A low ebb

Pete arrived to find Joan beachcombing between running widths, having already been "bootcamped" for the day.  It was a gloomy Joan with the opening gambit of "Is that it then?"  She was reflecting on SSF's poor attendance recently, a consequence of summer holidays perhaps but a worrying trend.

Ollie arrived to lighten the mood and all three agreed that they would continue to turn up whatever and it was decided that we still have a good core including Hildi & Emma to rely on. The latter two  being SSF stalwarts,  it was also hoped that Alex will become a more regular attender once he has completed his training and thesis.  It is hard with so few to rely on, an absence of a couple makes a big difference.

The sea was really oily and a bit strange.  Not literally oily but oil-like as it lazily licked the shore, trapping a load of seaweed and a detritus of dying plastic bags. Symbolism ignored, Joan plunged in followed by Pete & Ollie who struck out for Pike.

En-route for the Lost Buoy, Pete made his second jellyfish sighting in a week - different individual, same location.  This section now to be known as "jellyfish alley".  We paused and Ollie said that the sea felt tingly, "electric", it was weirdly still and very clear, almost prescient of some horror to come.  The pair shook off the feeling and looked towards shore to see the unmistakable figure of Stefan wading but when next we looked, he was gone.  The Devil's Claw and Elbow were made without further incident but on the way back to Pike, an odd easterly current was apparent, felt nowhere else but within 20m of Pike.  Jellyfish alley was shunned for the next loop and a diagonal was chosen followed by a return to the Elbow and a second diagonal to the groyne.  Joan had long gone by the time land was reached and both were a little subdued by the strangeness of the morning.

On the way back, Ollie & Pete vowed not to let things slip and to arranged for all to meet in convivial surroundings for a "good long chat".

Swimmers: Joan, Ollie, Pete
Ghostly wader: Stefan
In 7.18
Out 7.50
Sea temp 16 degrees
Sea - weird and a bit creepy