Birthday swim 2nd part in trilogy

It felt like the last day of summer down on the morning swim.  We knew the fair weather would deteriorate before long so the crowds amassed, perhaps from the lure of homemade brownie to soften the early morning shock of sea water.  But not so much of a shock anymore really.
With the famous brownie on offer we saw a huge turnout and a new face so bravo to all those attending.
And of course, it was birthday trilogy part 2, this time me (olllie).
After reaching the regular west end groyne I took hold of some cards and best wishes.  And hildi turned up brandishing a pressie!  I opened eagerly....some pink rubber loves!  This was as a result of a lng night in A&E a week previously.  I won't go into detail but suffice to say I was nursing a hand injury still, and caused it doing the washing up!!!
Well, not much to aim for today.  A low tide, no buoys, and then suddenly some divine inspiration.  bobbing happily perhaps 350m
offshore, a lobster pot flag.  We decided to go for it.  not really beleiving we had ever gone that far out before it felt like a fresh challenge.  hoorah! all of of us set off in dribs and drabs to meet right out there (some going to a neighbouring flag-whoops!) before doing star shapes and bit of chatting and then heading back.  I felt like I had swam most of it on one arm so suggested some one-arm freestyle to get the brains going, which went down with mixed feeling I think :)

The long swim back was made easier by the lure of the brownie and we soon made our way to shore, dashed across the sandy bit of beach and warmed up with some good banter.
My limerick fromt he water weasal

There once was a swimmer named Ollie

Led a motley crew who were quite jolly,

He was handsome and tall

No part of him small

Except in winter when he’d cry “good golly!”

Ollie breaks out the new must-have autumn apparel

A bumpeer crowd gathered on the beach

Birthday trilogy part 1

Hildi's birthday !  and after much card exchanging and present giving, there was one last present, from Joan...freshly caught prawns fromt he day before! What a sight, we all ooh-ed and aahed!  I found out on a later day she had them for lunch :)
The tide was rediculously low and as I, Ollie, wasn't swimming today due to my recent hand injury, I took a few pics of the sun rise as the rest made it out to the remaining buoys and swam East to the last buoy.  There and back, and all over again on his own for Alex before heading back.  Tales of lovely waters made it harder for me to miss out.  They managed to scramble back in without too much bother from the low water as tide had already turned.  Looks gloomy for Fridays swim though... Photos from today will follow shortly but for now here is Hildi's limerick.

There once was a swimmer named Hildi,

Not fussy in her cosy she would wee,

So make sure you’re up stream,

When the water turns green

Or Hildi-wee widdly you will be.

A cold morning

A cold morning and some leaderless souls made their way down the shingle to meet a rolling sea and an incoming tide.

Alex Sharon and Sara plunged into the waves and headed for the eastern buoy as a watery sun rose.

Steffan brought a friend - Helgo, who also braved the waters in Steffan style : fully clothed! 

They joined Joan on patrol duty back and forth between the groynes.

After some energetic swims, Steffan and Helgo , followed by Joan and Alex came out. 

Sara and Sharon seemed to be enjoying themselves and had an extra fling.

On landing , Sara called out, "I miss my leader."

Ollie, land crew needed.

Air temp 9C

Sea temp 16C

Time in : 0710

Time out: 0740

Swimmers : Sara Alex Sharon Steffan Helgo and Joan

Rough seas in Summer

Just a hardy bunch of us today. A big swell, although possible to swim in it once past the breaking waves. Still. not a sea to take for granted, so we opted to swim widths and not take any chances. The yellow buoys are long since gone for the season, so no adventures into deep water.

Swimmers: Paul C, Ollie, Pete, Sara

No Buoys, No Boys

Sara, water weasal, arrived to a lonely beach, its just not the same without stalwat Joan, who's overseas currently on international duty.
The swimming buoys have gone, signalling the end of summer.  A single cormorant flew by, was this a sign?...no! the joyful tootle of a couple of oyster catchers was followed by footsteps in the tunnel.  Hooray! Sharon, the pocket rocket, appeared.
We had a lovely, companionable swim in a slightly drizzling sea, the current easing us towards France.  Temperature "a bit nippy" so pleased to enjoy tea and cake on the beach.  We hadn't swum far enough to justify the optimistic 8 slices brought though!
Sara.

ps Post season garden party at Sara and Domino's.  Sun 16th Oct 13:30.  Bring an appetite and a bottle, other halves and kids welcome!

Wasn't like this last year

I turned up late, and headed out into the swell where a few of the others. What is happening to these seas? The swell is angry all of the time, challenging and testing us all. Swimming widths between the groynes was what we opted for. Weather very autumnal right now, will we see snow in October?

wavey wavey

The sea was still in a mood from the high winds that had licked through it these past few days.   It had calmed sufficiently for us to get in and swim from groyne to groyne.  It was the first time we noticed the swim buoys had been picked up by the rough sea and dumped in a tight cluster near the shore of the next beach.  It had picked up huge concrete blocks and repositioned htem...wow.
We swam through breakers, big waves and a strong current so it was a hell of a work out! 

In: Ollie, Sara, Sharon and Paul, who arrived a little late.

Double birthday bash!

Well, with the promise of two birthday limericks, cake and a bumper crowd we made our way to the beach.  Both Sharon and Anita had birthdays this week so the limericks started early!

There once was a Athlete, Anita,
In every race she would beat ya,
She was so young and trendy,
And, ever so bendy,
With her hands she could touch her feet-a!

There once was an iron-girl named Sharon,
She was faster than the Red Baron,
Yung, Feisty and pretty,
I don't want to be shitty,
So I won't mention that she's vertically challenged!

Not much chance of getting in today, the waves were simply massive.  joan led the way into the splash while Ollie and Pete managed a failed attempt at swimming across the beach.  After both getting in and out safely to a distance of about 30 m, enjoying the ride and staring 12-15ft waves down their throat, we decided the swim across the beach was going to be too dicey.  A hasty retreat back to shore in-between big sets of waves meant we weren't too late for cake as the remaining swimmers gassed on the beach. 
In (for a splash), sara, Joan Ollie and Pete

Mako sharks spotted off Saltdean beach

Yes folks, the tabloids are reporting all manner of hungry sea creatures heading towards our little beach, ranging from mako sharks, to assorted jelly fish and even rumours of a giant squid. However, such stories did not deter Captain Ollie and his intrepid bunch of SSF crew members from venturing into the water. Five went in, and a headcount afterwards revealed that two could not be accounted for. Transpired that they never actually went into the water, but had scarpered just as we were heading in. tsk! tsk!