Happy New Year!

In Scotland, running in to the sea on New Year's Day is called the Loony Dook!  For me, I just called it another swim day.

As our covid restrictions mean I can no longer get to the sea with my usual swim buddies, G very kindly chummed me along to give me "shore support" at my river spot.  We skated our way along the incredibly icy canal path to ge to the Water of Leith.  There was snow on the ground,  ice crystals forming at the bank and the sound of kids sledding near by.

Terrance the Turtle told me it was proper baltic and he'd call the RSPCA on me if I keep subjecting him to these temperatures.

I have swam in the summer for probably the best part of a decade but this year, the people I see swimming have been my only social contact outside of work.  As such, as it got colder, we just kept swimming. This was my first ever ice swim (classified as any temperature under 5'C).  No wetsuit but neoprene gloves and socks and a rash vest over my swimsuit and let's not forget the all important wooly hat.  Only in for about 4 minutes as I've not swam that cold and was incredibly aware of the 40 minute skatey walk home that I would need full wits about me for!

People think it's crazy but I feel so good and so happy when I've been in the water and the cold acts as a very effective painkiller for the rest of the day.