Winter Atmosphere

It's amazing how quick the atmosphere at the Lido can change during the winter months - When I left my house around 8am the air temperature seemed quite a bit warmer than previous mornings .. no ice on the cars ... I started my bike ride to the pool with the slightest hope that maybe, just maybe the pool would be ice free ?! Well the deep end was and at first glance it even looked as if the entire pool was free of ice .. but no such luck... taking a closer look (probably one with a less optimistic view) showed that the bottom third of the pool was covered with a (beautifully sculpted) layer of ice!

Life guards Antony and Sarah both commented on how quickly things can change here .. even in the span of a few minutes the air temperature can change ... and it's true that a sudden nip (in the air) had come up.

A few minutes later the layer of clouds had thinned and the sun was pushing through ... beautiful! When I came out of then sauna to jump in again, the light was just absolutely gorgeous!

air bubbles under the ice and broken off pieces of ice on top of the layer of ice

Vince walking down to the sauna after having swam 4 widths at the deep end

I placed my camera on top of the ice

and here a view from underneath the ice

and again .. but rest assured my whole body was not underneath ... just my hand :)

Bob, totally submerged doing breaststroke ... before ...

... swimming back to the steps this time doing freestyle

Listen to Bob's experience

Remains of The Chaos

Lifeguard, Brian brought a bird feeder

Monday morning and after a day off, I'm back at the Lido! It was really lovely and sunny yesterday which helped clear most of the evidence responsible for last week's (snow) chaos ...

We have still endured a very frosty night, mind you, and the pool although cleared of ice yesterday is carrying a lovely layer of ice again.

half of the pool, from the shallow end up to the second black line was frozen over again

the steps at the shallow end are totally covered by a layer of ice

The remains of Sarah's snow man .. has been replaced ...

... with Sue and Barry's annual snowman

Ice Ice Ice

This past night must have been bitterly cold! large parts of the pool are froze over and we for the first time this winter were restricted to swimming between steps along the length of the pool - deep end steps and the next one down - about a third of the length pool. The water was really icy cold specially as the lifeguards keep sweeping the snow of the edge of the pool into the pool!

Pathfinder Jonathan ( not Buckley!) well on his way - he had to clear some ice!

carefully judging his every stroke

here the path was clear - free of ice

most of the pool was ice over - 1st time this season!

same Jonathan running back from the sauna (for more "punishment" :)

I missed his dip ... here he is wet ... seconds before quickly getting changed

Nick's backward plunge

That's more like it Nick

This time it's Jonathan (Buckley) .... playing around ... trying to get into his jumper!

remember to check out the sounds

Worlds Apart

Will it ever stop snowing? is the question most Londoners ask themselves ... SLSC members on the other hand are marvelling about the wintery conditions and enjoying the Lido draped in snow. Swimming in these weather conditions (water 2 Celsius, air around 0 Celsius) is, believe it or not, truly wonderful, exhilarating and dare a say it, "somewhat mad" ... but only if you stop and think about it :)

Antony and Terry working hard to clear most of the snow - which makes for safer walking, thanks guys!

This may look a touch strange - walking in to 2 degrees Celsius holding your hands above your head ... but believe me : No one is pointing a gun at Vince - he's doing it off his own (good) will :)

Promise you, he's just doing it for .. I'm not quite sure .. what reason ?! I must ask him!

.... and Vince is off on his 1st length

half way up to the deep end...

... he made the first length - snow building up on the water surface - no ice - just snow - he's safe!

and back to the shallow end - rather him than me! swimming two widths was enough for me :)

Batch jumping in after his time in the sauna

That looks ... coooool Batch!

Hilary full of smiles and anticipation

and she's made it - 2 widths - now it's time for the sauna - Lucy has it still all to do

Tricky left his trace

Not sure if anyone will be using this cubicle ;)

last photo before heading back home - for breakfast ...

I decided to push my bike across Tooting Bec Common rather than risking getting pushed off my bike by motorists ...

remember to also listen to THE BOOS ;)

In the News

Jenny getting ready to come out of the cubicle - gloves and socks are not allowed at the championships ... but Jenny is "in training" :)

It was all happening at the Lido tis morning! A bit of snow and the press comes out in force - we had Jenny being photographed by a photographer of The Independent newspaper as Jenny is writing a piece on "training for the cold water swimming championships" we are hosting on January 22nd. Then we and another photographer, Simon, from The South London Press Newspaper taking photos of Sue (Rentoul) Batch, Vince and possibly others ... swimming ... then he asked: "will someone dive in ... it will make a great shot !" and being a photographer I could only agree and after swimming 2 widths I got out and declare : I'll do it .. but only 1 dive :) I'm yet to see the photo as all I could think of after surfacing was to swim to the steps and get out and into the sauna ...! my hands were F.R.O.Z.E.N. :)

Jenny's every move was captured

another quick pose

and she's in -head up breaststroke this part of her training did pass the test and was according to the championship rules.

lovely Icicles forming on the roof of the cubicles

Ivan was showing his brave side too which meant I was able to document his entry into the water!

Ivan getting ready, he too cannot do without gloves and booties!

almost ready ...

surely not !! Ivan sits down on the snow before getting in ... routine remains routine ... snow or no snow :)

See, not so bad after all .. however, I will let you into Ivan's secret: he wears TWO swimming trunks! well of course, that makes all the difference :)

and he's in!

Ivan made it to the other side .. and back ... two widths - mission accomplished!

snow all around the pool - the lifeguards have kindly cleared a safe path for us so that the snow doesn't compress under our feet as it will quickly turn to sheer ice ...

I caught Mark on my way home ... he was swimming lengths ... I hope no more than 2!

Lifeguard Antony, keeping a watchful eye on swimmers in the shallow end

2 lovely frozen patterns taken with my phone, HTC Desire HD

You can also listen to Ivan and other audio boos of today !