Tag Archives: 0 degrees C

snow on snow

5 Feb

Late for the races, but in plenty of time to enjoy the massed ranks of ice water swimming aficionados. The shallow end had been cleared and all and sundry were getting in for times various. Jackie Cobell (famous for the slowest Channel crossing ever) stayed in for just over ten minutes, but then she is part of Jack Bright’s Bering Straits relay team. Simon did his usual marathon head up breaststroke and Martin has ditched his wetsuit and is enjoying longer swims in just his budgie pouches.

Nando entertained all with his bombs and Jenny gathered cake for her and Adam before she swam – being well aware of the cake vultures circling around Mrs Ape’s latest – a double chocolate Bundt cake. Pip was wearing a Heath Robinson device on his head and taking live video of himself breaking the ice from below and the kids were building snowmen.

Mrs Ape and I both managed 266 yards, but she is now hardier than I, as she spends longer in the water. Temperature again a balmy 0 degrees C.

pics by Ape & Mrs Ape

icy icy baby

4 Feb

The real swimming starts now! Two thirds of the pool covered in a centimetre thick ice. Brilliant sunshine and the members out to play. Eat your heart out OSS dippers, we can do it every day. And if you want to as well, SLSC membership is just £120/year – see here.

Ice chucked on ice creates a wonderful singing sound, so soon we had several of us breaking and chucking ice across the expanse. Pip, Batch, Sue, Hilary, Simon, Stephanie, Tricky, Nicky, Gail, Vince, Annie, Julia, Alison, Lynn, Peter, Sally, Gus, Margy, Egg and others all down to enjoy the fun.

Dived in – as the water was warmer than the air – and swam for a couple of minutes. My body was fine, but my toes and fingers immediately felt like popsicles. We could only swim in the deep end and the steps were frozen, as was the side. Footprints were freezing seconds after you had left them, but we still stood around chatting in our cossies and the bright sunshine. Pip regaled us with tales of his marvellous mishaps, before the talk veered into unfortunate surnames, including Ms Coke who was about to marry Mr Head.

Tom the lifeguard was moving people’s flip flops about and has earned his Sunday cake ration. And on the subject of cakes, the club is running a Cake Fete on March 24th to raise money for Stephanie Voss’s Channel Charity – Battersea Dogs Home. We will bake, naturally, and will provide some of the books for a bookstall.