Swim #50

Date:  Saturday 29 October 2016

Place:  The Watkins Pathway Pools, Snowdon, Wales

Category: Open.  We did the 20 minute hike to the pools together, as a family, but when Ryan and Steve felt the water, they decided to record Amelia and I completing swim#50, rather than joining in this milestone event.

No matter what the weather, there is so much beauty in these hills, it takes your breath away

Conditions:  Mist, light rain, air temperature about 13’C, water temperature about the same, but I didn’t care enough to measure, as this was my final adventure swim of the year!

The view down the valley from the pools.  You can see the slate bridge in the foreground

 

WOW:  Walking up from the road is an easy 20-minute hike through forest and along the hillside.  Half way up, you turn right onto a sheep track and follow the wall down to a slate bridge, and from there, you are faced with a magical world of the most magnificent set of mountain pools I have ever seen.  The turquoise colour of the crystal water, the smoothness of the rocks were so inviting, despite the cold, dreary day, that I couldn’t decide which pool to swim in (I knew I couldn’t swim very long, so it had to be ONE).

Steve thought I had lost the plot because I kept staring into the pools, climbing up, then back down, just marvelling at each pool’s character and beauty and saying:  “I want to swim in this one…. No, this one….Look at this waterfall…”

This was the pool I chose – guarded by a sentry tree

Another view of my magic pool!

Amelia and I sat on the smooth stone and slid in on our bottoms before pushing out into the deep icy aqua water.  On the left the water cascades over a high precipice into another pool below

Red lobsters perched on the stone, enjoying the hot flush of exhilaration after an absolutely awesome swim

WOW:  It sounds odd to say, having done 50 swims in three stunning countries, swimming in some of the most beautiful spots in the world, that these pools are hands down, my complete favourite.  For some reason they totally bewitched me.  I will be back, in the summer, to explore them more thoroughly.  That is a promise.

 

WOW:  50 swims completed, before I turned 50.  What a remarkable, life-changing, unforgettable journey, for me and my family.  Thank you to everyone who took part, from the bottom of my heart.  How amazing that I started this journey to make memories, but I also found a part of myself along the way.

 

 

Swim #49

Date:  Tuesday 25 October 2016

Place:  Potter’s Leisure Resort, Hopton-on-Sea, Norfolk

The view of the beach from the cliff tops

Category: Open.

Conditions:  Water temperature 14’C, blue skies and sunshine, hardly any wind.  Incoming tide, faster than expected!

The water was slack, with little waves perfect for a bit of bodysurfing!

WOW:  Aahhh…  What a magnificent ménage!  For the past 15 years, during October half term, my (approximately 30-strong) family have gathered with great excitement in Norfolk, to immerse themselves in luxury at Potters Leisure Resort, enthusiastically embracing a four-day-long, action-packed-multi-activity-er… -competition, with at least three, three-course meals served every three hours, and the sleep quota averaging three hours a night.  Much sought-after are the Potters medals, awarded for skills such as bravery on the shooting range, napkin-folding aptitude, and the ever-popular daily curling championships.  We emerge, at least three pounds heavier, full of laughter and memories, our family cup brimming over, looking forward to doing it all again the following year.  WOW to this family tradition, which has woven itself into the fabric of our lives.

WOW:  When I invited the family to join me in the autumnal North Sea to complete Swim #49, the idea was met with true British grit.  Admittedly, some of the commitment was to watch the event, but there were a lot more takers than I was expecting.  The swim was planned for the last day, where it appeared that the tides and weather would make conditions bearable.  WOW to the whole family.  Thank you so much for gathering on the beach, the excitement, the team spirit.  On the count of three, nine of us joined hands (age range 6 – 70’s) and ran laughing and screaming into the sea!

WOW:  It was a fantastic, exhilarating swim, which I am hoping will now be added to the annual Potters antics.  Hopefully even more of the family will join in, in October 2017!

This fantastic shot was caught by Lucy of her dad, catching a wave.  He never misses a chance to swim in the sea – go Nick!

WOW:  Thank you Lucy for taking the wonderful photographs, and Su for making the effort to get wet up to your calves.  (The tide was coming in a tad faster than expected).

I applaud my amazing family for joining me on so many of my swims this year, making so many memories with me.  I am so grateful to have you in my life.  Thank you

Swim #48

Date:  Saturday 22 & Sunday 23 October 2016

Place:  Sanddrif, Cederberg, near Cape Town South Africa

Les, Nic, Kay and Kev on the epic 3.5 hour hike they did to warm up before the swim!

