I have always wanted to do a Christmas dip in the sea, so when I saw one advertised in Morecombe I booked it.
We were so lucky with the weather. Although it doesn’t matter if it is raining when you swim outdoors, it makes life more pleasant for getting undressed and dressed. If there is a dry space to dress then swimming in heavy rain is absolutely joyous. So, no rain today, but it was windy and the sea was crashing in. We swam between breakwaters and they did their job magnificently so we had waves, but waves that were fun to bob about in.
The swimmers set off on the count of ten. They swam a 500m course. They got in to cheers and swam off…that was the last I saw of them. I don’t mean they all perished in the winter waves, I mean they swam out and round the breakwater whilst we dippers prepared to dip. The dippers had far more fun, in my opinion.
There were some crazy costumes…a lobster, a Christmas cracker, grown men dressed as babies, Pingu, Pikachu, a ketchup bottle and many more. I went as an elf.
It is a pebbly beach at Morecombe and I regretted not taking my thick soled beach shoes. I carefully hobbled into the chilly water along with about a hundred others. There was squealing, cheering, yelling and lots and lots of happy smiling faces.
Some ran in then straight back out again. Some dunked then got out.
Some had a little swim around. I was part of the latter group.
It was wonderful. It was an hours drive to get to Morecombe and I was in the water for nearly ten minutes, but it was so worth it. You could feel the energy and the joy…along with the freezing fingers and toes.
There were foil blankets to wrap up in when we got out.
We dressed and had our hot drinks. It had been amazing.
The coast around Morecombe is very interesting. I had a little mooch around Heysham, what a quaint place. The tide was high and the waves were crashing in and splurting spray high over breakwaters and walls. It was wonderful to watch. The power in the sea is breathtaking.
And there we are, Boxing Day done and dusted…but, WOW, done and dusted with a mighty blast.
need2bleed 