Not Taking a Dip

It was a glorious frosty morning today, with not a single cloud in the sky, and earlier than is our custom during a lazy holiday, we were to be found, wrapped up warm, on Portobello beach.

We did find ourselves a little over-dressed, considering the other ten people we met there:

I know that there aren’t ten people in that photo, but there were ten in total, only three of whom were wearing wet-suits.

Much further in, but still not deep

A long way in – so much so you probably can’t see them in this reduced-size snap. they’re just in front of the rowing boat which looks like a little white slash, to the right of centre

Here’s a zoom of that last shot

It wasn’t a coincidental meeting, as amongst the group was Alice who we met in Kervaig Bothy (along with her brother Martin, with whom she was cycle-touring) on the day we finished our Kent to Cape Wrath walk in 2010. Alice now lives in Edinburgh, and as we were making arrangements to catch up over a cup of tea whilst we are in the area, she mentioned that she was joining her swimming group this morning, so we thought we’d go along and meet her there. Not that I had any intention of going in the water (couldn’t – haven’t got my costume with me…), but whilst I’ve heard of year-around sea swimmers, I’ve never witnessed the spectacle. Apparently, the water was around 4.5 degrees Celsius this morning (doesn’t it make you shiver just to think about it?).

Seems like madness to me, although those we talked to all seemed completely sane during passing conversation.

Our own exercise for the day was in no way comparable. Wrapped up warm against the biting wind, even though the day had warmed up considerably since this morning, we took just a little turn (a modest 3.5 miles) along the coast this afternoon, where plenty of other people were met also enjoying the sunshine.