Category: Closed.  I did this swim with my cousin Lesley, her husband Kevin, their son Nic (which makes us first cousins I think – who cares though – we’re family!) and his girlfriend (and awesome film-maker) Kay.  I couldn’t have done my 50 swims without having a dip with my crazy, but lovely, cousin Les.  Our Dads were as close as brothers can get, with a shared love of hunting, fishing, diving and the outdoors.  It follows then, that as children, Lesley, Michelle, my brother and I felt as if we were siblings, rather than cousins.  It’s the kind of family bond that can never be broken, the kind that can be called true, and the kind that lasts forever.

Lesley said the first place that came to mind for swimming with me had to be Sanddrif in the Cederberg.  She said ‘it is heaven’.  She booked a weekend there for us and all the plans were in place when I cut my trip short to SA.  I was heartbroken.

But what happened next, made me laugh, cry, and feel like the most special soon-to-be-50 year old in the world.  Les, Kev, Nick and Kay went on the weekend to Sanddrif, and they took me with them.

Conditions:  Hot during the day and freezing at night!

Les & Kev taking a breather

WOW:  Now that I’ve been there (albeit virtually), I know why.  It is magnificent.  The type of place that makes your soul run over with the joy of being alive.  A reminder of how glorious the mountains and rivers and secret places in our world are.

WOW:  Nic and Kay videoed the trip so I could have an everlasting memory of my visit to Sanddrif.  You guys are super-awesome.  I know how long it takes to edit video Kay – so thank you both from the bottom of my heart for this amazing gesture.  You have so made my birthday year unforgettable.  Unfortunately, WordPress blogs don’t support video, so you will have to view this video on Youtube.  It takes a good 10 minutes, so get your cuppa (and a tissue box) and enjoy.

WOW:  I’ve got to make special mention of my legs – which do appear on this video.  They are muscular and hairy – sorry everyone – a rather shocking (but hilarious) moment!

PS:  Photographs by Les and the family.

Swim #47

Date:  Wednesday 19 October 2016

Place:  Lizzie’s Pool, Strand, South Africa

Category:  Closed.  I’ve spent 20 years living 8,000 miles away from my Mum, but parting seems to grow more difficult each time.  So it was with heavy hearts that we shared the last few hours together, before the dreaded airport drop off.  And what better to do, than have a swim in Lizzie’s swimming pool!

Conditions:  Water temperature 18’C, sunshine and strong south easterly winds.

WOW:  D H Lawrence once said: “Water is H2O.  Hydrogen two parts and oxygen one, and there is a third thing that makes it water and nobody knows what that is.”  Well, I have discovered the third thing.  It is love.  My Mother’s love.

This is my Momsy-Pops teaching me to swim in Auntie Dawn’s pool.  Looking back through my photo albums, so many of our photographs are in watery settings; thank for giving me my love of water, of swimming and and exploring Momsy – I will always be swimming with you.

WOW:  I know our time together was short, but we made the most of every day, of every swim; did you ever imagine we would fit in 12 swims in four days?  Precious times, the best memories.  Thank you for making this holiday so special, for making my dreams come true, for giving me so much.  You mean the world to me.

Love you Momsy-Pops!

Swim #46

Date:  Tuesday 18 October 2016

Place:  Nun’s Pool, Bikini Beach, Gordon’s Bay, South Africa

Bikini beach is on the south side of Gordon’s Bay harbour, flanked by the harbour wall on one side and the last of the sea front holiday homes on the other

Category: Open. The amazingly beautiful, talented, charming, intuitive and uplifting Audrey joined me for this swim.  Yes, she did arrive with no swimming costume.  Oh, and no towel.  But her commitment to swim with me, heart and soul, was in her twinkling eyes and her happy smile and her welcoming hug.

Audrey and I were both virgins to the Nun’s Pool and we found our introduction to this small but perfectly formed private pool, with a view across the bay to Table Mountain, an exhilarating and memorable experience (didn’t we Auds?)

Conditions:  Water temperature 17’C, overcast with strong south easterly winds.

WOW:  Audrey is WOW.  I’ve known her forever.  She was one of the first pupils in my Mom’s Modern Dance studio – and she danced then, the way she lives her life now.  Wholeheartedly, with feeling, with her everything.  It is almost as if she holds every moment and blessing of life in her hands, savours it, injects it with her special brand of enthusiasm, and then lets it fly.  If you go anywhere near Audrey, she’ll really listen to you, observe you with those big blue eyes, and then, with a few well-chosen pearls, inspire you to achieve more, do better, aim higher.  I don’t think you can survive an encounter with this remarkable woman without walking away a bit taller, open to possibilities, and with a lighter step.

