Sea Swimming Blog #38
Day 77 Sea Swimming.
#38 of the blog.
Another grey day yes, but the flattest of seas…
With high tide at 8:45am, this whole week promises to be perfect for St Aubin swims and that where I started this morning after the school run.
We normally get changed in a little secluded spot just down from the slip but today’s high tide - 11.3 metres - meant that our normal spot was soaking wet and still in range of the waves as they ebbed and flowed their way up the slip and into shore.
Whilst the sky and location may have been similar to recent swims and posts, I decided that I couldn’t be bothered to lug my big camera bag around with me so today’s images are shot on my phone… I treated myself to an upgrade the other day after my old one packed in so it was a bit of an experiment to see what it’s like.
I’m not entirely sure another monthly expense is exactly what I need right now so you could say it was a little impulsive… what can I say, it’s in my nature… hopefully I’ll make the most of it’s great camera and keep it for as long as I’ve had the previous one.
I took a few photos - with Jenny modelling a new look it had to be done(!) - then got it ready for a time-lapse.
With the weather dry and wind minimal it was a pretty good turn out - 10 of us Bathing Beau & Bluebells made it for the swim and we had some of the more gentle seas I've seen. The trickiest part was the entry and exit as when a tide that high rolls in, it hits the wall and bounces back, colliding with volume of water behind it… when that happens it’s best to walk in/out like John Wayne with a wide stance, ready to shift your balance from one foot to the next.
With the sea so flat (and goggles, hat, gloves, booties and yellow float at the ready) I headed out to Wilson then straight off to Gracie, who, with this seemingly extra high tide, appeared further away than normal. It took a little while to get out to ‘her’, but with little to no swell/waves it was a pleasant swim - the thought crossed my mind that I hoped the conditions for the Channel swim would be so kind - though, in another way, I’m quite up for carnage too.
Upon reaching Gracie I considered turning round and swimming back but then thought these conditions were so idillic that I may as well swim out further to another buoy that is approximately 20-30 metres away… then another running parallel to it approximately another 20-30 metres away.
With the extra bit of mileage in the tank I swam back towards shore, ignoring Gracie and heading straight for Wilson before taking on the trickiest part… getting out.
“A rising tide floats all boats”
- John F Kennedy