Merry Christmas

A wet windy Christmas Eve. Although I don't make it to the pool until 10am there are quite a few people around. Carl and Kate beat me to join Santa in the water. It's been almost a week since I last swam, the mild weather has seen the temperature go up to around 5ºC or so.

I'm not sure quite what Sue was doing to Santa? I swam six lengths and despite the rain it was quite pleasant, amazing what a couple of degrees difference makes at this time of year.

The sauna was looking festive too, tinsel blowing in the wind. I was happy to retreat inside for a while with no worry about having to rush off to work. Merry Christmas swimmers.

The critics

When I arrived Johnathan was sitting on the edge of the pool waiting for Batch to swim past before he did his width. We thought Batch was crossing over slightly as he swam past.

Not sure he was happy with our assessment. I went on to swim a brisk four, Although I didn't see today's temperature David assures me it was under 3ºC yesterday and it hadn't got any warmer.

Not many people around but we had carols again from Charlotte. Before I left Carl, Kate and Nando  turned up, all prepared to do some distance I think.

I think Carl was waving goodbye, you can't really hang around in the water at the moment.

Carols

A mild morning with orange clouds clearing, the ice has all gone and the water is about 3.5ºC

 It's getting festive at the lido, a snowman on this cubicle door.

 Charlotte was playing carols after her swim, the sun coming through now.

 Kate swimming along to 'Hark! The Herald Angels Sing'

 You can see the sunlight has just reached the water.

 I swam four lengths and enjoyed a good sauna.

Sunlight, water, Christmas carols - what could be better?

One

 Another chilly morning, Ice over about four fifths of the pool, just a lane at the deep end to swim in.

 The ice is up to about 1cm thick in places.

 It's fun to smash it on the surface and hear the ringing sounds as it scatters over the water.

 I did a six width swim, it was very cold and the sauna wasn't hot when I got out.

David's official temperature reading 1ºC.

Thin Ice

A heavy frost and a thin layer of ice covering almost two thirds of the pool.

 The ice was in thin flakes that broke as I tried to lift them.

The surface of the water looked as if it were etched with templates for snowflakes.

 A mug left out to the elements.

Abandoned goggles.

 You had to brave to swim, the sauna only went on at 8 and wasn't yet warm.

I waited as long as I could so the sauna might warm up a bit before doing four widths.

 Elizabeth dives into the icy water.

Kate prefers to go down the icy stairs.

Sun

 Clear, not too cold the sun beginning to spill over the pool just after 8am.

 A light frost at the lido, I had none at home. I did a quick four length swim. It was under 3ºC I believe.

 Nando set off before me on his double circuit, the endurance distance. We swam his third length together.

That's Elizabeth in the water, hard to see when looking into the sun. She found a flip flop carrier and did a one length swim reuniting with her footware at the shallow end.

Ice

 A beautiful cold clear morning. The surface of the water a frozen mirror.

 Swimming was only widths at the deep end. The ice was about 2/3mm thick at the shallow end.

 The water below was just as warm/cold as yesterday.

 I wasn't sure how far I'd swim, it's more difficult to get out at the deep end.

 When the ice moves it begins to sing.

 I don't think it will last, with the sun beginning to show over the trees.

 Vince doesn't bother with a wetsuit. I splash in after him and swim.

 Carl joins us and we have a bit of a race for a couple of widths.

 Twelve in all, the same as four lengths but it feels quite different with all the tumble turns.

It's a long way to the sauna from the deep end!

Snow

Unexpected snow! It had just about stopped falling by the time I arrived at the pool. Only really a dusting on the ground but it's early for any to have settled.

The pool did not look that inviting. There was a damp sting to the air, it was cold. I did a four length swim, huffing and puffing my way up and down the pool. I considered two more but thought I'd prefer the sauna.

The water is still about 3ºC, the same as yesterday. With such a short swim I was warm in a few minutes so I did a double dip. I dived in and did two widths, pulling myself out on to the snowy ground. I've never been tempted to go back in before but it was most exhilarating and I still had time for a second sauna!

Balls

A beautiful clear morning, orange early light spilling across the water but it was cold.

Ice in the gutters and the ground was slippery as well. The lifeguards had put down some grit but you had to be careful.

 You have to get in quick when it's like this or you freeze to the edge of the pool. Six lengths was hard work, coming back on the final lap all I could think of was the sauna.

Carl Richards was in the sauna having done another sub 5ºC kilometre. A heroic if crazy feat. He's now 'bi-polar'. I'm not sure where these balls came from?

David took the temperature, 3ºC!