That perfect sunrise

A well deserved break from the trusted blogger, hiwheeler. I thank him for many thought-provoking and witty lines.
This morning i woke to a dark sky.  Gathered my swimming things and tried to locate my goggles and hat without waking the boy. But sadly to no avail. Like the proverbial cockerel that he is Jasper woke the house and demanded milk. I prepared coffee in a flask, hot water and 6ozs of full fat. Only the latter for baby J, the rest for me, i was headin' out to sea!  I knew a hot water chaser to getting dressed today would be pleasurable.  The week had threatened a chill with damp and it did not deny us.  After preparing baby boy and handing over childcare duties I made for the beach. I knew Pete was going to be there but hadn't at that point seen emails of emma too. Also Matt, a friend of friend and general good egg so I'm told was making an appearance.  Parked up, pete was at his car. We made tracks for the beach. A rubberized figure was limbering up...must be Matt....it was! Greetings done we went to the ground. Emma and Joan were there, so nice to see them!  We quickly got ourselves organized and headed into the sea. What an amazing red sky. We were all a bit struck by it. But as it does, it quickly came and went :(.   By the time I reached the lapping water pete had already taken an official reading, 13 degs...its all downhill from here.  The reality hit.  But actually the scary onset of winter, scolding from shaky hands, restricted driving from too many layers, somehow seems normal fayre now for the winter gloom, and in some strange way I guess we would all be lost without it.
13 regs isn't, I found, that bad actually and I headed off, only in shorts with a rather slick Matt for several widths. Pete and emma enjoyed widths also and joan made a quick in and out before the next leg of her keep fit regime for the day.  We headed back to shore after some decent swimming, about 20 mins, not bad given the temps, just as richard joined us for a quick dip.  Exchanged tips on keeping warm and horrors of deep midwinter then went our separate ways.  Although we are four years in and look set for our fifth winter, I still feel a sense of pride telling people I meet throughout the day that I have been in the sea.  They always mock a shiver and say "you're mad! ". Well I ask you, what's wrong with that? It does you good.

Ollie