Behind schedule

Even the Daffodils are behind schedule

Hey would you believe it, my blog has quite a few followers :) Thank you to Aqua Marina and Alex for leaving comments and questions!

Question one : what is the 'Water Thingy" featured in yesterday's blog? well, Aquamarine it is a sort of "vacuum cleaner" the lifeguards command via a remote control devise to keep the bottom of he pool clean - basically, it gobbles up everything in sight - as mentioned: it's a really (and very useful) highly sophisticated "beast"! It sometimes even attacks swimmers ... and one has to be rather careful not to get entangled in its long "tail" ... but don't let this put you off Aqua Marina ... you can spot it from a distance and play with it by swimming over it, next to it under it ... or, you can stay well clear of it!

David dipping his thermometer into the shallow end of the pool to monitor the water temperature

Now, to Alex's request of an update of the Lido's water temperature! In a word, it's cold, Alex :) Much too cold for this time of year! Just for you Alex, I watched David, who takes the temperature daily, very closely today! In fact David told me that this time last year it was 8.8 Celsius (48 Fahrenheit - which is what David likes working in) whereas today it was 2.2 Celsius (36 Fahrenheit). It has been that low for quite some time now .... funnily enough, even the morning "die hards" were heard grumbling a bit today! ... I heard words like: "wouldn't it be nice if the wind would stop!"

I must say the wind does make it a "touch unpleasant at times" and I can report that being in the water is better than being out of it! Well, Alex I hope today's weather / water report has not put you off ... You said you haven't been for a swim since December. That's far too long! Coming to the Lido and having a swim is still just as invigorating as it was then and with a visit to the sauna I can assure you that all which may possibly have to be restored, will be restored!

David and Rixa having a good look at the thermometer after David had kept it in the water for a couple of minutes ...

... and here is the answer, 36 Fahrenheit or 2,2 Celsius or in a a word : cold!

So, although nature seems be a touch behind schedule, spring is surely just around the corner!

Creepy crawly

Back at the Lido ... no, not at my usual morning slot (I felt strangely dizzy this morning) but around noon (feeling much better by then, thank you!). Besides, I just couldn't miss going to the Lido now that I was back from "up north" after my amazing wild water swim :)

Surprisingly enough it was only once back at the Lido (and not as perhaps more likely at Gormire Lake) that I saw a strange looking yellow creepy crawly slowly moving along the bottom of the pool like a territorial beast ... but what could it be?! and then I saw another "thing" that resembled a snake! I couldn't figure it out by looking at it from the edge of the pool so I decided to take an underwater shot hoping that I could get a better impression of "it".

strange looking animal ...

putting my camera under water I captured another creature - looked like a snake or large worm to me!

no wait, here is a better view taken under water - looks like the creatures even had a tail!

But that wasn't all I saw. Suddenly still holding the camera under water all these bumbles were produced in front of the lens! What the heck was going on?! By now I was sure that there was yet another creature moving about.

take a closer look and you'll see something moving in the midst of the bubbles...

and then "it" surfaced ...

Hey, wouldn't you know ... it's no other than Ian, back from Botswana!

How reassuring , all is well at the Lido!

Wild swimming

I'm just back from North Yorkshire ... and guess what I have been up to? Initially the sole reason for the trip up north was to attend a Master Chef cooking class at Hazlewood Castle - an interesting prospect but surely not enthralling enough to justify a three day trip that would take me as far away from the Lido as that :) No!

But hey ... to my surprise and immense joy a very special person who knows me and my love for swimming only too well found out that within the Yorkshire Moors lay the amazing Gormire Lake. As you can imagine, as soon as I found out that we were heading for a lake as well as for the cooking class I was unstoppable. Getting out of London on saturday was a drag ... it took us close to two hours to get from Tooting to the M1 ... Nevertheless, our spirits were high and we reached York a mere 5 hours later. Exploring York was great - and before you wonder ... the answer is yes, we did walk down the "famous" Shambles!

However, nothing compares to our trip to the Yorkshire Moors and the downhill walk through the wonderful forest we took before reaching Gormire Lake! The weather was stunning - blue sky and not a cloud to be seen! Yes, it was cold which was to be expected after a frosty night but armed with my swimming cosy - which was the first bit of clothing I put on in the morning :) my heart was pumping hot blood all around my body in anticipation of what was to come.

I have always been in awe of nature but nothing could have prepare me for the beauty that lay in front of us when we reached the shores of the lake! We were greeted by the blazing sun and the wonderful glistering reflections it made on the water. The lake was surrounded by trees, some so close to the water's edge that one could sit on a brach and easily lower oneself into the water. The deep blue and clear water was simply calling my name out loud! I could have gone in there and then but we wanted to walk around the lake first ... to wet my appetite even more ... for my first ever Yorkshire wild swim!

