Just keep swimming!

My first blog that I ever wrote for this website was about sea swimming and how much I love taking a dip in the estuary in summertime - it's years later and I still adore it. I'm late to it this year - the time and tides have not been on my side - but over the weekend I managed to get six (count 'em!) swims in. 

We hired a beach hut in Thorpe Bay as we do every year, and massively lucked out with the heatwave. It was bright blue skies, hot sun, and perfect tide times for us and we are so grateful for that. On Friday, I did yoga on an empty beach, before our friend arrived and we took to the sea. It was only slightly chilly upon getting in - once our shoulders were under, it was bliss. I realise what a water baby I am once I'm in the sea - I never want to come out. We swam for ages, chatting, bobbing, then started craving a cup of tea. 

We eventually got out, had a cuppa on the beach, Jo had pre-made a gorgeous Caesar salad with roasted cauliflower, which we swiftly ate (swimming hunger!) and chatted on a picnic rug for ages, also dipping Homemade Bakery sourdough bread in hummus. Our friend went home, and over the course of the afternoon, I had two more swims. I just couldn't resist! The water was clear, warm, refreshing. No nasties. Apart from a few strands of lone seaweed, it was gorgeous, and it felt perfectly holiday-ish even though we were only a short way from home. I must say at this point that my sister had bought us matching "beach dresses" from Saltrock which are basically giant towelling ponchos, with hoods, that go beyond your knees, so you can get changed under them and dry yourself at the same time! Or just sit in them to dry off - MAGICAL. I heartily recommend you get one. (It was actually borderline TOO hot to sit in these this weekend though, but that's not the norm I can assure you). 

The next day I swam more too - in and out like in my childhood on Cornwall or Devon beach holidays. I remember being a little kid: I'd go for a swim, get out, sit on a towel, eat sandwiches (usually fish paste, classic, accompanied by Pickled Onion flavour Walkers crisps which I also loved, what a STINKY combo), annoy my sister, play with some toys, maybe make sandcastles, then back in the sea in the time it had taken my swimming costume to dry, then back out, onto a towel, curiously hungry again... repeat repeat repeat. It felt just like that this weekend. Swim, food, read book, swim, have a cuppa, sunbathe, get all hot again: swim. On Saturday evening I swam up until just before 5, just before another pal arrived and we cracked open the caiprinhas and snacks in the evening glow. 

If you've not done it yet this year, use this beautiful spell of hot weather we're having, check the tide times (and buy yourself a pair of swim shoes - because cockleshells) and get in that water. You'll love it.