Good mornings

From early dips to swimming the Cook Strait.

I’m really coming around to early morning swims. It’s cold and dark when I get up, and I feel a little apprehensive about what the temperature of the water will be. But the sky turns golden pink, the smiles are friendly, and it’s a far better alternative to doomscrolling on my phone first thing and feeling gloomy about the state of the world.

Being in the ocean as the day brightens is empowering and calming. It shifts my thoughts. And when I come home and have a coffee, it tastes extra good. Like I’ve really earned it.

During the week I also went for a midday dip. The morning had started off calm and silvery, but by the time I got to the beach the rain was coming down and the southerly had picked up. I’d organised to meet someone so I didn’t want to cancel. I didn’t take photos because I was busy trying to get dry afterwards, but earlier in the morning on a dog walk I snapped some foggy pics, including this one of a lone swimmer:

Overcast swims are more challenging at this time of year because it’s harder to warm up afterwards and I don’t stay in as long. So yesterday, when the sky was blue and the winter sun made the water sparkle, I really appreciated spending 20 minutes in the sea with my Sunday group. There were just five of us and I enjoyed a mix of chatting, dipping and swimming. The water in the little bay that we call ‘Wild Swimmers’ Cove’ was cold, clear and refreshing, with a faint northerly breeze:

I measured the water temp and it was about 12.5, much to everyone’s disappointment! (Last week it was about 11.5, but we’ve had a bit of sun and mild weather.)

Tomorrow I’m due to go away for a few days alone on a retreat as part of my Masters course. I’m nervous and excited, but trying not to think about it too much in case it can’t happen for some reason. A lot of meetups and appointments are getting cancelled around here at the moment due to covid and flu cases, and a few people have already had to pull out. But if I do get to go, the retreat is right next to a river and I’ve already talked some people into coming for a dip with me!

The main reason for the retreat is to plan the rest of the course and figure out direction, as well as connect with others (most of us have just been on Zoom so far). I got good grades last trimester, which makes me feel as if I’m on the right track. I know one course I’m definitely taking: Writing About Science, Health and the Environment, with about 10 other students. There will be 3-hour weekly workshops. Intense! But it’ll be good to be challenged in what is now called creative non-fiction.

There’s a new podcast that I’m enjoying listening to called Swimming the Strait about some of the Wellington Harbour swimmers. It’s really good, all the interviewees are so interesting and answer questions like: how do you swim for hours and hours in very cold water, while your support crew is battling seasickness? What happens if a shark circles during a big swim? How do you cope if you’re 100m from shore after swimming for 14 hours and the current turns, pushing you back out to sea?

Listening to their stories is also giving me fomo and making me want to swim with them (not across the Cook Strait, but in their morning swim group) because they all sound so lovely and welcoming – maybe I’ll pop into town in the summer. I’m already part of two groups here and I love swimming on the peninsula.

I’ve also discovered an American online nature magazine (do people still say ezine?) called bioGraphic with wonderful free articles, including this fascinating one about nautiluses written by NZ journalist Kate Evans.

Have a good week and I might have a river report next time, fingers crossed…