The lake was stunning all around - parts of it was in the shade which meant that the layer of ice that covered it had not yet melted... But once we had come full circle and reached the sunny side again, there was no holding me back any longer! Off with the clothes, on with the cap and goggles (which proved a bit tricky as my hands were really cold by now from taking so many photos) and in I went! After a few strokes I soon realised that I had forgotten to put my ear plugs in :) so back to shore I swam .. got my ear plugs and in again! Wow how amazing ! Cold yes .. no colder than what we are presently used to at the Lido and my guess is that the water must have been close to 3 Celsius. Oh how I would have loved to swim all the way to the other side ... however, my better judgement told me otherwise .. no other cold water swimmer in sight to "rescue" me :)and no sauna to warm me ..:) so, I sensibly swam about a Lido width out before heading back. Invigorated by my wild swim I got back into my clothes (with difficulties as my hands were numb!)

What was interesting was that it was only after speaking with a guy back up at the car park once I had done my wild swim that I we were told that Gormire Lake is actually featured in Daniel Start's book "Wild Swimming" and that people do swim there ... in the summer!

And the master chef cooking class experience? well, all together a totally different cup of tea and good for a cooking blog which I may have to start at the end of this year's cold water swimming season!

The stunning Lake Gormire near Thirsk in the Yorkshire Moors

we walked around the entire lake - and were rewarded with stunning views

After walking around the lake and coming full circle it was time to get in ...

... a step at a time .. and ...

... all the way :)

Yes the water was cold :) ... a small area of the lake (which the sun hadn't reached) was covered with a layer of ice

Holy sox

I quickly got my (2 lengths) swim in this morning before heading off to North Yorkshire! back at the Lido on wednesday .. I'll miss it but hey I'll find a water hole in Yorkshire too ... fingers crossed!

Gail and Wendy (showing off her lovely "holy" socks) on their early morning swim

Gail in extremely good spirits!

or maybe she just hadn't heard what was said :)

A batch of "Batch"

Another glorious day at the Lido - actually an improved day : no wind! The water temperature is still as low as Celsius 3.3 mind you but how lovely is to be swimming in the sunshine! It brings out the best in all of us ... specially Batch who gave me a big smile and wave as he was swimming! For that alone he deserve to have a whole "batch" of photos on today's bog!

Smilie Batch

Batch getting ready for his length

Batch pushing off

... and now well on his way down the pool -

Pip getting ready for her 2 lengths!

Jonathan didn't feel like a swim today .. a quick jump in and out again was all he was up for today!

and to finish off today's blog, a bit of "abstract art" :)

Deserted

I took a friend to the airport this morning so only made it to the Lido around lunch time - 12.30 - It felt "deserted" ... :) void of the usual smiles - just a few different faces ... Eamon, who I have seen before - without knowing his name :), Stuart who I hadn't (officially) met before but had heard about when his sister Sue (not Rentoul!) mentioned him in a conversation and another gentleman who I had never seen before ... and didn't get a chance to meet properly...

The sun was out and so was the wind! your best place was either in the water or in the sauna! I did both as per usual and felt better for it- Also I missed the usual morning banter (in and outside of the sauna). However, it was lovely to be chatting to different people :)

Eamon is training for this year's London Marathon and has run in loads of marathons before (I forget how many ... but an impressive number!)

Stuart who lives in Battersea (not sure about the correct spelling - there are so many different ways of writing that name !) likes swimming in his lunch break. I used to swim in that slot a lot too., specially in my first year of cold water swimming. It's a nice way to break up the day ... but now I feel that there is nothing better than starting the day with that rush and morning kick early morning swimming give you!

Eamon making waves as he races across the pool

... and slowing dow a touch

Cool outfit

Ines was in top form this morning .. singing away and smiling from ear to ear ... "I haven't slept all night". Must try that again, some day cause I was definitely far from feeling as perky as Ines. Boom, this must clearly be the way to go!

Watch out for the "BOOM" ! where is "it"

heading to?...

... straight into the Lido!

Brian on a mission ... to fill their kettle!

who is the happiest person around when holding his specially dried tennis balls?

... it can ( of course !) only be Tintin fan Chris

forget "palm tennis", swimmers are on the way in!

Vince dedicated to the total immersion technique showing a perfect roll of the body

Amazing morning

Another amazing morning at the Lido! Looking at the photos it's hard to believe that the water temperature was still (only) 3.8 Celsius - Boy did it feel good though! I can imagine that swimming over lunch would have been even nicer! Wouldn't it be great to swim twice on days like this :)!

Mandy in full stretch doing the back stroke

Mark looking for his cubicle

Sue surrounded by sparkles!

John forgot his swimming cap and goggles - thankfully Jonathan lent him his head gear!

could it be that John was happier without it?!

Sun at last

What an amazing day! Sun at last! But don't let that fool you ... the water was still pretty cold! In fact it had been a frosty night - the windscreens on the cars outside my house were all frosted over and when leaving my house I was sure that the shallow end of the Lido would have a thin layer of ice too ... I was wrong :)

No ice and swimming lengths was on most people's agenda! not on John's who stuck his hands up the minute he got in :) Not really sure why? oh he must have done something wrong ...:)

Ok John, what have you done?!

Jonathan powering across the width of the pool

Vince in his usual style gliding back on his forth lengths

who do these pool side shoes belong too?

Chris and Sue on their first lengths - their routine starts by easing their way in and doing a bit of breaststroke before moving on to freestyle

Pip joined Chris and Sue on their second length

Alison on her way home after her splish

and Chris (heroically) swam another two lengths without Sue!