Ice Bath

The day dawned perfectly.  Little wind, calm sea and a big tide.  The tub was full at last.
Regular numbers were resumed this morning with Hildi and Ollie making welcome returns, fitting in the all important session between children and demanding jobs.

Pete was kidding himself that he needed to swim a long way this morning, perhaps even to Rotters, that's the excuse he made for donning the wetsuit.  It's difficult to remember just how different the suit makes things, you feel divorced from your regular environment, the cold only making its presence felt slowly as boots and gloves fill up, then the trickling in through the zip.....

That all goes to hell of course as soon as the face goes in.  After so many weeks of trying to get in, one forgets the full reality of that first five minutes of burning before the delightful numbness sets in.
There were manly squeals apleny from Ollie as usual whilst the girls just got on with it.  There was a bit of swimming today, around two widths from Ollie & Pete followed by an impromptu race to the groyne between Emma, Hildi, Pete & Ollie, adjudicated by Joan.  Or was it just Pete who was racing?  With leaky goggles, Pete had abandoned all hopes of a long one this morning.  On the way back to the hut, Zoggs Brand Ambassador Hildi had already hooked Pete on the idea of  a pair of Predators.

"No really, who would want to hoover a whole house anyway?

Back at the hut, Hildi put on her Dyson hat and tried to persuade Ollie to switch hoovers, extolling the virtues of a battery powered device that would guarantee to run out half way through, thereby saving time on housework.  The hut is a lovely sanctuary.  Quite why the men get to change inside on thick carpet whilst the womenfolk make do with breezy concrete is one of those strange traditions whose origins no-one can remember.

We all drank to a season packed with convivial swims.

Swimmers:  Ollie, Joan, Hildi, Emma, Pete
Time in: 6 minutes or so
Sea tamp 8 degrees
Air temp  4 with wind chill
Sea: A big icy cuddle