More cycling this afternoon, this time with friends, down to the Itchen for a wild swim. I’m not going to publicise the location, kind of like a secret spot in surfing. All I’ll say is it isn’t too far from the source, so the water is still very clean and clear. Such fun to be in the water! Cool, tingly fun. It being another unusually warm day, and after the cycle ride, I was ready to cool off. I stood in the shallow water above the pool and my feet went numb. When I briefly got out I couldn’t feel them. But that cold didn’t stop me. I used the old ‘Baltic Tom’ (as The Barefoot Doctor called me) method of counting to five then, no matter what, jump or dive in. Jumping was more appropriate in the Itchen, it being less than a meter deep in most places that high up. At the old sluice gate, if that’s what it is, the current was so strong, and walking against it a real effort. By carefully testing, I learnt it was fine to rush though on the current, even head first. After about ten minutes, goosebumps all over, that was enough. We dried off and warmed up in the heat of the late afternoon sun, snacking on nuts, fruits and oatcakes. The cycle home was a killer, especially the last climb up to Brockwood. I even broke my ‘no lower than than the largest front chain ring’ rule to get up that hill. Someone shot some video so I hope to post that soon.

Safety in numbers:

Sam having none of it:

Float, float, float yourself,
Gently down the stream.
Merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily,
Life is but a dream.