Wednesday 30 November 2011

Back Below 8C


I played around with another photo application I got for the HTC - it's called Mytubo and has fun filters .. the one I like best is called ... "coffee"! well, no surprises there then ...! I also had to take my Ixus under ater though ... must be careful not to suddenly take the HTC (phone) under water!

Angus in mytubo look - (coffee filter applied ...what else!?!)

Jonathan getting out after a quick 2 widths

jane getting in ...

and taking off into the glorious sun

still mytubo application on the HTC - no filter

Batch stretching after his run with Sue ...

Afonso and Alex on their (coffee filter) tumble turns
Alex went on to do his 18 lengths again - Alfonso got our sooner!
One more day to go for Alex before he can swim "his mile in december".
if the water temp. stays the same, he is bound to do it!

back to taking pictures with my beloved IXUS which ..

.. I can take under water!
Fernando just starting on his 3rd length

more magic leaves

Hilary should like this (action) photo better
than the one I took of her coming up the steps yesterday :)
Fernando deciding on his next move ... Today he placed his super dooooper underwater camera in the deep end of the pool - will be so interesting to see how that camera captures the lido activities!

Tuesday 29 November 2011

Back (UP) To 8C


trying out the "retro camera" app on my HTC .... quite lovely!

It was good to see David back in the water - he must have recovered very quickly as his voice was still very coarse yesterday - he told me that he was feeling better and would be feeling even better if he hadn't been woken by his neighbours cats (fighting) early this morning ...! But the "real" good news of the morning must surely be that the water temperature was back up to 8C!

Sangeeta fully stretched

Mr Bubbles was already in the pool bright (orange) and early too

2 abandoned souls waiting for their masters...

big pile of dead leaves "better out than in"
thanx to the tireless lifeguards

Jonathan on his 2 widths - the sun just tried to break through
(sadly for only about a nano second ..)

Ian about to get in

and pushing off - amazing how buoyant the wetsuit makes Ian

Alex deciding whether to swim another ... how many?!
you and me and possible Alex himself will be happy to know that he's at the end of his 18th length and is calling it a day!

while Sue and Ian are still in full flow

Jonathan on his way out of the sauna

after 4 lengths and a good stint in the sauna, it was time to get back in for 2 widths - Carl still fully dressed put his hand in the water to take that shot - thanx Carl

now it was time for Carl and Kate to make a move ...
get changed .. blow the nose (of course) ...

... and enjoy a great swim!

Angus performing his heroic entry

and energetic get away!

while James is taking it al in and a bit easier!

strolling down to the shallow end in retro style

choosing my cubicle "in retro theme"




Monday 28 November 2011

Definite Nip In The Air


David came into the sauna dry, this morning. A stinking cold, sadly kept him from getting in the water ... still, he came, saw and took the water temperature but without conquering (the water)! 46 F - 7.7 C the outcome...
It felt more like 7 C to me ... all that standing around (chatting and taking photos) in the cold air temperature (without gloves) before getting in, chilled me just that little bit too much - specially my hands took the beating this morning.

I took this photo of Vince with my HTC mobile phone -I quite like it as it shows Vince's lovely shoulder and elbow action ...

A quick dip and out for Jonathan this morning

Alex, still swimming a mile (18 lengths) -
he is aiming to swim a mile in december - not many more days to go, Alex - Let's hope the water temperature doesn't drop too much by thursday!

Pip making his entrance with steamed up glasses
(from his cycle ride)

I like the angle - Vince showing another high elbow action

Vince swam 6 lengths this morning

Fernando's first words after jumping is : "bloody hell it's cold!" and it was!

and yet .. he was on his merry way up the pool

and back ... 6 lengths in total

that's 4 more lengths than I did ..! but I stayed in long enough, specially while taking under water photos after my swim - besides I stood around for far too long chatting before getting in ... not the best of strategies for today's air temperature!
the swim, sauna and re-swim sorted me out ... nicely!

the leaves were plentiful this morning - great to swim through and fantastic to see

Nick getting tips from Alex?!
or was it the other way round?

After a few lengths, Hilary is making her way towards the steps ...

out ... shower ... sauna is Hilary's usual routine -
Eddy is warming up in the background

Saturday 26 November 2011

The Ever Popular Lido Crawl




Last weekend in November and a year on. This can only mean: Lido Crawl! YEAHHHH!

Every Year more SLSC members join in - some of us cycle between the 4 water holes we swim in, others prefer to drive.

I feel that cycling is so part of the fun and I can assure all those who decided to drive that cycling gets the blood back into the parts that may have been deprived of it (during the splishes)

7.30 am - Fernando with his very desirable toy!

which he placed under water far enough away to catch us all jumping in - can't wait to see the results of Fernando's shoot

next stop: Serps in Hyde Park and after our swim we besieged ...

the Lido cafe for a well deserved breakfast

before heading further north to Parliament Hill -
Ian capturing me taking a photo of him taking a photo of ... yes me ...

full of anticipation

Sue (rentoul) stood at the edge of the pool "for ages" - I overheard her saying that she can't dive very well ... Don't know about you? but this dive looks pretty good to me!

Vince

Ian and Vince

Stewart

Ann

Batch's impersonation of a seal?!

Ian

not sure who that is .. but I like it! I think it's Doro in the background

Batch at his best

One simply has to love the colour of the water in this Lido -
all thanks to the silver lining which is just sublime

The Parliament Hill Lido Cafe - if only we could also have a cafe like that at the Tooting Bec Lido ...!

Suzanne took a shot of me

Michael

Tricky

This (poor) regular Parliament Hill Lido swimmer is
desperately trying to get out and away from us

Ben

Pip (and Ben in the background)

Pip

Pip stayed in forever .. well, so did I - I got very cold indeed! But nothing that a brisk, teeth chattering walk to the men's pond couldn't fix!

Fernando arriving at Parliament Hill

after a short walk across Hampstead Heath
we arrived at the 4th and last water hole

The men's pond!

Shhhh.... don't tell anybody - ladies were allowed in too
here Fernando's daughter, Olivia is jumping for joy!

I gave Pip (who was in the water) my camera for shots from a different angle -
not a bad dive (of me ... even if I say so myself ..:)

great splash

I love that shot : well done Pip!

Pip in action

Olivia couldn't get enough

this may very well be Pip .. again .. not sure who was playing with my camera,
while I got dressed?

Along the Regents Canal : one of my favourite bits of the cycle ride home