By: Blonde Two

Tomorrow is my swimmiversary. You have probably never heard of a swimmiversary before, and neither have I but tomorrow it will be a year since I received a text message containing the following message.

‘Supermoon swimmage at Anstey’s Cove – moonrise at 16:22. You’re welcome to join us!’

I did join, there wasn’t a whole lot of visible moon but I loved the swim, enjoyed spending time with the other swimmers and a new hobby was born. Swimming, particularly cold water swimming (‘cold’ by the way is as varied as you want it to be) has been a bit of a miracle cure for me. I entered the water on that slightly cloudy November night a tad jaded, and more than a little bit disappointed with life and I will emerge from my sunrise swim tomorrow chilly but with a renewed effervescence. I am happier, more creative and (ask Mr B2) much easier to live with than before I started outdoor swimming. If I am feeling down, I head for the sea, the colder the better, it helps me deal with my mood, eases my dodgy knees and pumps up my motivation.

I wouldn’t have kept at it (or even gone in the first place), of course, if it hadn’t been for the great bunch of people that I have met through swimming. There are all sorts of people (including Blonde One) who qualify for the award of ‘friends who say yes’ (#FWSY) but I feel particularly lucky to have met so many who are prepared to leave their warm beds first thing in the morning, leave their sofas just after dinner or head out into the rainy darkness just because someone else really ‘needs’ a splash in freezing cold water. To them, I would like to say a heartfelt ‘thank you’.

We will be celebrating this afternoon with cake and, of course, a cold swim. Mr B2 is my resident baker, he hasn’t quite invented floating cake yet but he does make a particularly good chocolate brownie, hopefully there will be enough for before swim and after swim munching!