We’d been planning a Boxing Day Swim for weeks and as usual the list of people coming kept growing and growing – I was beginning to wonder if we’d have enough Christmas cake, mince pies and biscuits to go round as I’d invited everyone back here after the swim for warm drinks and cake to recuperate after their early morning swim.<\/p>\n
It was a large Spring High tide at around 8:15am so the time of the swim at 9am\u00a0was determined so as to give us the option of swimming off the seafront or in the estuary depending on the wind direction. As Boxing Day crept ever closer it looked likely that the Estuary option was going to be the best choice as strong SSW winds were forecast.<\/p>\n
Of course, as expected as the day approached a number of people had had said they’d be there started sending text messages and posts on Facebook saying they\u00a0wouldn’t be able to make it. Too tired, too hungover, too ill, too cold, to grey, too rough, too lazy, the excuses started coming in thick and fast.<\/p>\n
I was still quite ill myself and have been now for weeks. I feel OK now and then but as soon as I do anything slightly strenuous, or the ibuprofen and paracetamol wear off I feel terrible with headaches, all over joint and muscle aches, the odd nauseous moment and the occasional numb face too. I just feel weak and pathetic (and get grumpy with it too apparently), but I wasn’t going to let that stop me getting in the sea for a Boxing Day Swim.<\/p>\n