Flooding and gales? - The February Swim

So, everyone said that the next swim would be much easier. Maybe they didn't know that February is just as cold as January. But nobody could have predicted how bad the weather would be in February. The UK was hit by unprecedented levels of widespread, persistent flooding, coastal damage and gale force winds. The conditions for most of February meant that a swim in some of the places I had in mind would have been madness, and more than a little dangerous. I was beginning to wonder whether I would manage to do the challenge at all this month.

However, as with last month, my window came very near the end of it again. We had a free weekend, I checked the tide times and they were perfect and the sun was even promising to shine. So, it was decided then. Devon would be the county for this swim. No real flooding problems, unlike Dorset where I had been planning to go.

We jumped in the car first thing, destination Beer, a lovely little seaside town I knew well. But when we arrived, I am ashamed to say I bottled it. Loads of fishermen and teenagers (not together!) and I was overcome with self conciousness. I was determined not to give up, mainly because the gales and rain were due back on Sunday. So, I consulted the Outdoor Swimming Society map and found this beach not too far away. Ladram Bay can only be accessed through the Ladram Bay Holiday Park, and is a hidden gem. No doubt it is packed in the summer months, but today it was deserted while I was there and so no need for being self concious this time! The scenery was dramatic, with sandstone stacks that had an air of the Grand Canyon about them, albeit on a tiny scale. Sadly the waves were too strong for me to swim right round them, and also I think I have some work to do on building up my strength when in comes to swimming in open water. But I really enjoyed this swim, the wetsuit combined with my new wetsuit socks and gloves meant that getting into the water was a breeze. I also had no choice about being quickly submerged as the pebbles quickly dropped off, so a couple of strides and you were in.

On my way back up the path to where we were parked, I met a couple of older ladies on their way down to the beach. Spotting their towels, I guessed they were going for a swim too, so I said hello and told them the water was lovely. They told me they regularly swam here, and had completed 3 swims here in January. AND they just had swimming costumes and rash vests. I was inspired by them. I hope I am still swimming in open water when I am in my seventies. I watched them from the cliff top, as they donned their swim hats and had a little dip. They ROCKED!