Saturday, 29 September 2012
Day 9 (27th August) Didn't we have a loverly day....
we went to Margate! First time ever for me. Visited the Turner Modern. Beautiful space and views, shame about the cladding that gives it the look of an out-of-town storage depot. After seeing enough of Tracy Emin's bits I go for a swim. Quite a contrast as most of the bathers are Asian males, one or two women wearing hijab. I feel underdressed in my tankini ( a very practical choice for discrete changing and disrobing on beaches and river banks but still uncomfortably revealing in some circumstances) and am glad when I have waded out far enough to cover myself in the water. I swim a distance towards the harbour wall with a view of a wind farm, and back towards the other natural arm of the harbour - a rock formation. 4 times, about 100m each? so 400m
Earlier we had breakfast in the Harbour Cafe - lovely! - and now we eat fish and chips from Peter's on the harbour front. Perfect.
Earlier we had breakfast in the Harbour Cafe - lovely! - and now we eat fish and chips from Peter's on the harbour front. Perfect.
You have to admit you have a problem.... day 8
I find a copy of The New Yorker in the bathroom and laugh out loud at the cartoon: It's of a therapist on holiday, on duty as a volunteer life guard on a beach: To man in water, in difficulty: 'Yes, I can help, but first you have to admit you have a problem'
Oh the synchronicity of life.
Today I drive a party of rellies to Whitstable. 4 of us (3 sisters and a sister-in-law) go for a swim, well eventually, after a very long wade out to anything approaching deep enough water. Not the most enjoyable water either, rather muddy/sandy, but there is an interesting view of windturbines, and encouraged by our example a woman on the beach comes out to join us and we all have interesting chats as we sedately swim around. Difficult to calculate distance covered. We are out quite a long time, so at least 400m
Later: back at the farm, it's a beautiful evening. I go skinny dipping in my bro's pond (a small lake fringed with water lillies, and home to various fish and ducks).My brother walks past on his way to put the geese to bed. 'Is thaat a ruddy duck in the pond?' This is the life! I remember to calculate some distances: we reckon a swimmimg length is about 15m and I do 10 of these, plus extra, so I claim 150m
Oh the synchronicity of life.
Today I drive a party of rellies to Whitstable. 4 of us (3 sisters and a sister-in-law) go for a swim, well eventually, after a very long wade out to anything approaching deep enough water. Not the most enjoyable water either, rather muddy/sandy, but there is an interesting view of windturbines, and encouraged by our example a woman on the beach comes out to join us and we all have interesting chats as we sedately swim around. Difficult to calculate distance covered. We are out quite a long time, so at least 400m
Later: back at the farm, it's a beautiful evening. I go skinny dipping in my bro's pond (a small lake fringed with water lillies, and home to various fish and ducks).My brother walks past on his way to put the geese to bed. 'Is thaat a ruddy duck in the pond?' This is the life! I remember to calculate some distances: we reckon a swimmimg length is about 15m and I do 10 of these, plus extra, so I claim 150m
Faversham Day 7 25th August
I'm staying at my brother's farm in Kent. I lead a family party to the swimmimg pool in the centre of Faversham. It's lovely! there is a beautiful outdoor pool as well as an indoor and baby pool. I am with George, my nephews J, J and J, and baby E. We all have great fun playing with the baby, helping her get up the steps to the baby slide, and catching her in the pool. I manage 2 lengths of the outdoor pool (20m length) so 40m only today.
Calm after the storm
It's a calm see today, and I'm back in for a swim. 560m
end of our sea wall to last house in the village and back. I swim there and back, moving round other bathers and boarders, dodging the occasional ball or blow-up raft, watching the activity and enjoying the feel of the water, while all the time keeping a check that I'm in my depth! Once I'm out of the water I dry off by pacing the distance I've swum, making it approx 280m there, and 290m back, (maybe my legs have shrunk)so I take the lower estimate and double it.
end of our sea wall to last house in the village and back. I swim there and back, moving round other bathers and boarders, dodging the occasional ball or blow-up raft, watching the activity and enjoying the feel of the water, while all the time keeping a check that I'm in my depth! Once I'm out of the water I dry off by pacing the distance I've swum, making it approx 280m there, and 290m back, (maybe my legs have shrunk)so I take the lower estimate and double it.
Day 4 (22 Aug) Not waving but drowning
OMG too much water!
