18-09-13 Smurfin' 'n' Surfin'

After the fun of the surf - Pete then has to test run the Saltman.

Fewer today as Pete & Ollie arrived on the beach to find revellers in the water.  The revelers turning out to be Joan & Emma, chillin' after bootcamp.  Joan said her goodbyes and Emma hung on to watch for developments.

"Revel they might, for there be a profusion of surf today and not a lot of swimmin'"  thought Barnacle Pete.  Surf dude Ollie had other ideas and enticed Pete in and over the breakers towards where Pike was bobbing wildly.  This was all viewed by an anxious Emma from the safety of the beach.

The buoys were awry and with the exception of the "Elbow", formed a diagonal line out to sea.  The intrepid pair used this as a guide and swam one to the other and back again.  The breakers were starting early, occasionally engulfing poor Pike and those around him.  Coming in was fun and an extra layer of skin in the form of a few mm of neoprene, removed some of the worries about laceration.

Emma breathed again and bade her farewell.  Ollie found that he was deficient sockwise and had to beg some part used ones from Pete.  All in all - a lot of fun and another small step for Pete in the confidence stakes.

Swimmers:  Joan, Emma (early), Pete, Ollie
Air temp: 16 degrees
Sea temp: 15 degrees
Sea: Sufficient to carry away all but the most determined smurf