Bombs away

Elizabeth is da bomb! We had to wait for Sue B to pass before attempt number one. I was a little too distant and Elizabeth slipped a bit.

I think we can all see the fault with the second attempt. I like the picture though it has good hight to it.

A final go, great tuck position, good hight and quite good framing. Eat your heart out Tom Daley!
I did an eighteen length swi today and the water was a tropical 11.5ºC. This is probably the last warm day for a while, temperatures are due to dip by about 10ºC this week end. This will be my last March swim so here are some statistics:

I did 23 seperate swims in March
The water was between 6.5ºC - 11.5ºC when I was swimming
I swam 392 lengths and 2 widths.
That is 39,266 yards or about 22miles or 35.5km

March has been sunny and warm. I'm more than 100 lengths up on last year despite fewer swims.

Lido's eleven

We decided to try and get a picture of Elizabeth diving overhead while I was in the water. It was difficult to achieve.

I was too close to the dive point to either ger her all in frame or any of the lido. We'll have to try again tomorrow.

Elizabeth then attempted to get me, a bit early I think. I had already swam by this point, just eighteen today to leave extra time for messing around.

After the dives I jumped back in to catch Ian and Pip speeding by, in the background you can see Chris, Sue and another swimmer also coming up the pool.

Elizabeth also jumped back in to get some pictures and while we waited for them to come back down we took shots of each other. See her pictures here.

Here they come! You'd think Ian might ditch the suit now the water is 11ºC.

I managed to lie on the bottom of the pool to get this picture of Chris and Sue.

Manta Ray

I saw this swimming in front of me this morning. The sunlight reflecting off of it made it look like an exotic ray had somehow found it's way to the lido.

From another angle it looked a lot more commen place yet almost as beautiful. Another bright sunny morning and the water felt warmer still despite the cold night.

I was early enough to swim with Michael this morning. On the way down the pool he swam freestyle, keeping an eye out for photographers lurking in the depths.

Swimming back up again he changed tactics, breaststroke give you much better sub aquatic vision. I was swimming with my camera again, it seems better again but I don't want to submerge it for too long.

I love the light reflecting around the lido, this give a good idea of what it looks like when you're actually swimming. I did a twenty two length swim today, not that quick but I stopped quite a lot for pictures.

Jonathan has no fear of the papparazzi and ploughed on by as I took a picture. He didn't seem to have a care in the world.

Next thing I knew it was backstroke down the pool. Luckily the water was almost empty because he didn't seem to mind which direction he was going.

Top ten!

It must have warmed up, Ian is swimming without his wetsuit. I was going to catch him underwater and wasn't preares for his tumble turn, with the suit on he doesn't usually do them.

Although the nights have been chilly David confirmed it was 10ºC today. I swam a healthy twenty two lengths before I ran out of time.

After a quick sauna and shower I realised I hadn't taken many pictures so I went back to the sauna and asked Elizabeth is she wanted to dive today? Her first dive was beautiful but a bit to close to me and I got soaked as she went into the water.

I missed the second dive altogether! Just a splash and you can't see Elizabeth at all. I thought Elizabeth might be getting cold by now but she was keen to have another go.

Right over the cafe! Spots of water on my lens have blurred the picture a bit but it was the perfect dive.

Blue sky

Sunny with clear blue skies but rather chilly. The air was colder than the water today so it made sense to get in as quickly as possible. Carl had just got out after a 3km swim, there were plenty of others still in the pool. Wasn't sure how far I'd go but ended up doing a leisurely twenty two. The sun bounced off the water creating electric patterns on the bottom of the pool to mesmerising effect. Not many pictures today I'm afraid.

Practice

A much later swim than normal for a Friday. Some of the morning crowd were still siting in the sun having coffee. 'What time do you call this?' Shouted Nick. Mandy was in the water doing lengths, I tried to catch her as she reached the shallow end. More practice needed.

I then got in, the water was 9ºC according to David who I saw on his way out. Mandy and I did a couple of lengths together and I got this picture of her tumble turn. After she got out I mostly had the water to myself for the rest of my swim.