Over the channel to stay with family and friends in Audresselles, seaside village near Boulogne. Beautiful day, can't wait to get in the sea. Much debate with George whether or not a swim here will count as it is not directly between Oxford and Cambridge. Everyone else has been in and out of the sea all afternoon. By the time I arrive they are out and dressed and it's just me that wants to jump in the increasingly wild waves that are being whipped up by a strong wind that has driven most of the people out of the sea and away; there is one group of wet-suited body boarders nearby. Great fun being tumbled up the beach watched by a line of my family on the sea wall. After a while I decide to get out beyond the double layer of crashing breakers to try for a swim in the rollers. Suddenly, surprisingly, I find myself out of my depth (I know this bit of beach well and I'm cautious in the sea, always checking the depth of the water); I'm trying to get back in, and feel that I'm being pulled further out in my attempts. I had been in line with the body boarders and now I'm getting further out, and starting to feel exhausted by the effort.
I'm scared. I try not to panic, needing to use my energies to ride up and over each roller while I assess my situation. I'm not sure if I'm overreacting. Can I swim for shore? If I wave will my family think I'm waving or drowning? Should I shout? What will they think or do? what can they do? Perhaps at some level remembering you should try to swim across the current, not directly against it I turn to face diagonally towards the shore, towards the boarders, and while doggypaddling with one paw, raise my arm to get attention. Can you see me? Can you see I need help? Yes, she does! A girl, a teenager, I don't really think about how old she is, just that she looks very confident in the water, smiles and starts towards me, then suddenly turns away; a surge of fear hits me until I realise she is alerting her friends before turning back to me with strong confident strokes, never taking her eyes off me. Within speaking distance I want to be sure she understands, 'Aidez-moi? Can you help me?' 'Yes' she says, simply, beautifully and smiles encouragingly, 'It's ok. It's ok'. The relief is enormous. I wait for her to tell me what to do; she takes me firmly by the arm and kicks out for shore with me in tow, still able to ride the water with legs and one arm free. Her friends arive (another girl and a guy) with a bodyboard which I grab hold of eagerly. 'Mm, euuh, get up? uhm, get on?' the girl says, any doubt about the meaning of the English words irrelevant as I get a strong shove onto the board from my rear end, As we hit the breakers they try to hold us all steady, but I get caught sideways rolling off, causing anxiety to my rescuers as another breaker is about to crash around us. I just have time to take a breath and point my arms to the beach, happy to be tumbled up it, ungracefully, to the waiting feet (and arms) of George and family, waiting with towels and offers of hot chocolate. How far have I swum? Feels like miles, but I'm too exhausted and relieved to care.
Over the channel to stay with family and friends in Audresselles, seaside village near Boulogne. Beautiful day, can't wait to get in the sea. Much debate with George whether or not a swim here will count as it is not directly between Oxford and Cambridge. Everyone else has been in and out of the sea all afternoon. By the time I arrive they are out and dressed and it's just me that wants to jump in the increasingly wild waves that are being whipped up by a strong wind that has driven most of the people out of the sea and away; there is one group of wet-suited body boarders nearby. Great fun being tumbled up the beach watched by a line of my family on the sea wall. After a while I decide to get out beyond the double layer of crashing breakers to try for a swim in the rollers. Suddenly, surprisingly, I find myself out of my depth (I know this bit of beach well and I'm cautious in the sea, always checking the depth of the water); I'm trying to get back in, and feel that I'm being pulled further out in my attempts. I had been in line with the body boarders and now I'm getting further out, and starting to feel exhausted by the effort.
I'm scared. I try not to panic, needing to use my energies to ride up and over each roller while I assess my situation. I'm not sure if I'm overreacting. Can I swim for shore? If I wave will my family think I'm waving or drowning? Should I shout? What will they think or do? what can they do? Perhaps at some level remembering you should try to swim across the current, not directly against it I turn to face diagonally towards the shore, towards the boarders, and while doggypaddling with one paw, raise my arm to get attention. Can you see me? Can you see I need help? Yes, she does! A girl, a teenager, I don't really think about how old she is, just that she looks very confident in the water, smiles and starts towards me, then suddenly turns away; a surge of fear hits me until I realise she is alerting her friends before turning back to me with strong confident strokes, never taking her eyes off me. Within speaking distance I want to be sure she understands, 'Aidez-moi? Can you help me?' 'Yes' she says, simply, beautifully and smiles encouragingly, 'It's ok. It's ok'. The relief is enormous. I wait for her to tell me what to do; she takes me firmly by the arm and kicks out for shore with me in tow, still able to ride the water with legs and one arm free. Her friends arive (another girl and a guy) with a bodyboard which I grab hold of eagerly. 'Mm, euuh, get up? uhm, get on?' the girl says, any doubt about the meaning of the English words irrelevant as I get a strong shove onto the board from my rear end, As we hit the breakers they try to hold us all steady, but I get caught sideways rolling off, causing anxiety to my rescuers as another breaker is about to crash around us. I just have time to take a breath and point my arms to the beach, happy to be tumbled up it, ungracefully, to the waiting feet (and arms) of George and family, waiting with towels and offers of hot chocolate. How far have I swum? Feels like miles, but I'm too exhausted and relieved to care.
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