Oh yes!  I’ve always wanted to swim in the Nun’s Pool!  (Thanks Elina for your recommendation!)

WOW:  We had so many laughs.  I had the best time.  And, Audrey presented me with a beautifully wrapped gift – which we opened immediately; a lovely cake knife and server ready for the big day.

End House is the last house on the sea front at Gordons Bay, a holiday home for the sole use of Roman Catholic nuns.  The pool was built so they can swim privately and safely, hence the nickname, the Nun’s Pool

But Mother Nature wasn’t finished filling my cup this incredible day, she still had this amazing sunset in store for me – my last evening in my beautiful home country

Swim #45

Date:  Tuesday 18 October 2016

The lower reaches of the Palmiet River in a fynbos wonderland

Place:  Palmiet River, Kogelbaai Nature Reserve, near Betty’s Bay, South Africa

Category: Open.  Oh boy, this place is special.  The Palmiet River runs through the Elgin Valley and into the sea at Kleinemonde, but the pools we swam in are nestled in the heart of a biosphere reserve which boasts the finest diversity of fynbos in the Cape. It is absolutely stunning.

There is a 40-minute hike to the river pool through a wonderland of fynbos

Conditions:  Water temperature 18’C, overcast with sunny intervals and almost completely protected from the prevailing winds.

WOW:  This magical spot is called the Heart of the Cape Floral Kingdom and I found myself stilled by the spring season cloak of flowers laid at my feet.  WOW.  (Apologies for all the floral images in this blog – it was not possible to exclude them!).

 

WOW:  When we reached the swimming spot – the soft squidgy sand, and tiny tadpoles, beckoned us in – we could hardly wait to stretch ourselves out in this bottomless mountain pool – our eyes reflecting the mountains looming above us.

We could have a proper swim here – its a grand expanse of deep mountain water

WOW:  We felt so immersed in the wildness and solitude of this space – it is worth a visit, a reminder, of the beauty of our planet.

Swim #44

Date:  Tuesday 18 October 2016

Mom and I hung our towels and dry clothes on this handy driftwood on the beach

Place:  Rooiels River, Rooiels Beach, South Africa

This photo shows the river winding its way along the south side of the beach to the sea

Category: Closed.  My Mom and I found ourselves deeper pools along the river to dip in – it is quite shallow in parts.

Conditions:  Water temperature 17’C, sunshine and strong south easterly winds.

The colour of the water and rocks is amazing

WOW:  I had forgotten the feeling of the ‘sinking sand’ in this river.  It’s mostly firm sand, but your feet can be sucked down unsuspectingly, causing much jumping and yelping and laughter!

WOW:  My brother had asked me to jump of the Rooiels bridge into this river (because he loves doing it), but I didn’t fancy doing it on my own.  The water was lovely and deep and clean under the bridge – we saw a couple of fishermen pumping prawn for fishing bait.  Sorry bro – next time we’re together 🙂

WOW:  Time for lunch.  We found a lovely restaurant in Pringle Bay and enjoyed warming toasties, sweet potato wedges and mugs of tea.  Momsy also bought me the cutest tiniest carrot cake for my birthday – yippee!  My first 50th birthday cake.

WOW:  After lunch we stopped off at Betty’s Bay bass dam.  This stretch of marshland and fresh water has been part of the tapestry of our family forever.  My grandmother used to bring us here in her turquoise canoe to fish.  I was thinking of having a swim there, but it was very windy and cold and, while beautiful, didn’t invite me in for a dip.

This stretch of water is familiarly called ‘the bass dam’ in our family

I love the wild arum lilies, reeds and fynbos along the side of the dam

My grandmother as we all remember her at her beloved Betty’s Bay

Swim #43

The local Baboon tribe on patrol for carelessly discarded food around the properties in Rooiels – we spotted five babies in this group!

Date:  Tuesday 18 October 2016

Place:  Rooiels Main Beach, Rooiels, South Africa

Category: Closed.

Conditions:  Water temperature 16’C, sunshine and strong south easterly winds.

Momsy-Pops captured this body surf – great shot Mom!

