Feeling Under The Weather

For some odd reason I had not slept very well - I woke up at 4am, it was still pitch dark... not even the birds were chirping ... Anyhow, I got up and made myself a cup of hot water .. but couldn't get back to sleep ... then, around 7am when I usually get up, I felt much too groggy to make it to the pool ... but to the pool I (eventually) went - only a few hours later ... still not feeling 100% - but the sun was out and I was sure that yesterday's glorious weather must have warmed up the water! And sure enough, it had - I didn't know by how many little marks on the thermometer but going by Alex's blog of today, the water was @ 12.5 C.

It was past 12 noon when I got in the water - it may have even gone up by half a degree from this morning...

The water felt nice on my skin, my body was still weak though. I only mustered 6 lengths before I thought it better to get out.

I sat on the edge of the pool, watching swimmers and playing with the camera...

capturing interesting patterns ...

some shots eerier than others ... I happen to love that one!

... and I also love that one!

next came a lady in a wetsuit I haven't seen before

time for another spooky looking shot ;)

and past swam a more accomplished cold water swimmer -

this guy had a seriously good stronke and he was very fast - I sat there, wondering how Mr. Bubbles would have faired against him?

and another wetsuit ... I have seen this man before -

I think he came with his teenage daughter last year - I noticed them because he was drilling her up and down the pool - she also usually wore a wetsuit... today he was on his own.

and then came John, lovely John ...

he also swims throughout the winter -

John and (priceless!)Bridget come regularly around lunch time.

I used to see them every day the first year I started swimming through the winter when I also chose to swim during my lunch break

John is pretty amazing!

I just missed the "seriously good swimmer" :) doing his tumble turn - I only caught the pushing off the wall phase.

Lido or Riviera?!

What a glorious day - apparently the air temperature is forecast to reach 20C - how nice - that is bound to have a domino effect on the water temperature! Today, it still measured at 11C which felt gorgeous on body and, as always, helped clear the mind!

The pool was quite busy when I arrived around 8.10am

Sue and Margy were powering up and dow .. when the temperature hovers around 10C and only then (!) Margy gets going!

Chris Stanton, freshly back from Rio where he, Fernando, Tricky and another couple of SLSC members swam the "travessia dos fortes" - joined Margy and Sue - from 25 C back to 11C -and according to Chris he felt much more comfortable in our temperatures - although he really enjoyed his swim along Copacabana Beach - check out our stars, they made the news on Brazilian TV channel GLOBO! Time to brush up on your Portuguese!

and now for some (different) pix of the day:

Margy and Sue -

I quite like the opposing symmetry in that shot ( if that makes sense!?!)

Inspired by Mr. Bubbles shot of Sue yesterday, when he commented on her toes (!) I tried to capture them too :) Sue does have broad feet .. now I know why she is soooo much faster than me .. I only have tiny toots!

I met Andrew in the sauna today - he's a stay at home Dad -

he is also in the music industry and has told me about a website he's involved with - sounded great .. but do you think I could remember the web address ?!? :) I hope Andrew remembered the blog's address?! so Andrew, if you have landed on this page, please get in touch and send me the link to your website!

The Lido turned Riviera

Lucy and Doon having a good catch up while Pip has got the pool to herself

and whose are those?

Lucy blinded by the sun as she is (still) chatting ..

... with Doon

and (finally) Lucy is contemplating her next move ...

... of going into trance

how lovely that must feel !

A happy Dr. Andy arriving for his fix

Eight and Two equals 10!

The rain brought a lovely quality to the water - the temperature was still at around 11Celsius which makes for delicious swimming - specially if one has swam through the winter and was used to swimming in water temperatures ranging from zero Celsius to 7 ... 8, 9 and now 10+Celsius!

I first swam 8 lengths and then two more lengths after 20 minutes in the sauna. Those two final lengths were just magical- my body was still very hot from the sauna. Getting in the water and pushing off felt like I was being enveloped by a cooling bubble that carried me to the other end of the pool and back. I felt strong and for some reason my lungs expanded more than on my first swim (before the sauna). Maybe having been exposed to the hot environment made my entire body more efficient?! But I also wish I was more resistant to the cold water first time round so not to get "claws" after 8 lengths ... :)

before getting out I took these shots.

taking under water shots of people swimming breaststroke

always makes for "funny" photos ... this is Bernie ...

... suspended in water

and then Alex came along ... even he is headless ... just taking a breath

that's better! although Alex won't like his left arm coming across his body like that:)

he is even making a fist with his left hand! I wonder why?

Pip was in the pool when I had finished my second swim

here Pip suddendly notices that she is being framed ... and looked across

Eddie got in just as I was leaving -

I love the wave his arms make as they are extending forward

Big Egg Challenge & A Trip Down Memory Lane

Arriving at the Lido this morning around 8.15am I was just in time to witness Mr. (Big) Egg (and Chips) Designs getting ready for his Big Lido Challenge. He pre-warned me that he couldn't guarantee he would succeed ... but he gave it his best shot.

