Hildi, Alex and Ollie all joined this Winter's regular, Emma, for a Good Friday swim. No Joan, so no beach hut. We convened on the 'usual' or, 'Summer' beach. Tide very very low and plenty of fisher-folk digging for bait. Bitterly cold. This is how we used to do it: changing on the beach under a flurry of snow (YES!, SNOW!). Not even a Winter yoda in those days. Alex and Ollie took their time getting under. Motivated by the need to 'attempt a proper swim' in order to count a March swim, Ollie eventually joined Emma in some breaststroke (I think he may still have been wearing his woolly hat). Hildi face in for some crawl and then Alex also under the water. So cold that our legs were numb and our shoulders hurt. But then, on the way out, Hildi and Emma reluctant to leave the water for the wind-chill of the beach, some running and then the euphoria.
Changing was tricky with frozen hands. Hildi opted for the 'get naked and cuddle a hot water bottle on bare skin under the yoda' technique. Others slightly more decorous. Chocolate cake with golden dust and sharing of hot drinks to warm up.
A little planning for the Saltman on May Day weekend and then off to enjoy this holiday weekend. Lovely to see the boys again. Hopefully all back together under the sun soon.
Swimmers: Alex, Emma, Hildi, Ollie
Conditions: Steel grey still and eerie. Lowest of low tides. Bitterly cold. Snow. Gold awards all round.
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