthday bash

So Sea Swim Fitness passed a year old, and it was lovely to see a bumper turn-out as 9 hit the beach.  Two newcomers, Annika and Alison came to see what the fuss was about, perhaps the lure of chocolate cake rumoured the day before helped.

At 7:16 we went into the water aiming for two laps clockwise.  the water was cool, with a tiny surface chop heading into shore.  Ollie and Annika took a more dignified swim enjoying the view onthe first lap whilst the gang set off with a splash.  After settling into their rhythm we regrouped for the second lap and swam together with Paul heading off setting a faster pace - that warm up run before going in is definitely his secret weapon!! - one to watch on the marina swim.

But the party really started ashore when we regrouped, drank latte's from the kelly kettle (how posh are we), sang happy birthday to us all, feasted on chocolate fudge cake, home made but not in my home, and talked through various strategies for upcoming events.  The Arun swim on the weekend being most talked about.  Good luck to Pete and Sara who are taking on the 3.8km swim.  Do us proud!!!

Swimmers: Ruth (welcome back!), Hildi, Pete, Alison, Annika, Joan, Sara, Paul C, Ollie.
In 7:16
Out 7:55
Temp: 14-15  and very sunny.

New recruit Annika

The Runners and Riders

Same crew, change of photographer

I don't need to add a caption to this