WOW:  I still need to pinch myself when I visit this area.  So much beauty and so untouched.  One almost never meets anyone else on the beach and all around you are the most magnificent views.  Rooiels beach is wonderful; unprotected from the summer winds, but the Rooiels River runs into the sea on the south side of the beach and I remember swimming in the sea, and then basking like an otter in the river to warm up afterwards!

Love the patterns of the waves on the sand

WOW:  The beach is pristine, there is easy access via a footpath and steps down to sea level.  The strong winds made me feel so alive and my Mum and I chatted about our memories of coming here.  Thombi and Lilo, her Rhodesian Ridgeback dogs, used to scent the baboon and run off into the mountains to try and find them.  They only came back when they could hear my Mom calling them.  I also remembered carrying Amelia on my back (African-style) when she was a baby and we would walk along this lovely sandy expanse.

Precious signs of the South African springtime everywhere

Swim #42

Date: Tuesday 18 October 2016

Place:  Sunday Beach, just before Rooiels, South Africa

Category: Closed.  I did this swim alone.

WOW:  The beach was deserted, but I could clearly hear the echoes of my childhood.  I was first brought to this beach in a carry cot, and last came here with my family in my early teens.  We used to come here on Sundays – rain or shine, whatever the season, usually with my cousins and the ‘Adams’ family, but we were sometimes joined by other friends and family.  I remember playing ‘King of the Castle’ – one of the tall rocks was always the coveted castle, tanning on the beach, exploring the rock pools, paths we used to explore, shells collected, fish caught, our fathers returning with their catch from the sea.  There would always be a braai in the afternoon – we were usually so ravenous by the time the smell of the cooking meat reached us, we would pinch the fresh bread rolls from the cooler box to keep us going.  The beach is rockier and smaller than I remember, but it is unforgettable.

I spent hours searching for perfect baby perlemoen shells on this beach.  I would usually collect 3 or 4 during the day, and then forget to bring them home

Conditions:  Water temperature 17’C, sunshine and strong south easterly wind.

I have memories of laying on my tummy in this rock pool, burning red on my back and legs, while I watched the sea life go about its business

It’s trickier to swim here at low tide (and take a photo of yourself at the same time!), but I got wet, and I thought of you Cam, Les, Shelly, Tanya, Natalie and Andrew (and others); don’t you think we should gather from all corners of the world and have a braai on this beach one day?

About 40 years ago, family and friends enjoying a braai on a windier Sunday beach

 

Swim #41

Date:  Tuesday 18 October 2016

Place:  Kogelbaai Tidal Pool, Clarence Drive, Kogelbaai, South Africa

Category: Closed. The start of my third day in South Africa and I planned to visit my old haunts between Gordon’s Bay and Kleinemonde.  I surprised my mum with a list of six swims for the day – we decided it would be a challenge, but worth the adventure if we could fit them all in.  The morning was beautiful, and although the mountains promised wind, when we left at 8am-ish, the leaves on the trees were still.

Early morning view from the Strand as we set off

Conditions:  Water temperature 16’C, early still so air temperature about the same, sunshine and light breeze (the south easter hadn’t quite made it to this little corner yet).

WOW:  The route along the eastern side of False Bay curves and twists along the cliffs, rewarding visitors with exhilarating and tantalising views of the mountains, hidden coves and endless open sea.  I have travelled this route countless times – and, for a substantial period of my life – I probably drove along it once, sometimes twice a weekend.  It is over four years since I have driven here – and although it felt as familiar as the lines on my hand, it also felt that I was seeing it for the first time.

The drive along the coast is fantastic

WOW:  Kogelbaai is about a mile of pristine white sand and is one of the main beaches for surfers in the area.  I decided to swim in the tidal pool, as it is easy to access, and when we arrived, the day camp was deserted.  The tidal pool is rectangular in shape, but one side is open to the beach, so you feel as if you are swimming in the sea, or an infinity pool, especially as the natural rocks have been left as part of the landscape.  The water was beautifully clear, but felt particularly cold, possibly as it was still so early.  Looking up at the mountains towering over us on one side, and the open sea all around us on the other, we were both in heaven.

Mom stayed in for a long time, enjoying the mountain and sea views

WOW:  Egyptian Geese have always been prolific in the Cape, but I haven’t seen them living on the beaches before.  I noticed on this visit that there were quite a few of them around the coast, which is an interesting development.  I might see if I can discover why this is happening.  A pair were swimming in the tidal pool when we arrived, but decided to fly off when we shared their pool.

Sun on the water – magical

Eeek!  A chilly start to the day