I don’t know why I do it.
I’m standing at the edge of the ocean. It’s brisk and very cold — well, cold by southern Australian standards. A Victorian winter has started after a late warm spell stretching into May. The weather is all large bumps and waves; it’s tumultuous out there. Towards the east, wild, big swells are breaking over the reef.
The sky is every colour from white to grey to purple to blue and green. It’s mesmerising. It’s like looking at a fire with the opposite colour scheme. I can’t look away.
I’m huddled in my coat — the warm one we brought over from England — with the hood pulled up. I have a beanie on my head, warm socks, boots, and it’s fucking great.
There’s no one here apart from a lone wing foiler trying to get started, but he’s probably a learner because he’s not doing too well and keeps falling in the water. Saying that, the water temperature is just over 16 degrees, which is still fairly mild, really. I remember swimming in the Franklin River in Tasmania at 15 degrees, and that took your breath away, but I survived. And two weeks ago I was swimming in Tasmania and it was 14 degrees. It wasn’t that bad.
Well, I say that. It was actually really cold.
And again, standing here thinking about putting on my bathers, it just feels like madness to jump into that water.
Still, I think I might wait for high tide, then go home, light the fire, get warm, and just knit for a while. The southwest wind is buffeting the front windows.
After lunch, when the tide gets high, I head down to the beach and sit in my car, all rugged up and cosy and warm, just thinking, what the fuck am I actually doing?
I rip off my clothes, put my bathers on, grab my towel, run across the wet car park splashing through puddles, head straight down, chuck my towel down, put my keys on a post, run in, dive into the water, take a deep breath, then dive in again — because you’ve got to go under at least three times for it to be called a swim, even if I’m the only one in there. I’m making these rules up and there’s no one around to hold me accountable.
And I stay in the water for a little bit. I let my body numb.
But somehow it feels really, really good. Like this kind of pain is a better pain than tendon pain and ligament pain and heartbreak and hangovers and being frazzled from talking to people and being slightly depressed because you haven’t had enough vitamin D, or because you haven’t slept properly for a few nights.
All of those ills just fade away in the cold of the water, because this is the only thing to feel right now, in this moment: this cold.
There is only this blue sky. There are only these grey clouds hanging low, swirling like whales and dolphins in the sky.
Just fucking great.
And I get back out of the water, run up the beach, grab my towel, get into my car, turn the heater on, drive home, jump in the shower, strip off my bathers, and warm up, and feel joy.
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Nice touch, showing us your beautiful stove while talking about the cold water. That thing is gorgeous. How do you keep the glass so clean?
Nothing better for your health than submerging yourself in ocean waters, I have been told. I hardly ever do it. Too cold for me all year round! Lake water will have to do, in August here, when the water temp is over 80 F. And one dunk qualifies as swimming for me, although once I get that far, I usually feel the deliciousness of swimming, and spend a long time in.
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Thank you! @friendlymoose, appreciated!
Clean glass trick is to make sure it draws properly from outset rather than smoking round glass. Easy with this wood burner!
Oh I'd swim in cold lakes and rivers too without the ocean.its usually the way where you think you'll be in for one minute and your body adjusts and you stay for longer. You feel so good afterwards. Do your lakes freeze over? Do people swim midwinter there? I've never swim year long as usually I surf anyway and get in a wetsuit. However with my fractured elbow (hope to see surgeon soon for clearer path forward) I might give it a go. Even if it's shrieking through one torturously cold immersion before rushing back to the wood stove!
Used to do a good deal of time in the ocean when I was in the military. Lots of time finning around during the winter it seemed. As long as you hava good wet suit top and keep finning hard, the warmth is there. LOL
Seriously though. I miss it.
Definitely would love to hear more of those stories Joe. I can imagine they'd be fond memories for you X
I can't believe it's still warm enough to swim in May. It definitely should require a wetty by now!
Our seasons are opposite of yours I beleive, so it is warming up here. But probably still cool enough it would require a top at least.
Jamie is wearing a top now. I tease him.
You've been curated by @plantpoweronhive! Delegations welcome!
Wow, you certainly are brave to go into that cold water. I know it is supposed to be good for the body's system, but oh, you made me shiver, lol. That fire looks so warm and cozy and done just in time to enjoy all winter long.