Big Egg after his Big Challenge

After that (early) excitement of the day, it was time for me to get in myself. No challenge set other than to enjoy my swim and stay in until my hands gave me the sure sign to get out ... what happens is that I can't keep my fingers together anymore and my hands turn into claws which transforms my swimming experience into a less pleasant one. The water temperature was up and David measured it at 11 Celsius today which is a lovely temperature actually. I swam 8 lengths and if it wasn't for the "claw sign" I could have stayed in for longer ... strangely enough my body didn't feel cold, only the sensation in my hands and arms changed which (sadly) made swimming rather peculiar... I still made a "b" line for the sauna where I found Alex - we both established that the water, although in double figures, was still cold and that our bodies get cold at a deeper level and still need to warm up gradually. I noticed that my body started getting cold 5 minutes into being in the sauna before accepting the benefits of the heat and really warming up my body.

On my way out of the sauna I noticed the rather "rude graffiti" that some thugs scribbled on the sauna wall next to the door - It didn't inspire me to take a photo .. so you'll have to check it out for yourselves ... that's if it's still there when you are next planning to come for a swim :)

What did inspire me, however, was to look into what lay behind the door that got kicked in by the vandalising thugs. The door I'm referring to is situated half way down the length of the pool at the end of the first row of cubicles. Once I stepped in, it took me right back to the first time I swam here at the Lido. What lay behind the door were of course the "old communal showers". Interesting, to say the least!

the old communal showers

more graffiti ....

... and some ivy

reverse shot from the first shot - looking back out

I'm sure these images will take a few SLSC members who have been coming here for years and years down memory lane ...

Take Two Or Even Three

Take two of the diving belles and beaux happened today around 8.30am - The format was slightly different : those who turned up for the dive didn't all dive in together but, still standing in a line at the top end to the pool, we all dived in one by one - Sangeeta had set up her camera again ... this time from the other side of the pool so to have the famous coloured doors in the background... sadly the camera didn't go off :) not to worry, Sangeeta asked us to all dive in again! what fun - not one dive but two dives .. and I thought I'd missed out yesterday by choosing to report rather than to dive :) What started off as take two actually became take 3! I don't have any photos to document the dive ... I may receive some later and will post if and when I have received some.

Further (good) news - the sauna was reopened today! I went in twice ... had some catching up to do, you see! 2 dives, 2 swims, 2 saunas - that can't be bad for a saturday morning!

Also, the traditional ( 1st saturday of the month) breakfast took place -

technically speaking I passed on that ... well not entirely as I was allowed to have one of Wendy's homemade lemon curd muffins ... :)

Alison brought her amazing homemade cup cakes

before getting out after my second swim I took a few shots - here Tom Hudson

and a guy from South Africa, (whose name I didn't retain when I et him briefly in the sauna ...)

who had his first swim in cold water

I caught Tom again - this time from close range

Giles, the newly appointed SLSC president, at close range too

The Lido Diving Belles and Beaux + Vandalism Update

The Lido Diving Belles and Beaux - I was inspired to choose that name on the day as the group formed in front of my very eyes - celebrated April Fools Day 2011 at the Lido with a huge group dive. The mastermind behind this idea was no other than diving enthusiast Sangeeta. She came up with the idea of having as many people as possible dive in the deep end of the pool on April 1st to mark the beginning of the SLSC members new swimming season.

The turn out was amazing and the splash that was created was just as impressive! The event took place as planned at 7.05am - Sangeeta was aware that some keen divers were not able to make it on the day ... shame ... but let me assure you, not all is lost - the good news is that Sangeeta scheduled a second group dive for tomorrow, Saturday, April 2nd at 8.30am ... Everybody is welcome to join in! and as it is the first Saturday of the month, group breakfast will follow - so bring a dish for after your splish!

Here some photos of this inaugurate event - Sangeeta also brought her husbands camera and tripod which we set up - Veronique kindly offered to release the shutter on that camera.

I placed my camera under water for a spectacular shot as well as recording the atmosphere, the post reactions and the massive splash for the boo.

ready ...

steady ...

go ... and ...

Splish

and off for a proper swim

Maureen even had time for a quick wave

as she swam past where I was standing

Gail looked a bit disoriented or bewildered

by the sheer number of divers/swimmer around her

Maureen made it safely to the other end of the pool

After his dive, Egg went to inspect the state of the vandalised sauna door

and told me what he thought

By the way, lifeguard Antony told me that the damage to the sauna door was not (like reported yesterday) the work of a group of kids but one single man (was caught on CCTV) - Fortunately he didn't actually manage to get into the sauna ... who knows what damage he would have carried out if he had got in ...

You can listen to all three audio clips by going to the lidosounds boo

After reporting on the group dive in and once the water had calmed down again, around 7.45am I finally got in myself and swam 6 glorious lengths - I had the pool all to myself before the next lot of swimmers ( the 8am brigade!) arrived.