First Storm Swim for 2018 - Day 2
Many of you have no doubt seen the fantastic photos Ivan took this morning at Doddi's. The following tells you a little more of the morning's events.
Arriving as usual for our 8:00 am swim, the vehicles in the car park would have given you a clue to who was in attendance, which at first may have been baffling given no one was to be found. That was because we were all hunkered in the Club Storm Bunker aka Doddi's Storeroom. It is small, but does keep a lot of anxious swimmers dry and warm.
As the start time approached, the group divided into two: those swimming and those with any sense. The former group further split into two: those entering at the reef for a fast ride to the groyne; and a second group entering at the groyne to attempt swimming against current toward the reef.
The strength of the current is not obvious from the shore, but after attempting to swim against it can be said with a high degree of confidence that it was 3.5 km/hr. This was evident by the little or no forward progress made by those attempting to swim against it and their recent pool training performances. After 10 mins of trying to get past the pontoon buoy (where they started), the intrepid group attempting to swim against the current abandoned their effort and with tails between their legs joined those walking to the reef for a fun swim with the current.
At the reef, the ferocity of the seas (evident in the photos) made wading in without being immediately swept off your feet almost impossible, even for those of us for whom the effects of gravity are more pronounced. As usual, the walk/swim was exhilarating and repeated by many. Congratulations to those who either today or yesterday attempted storm swimming for the first time - you can now be officially sectioned by your loved ones.
One of the benefits of swimming during torrential rain storms is that just the act of walking back from the beach negates the need for a fresh water shower. Of course, there are many other benefits, but none more than relaxing after your swim and sharing a coffee and laugh with your fellow swimmers.
If the swim does not interest you, please come and join us for a coffee.