The light was dazzling and sharp, time to think about sunscreen! I wasn't in a rush so went on to do twenty two lengths in about 35 minutes. I considered lying in the sun to warm up but when there's a sauna it's a shame not to use it.

After my sauna I saw Carl was in the water no doubt on one of his mammoth swims. Trying to catch him at the end of the pool was no easier than with Mandy.

He was swimming too far out to get a good action shot but at least you can see how nice the water looks.

A too early here but I liked the light in it. By this point Tricky had started swimming as well, perhaps I'd have better luck with a picture of him?

That's more like it! I love the bubbles both as he breathed out and coming off of his fingers.

Spot the ball

Cloudier than yesterday but the sun was breaking through when I reached the water. Vince set off just in front of me leisurely making his way up the pool.

The water must be warmer, everyone going that ittle bit further. Elizabeth finished with a length of breaststroke, fingers reaching for the end of the pool.

Synchronised Sue and Chris were belting up and down on the leafier side of the pool. I dived between them to get this shot.

Then took a second as they set off again. Note the ditinctive Stanton leg kick. I did eighteen lengths but felt I could have gone further, as usual I ran out of time.

After the sauna Elizabeth dived right over the cafe into the water, because I chopped her feet off she said she'd have another go.

Bernie wasn't too sure about being dived over and I don't blame her. She did ask if we wanted to do another take though! So, did you spot the ball?

The stick!

Whose hand is this? Not my best shot ever of Michael but I kind of like it. Another bright morning, clouds scudding across the sun every so often. Again Carl and Nando were swimming at the same time as me.

'You're treading on the stick!' Nando told me. I had thought nothing of it, another bit of flotsam from the pool edge? 'No' Nando explained. He moves the stick back one groove for each length he swims so he doesn't lose count.

A lot of bubbles in this shot and Carl in the background. He said he would only do a mile today but after I'd done my eighteen he kept on going. Found out how far here.

Some of the leaves in the water have rotted right down to skeletal form, they look quite amazing with the sunlight shining through them. Meanwhile the first of this years leaves are coming through on some of the trees.

A little later Elizabeth joined us in the pool. Found out about her morning here. Water was warmer today 8.5ºC according to David.

Nando with the stick. I had done my eighteen at this point but he still had a few more to go. Lucky he had the stick to see how far!

Copacabana

A bright sunny morning. There had been a frost but it burnt off quickly. The lido really comes alive in the sunshine, Anthony had to put up a shade over the lifeguard chair for the first time this year.

Carl and Nando were there to get some distance in. They got in the water when I had done four lengths and I didn't quite catch Carl by the time I'd finished my eighteen length swim, I'm sure he'll post here later. Nando goes at his own pace alternately fast then slow, followed by a rest. They're off to Brazil for the Travessia dos Fortes swim across Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro.

The light was beautiful today but I had to be careful with my camera, condensation formed across the screen again, not a good sign. Luckily Elizabeth was in the water too, I'm sure she got some good pictures which she will post here later.

I caught Sue and Chris coming to the end of their swim as well. David took the temperature and I was surprised to find it had fallen back to about 7.5ºC. I spoke with Alfonso's wife in the sauna and was telling her about the Gala yesterday and how Alfonso swam 'Mexican butterfly'.

Spring Gala

Last night's rain had cleared away and we couldn't have asked for a better March morning for The Open Spring Gala. There was quite a crowd with SLSC fielding three teams against the Serpentine and Out To Swim. As always the more competitors the more confusion, mostly on the part of SLSC! The Serpentine and Out To Swim teams were very slick with some great swimmers. I swam one leg of a relay and also a front crawl race. The 33yard dash isn't my expertise, apart from not winning I have no idea how I fared. I wish there was a longer race, a mile perhaps?

The Out To Swim crew made convincing winners. A big thanks to everyone who helped organise and who took part. After the event I got back into the water to do another eighteen lengths with hardly anyone else in the pool.

Nearly nine

The camera had dried out and was working again but I think there's perhaps still a problem with the waterproof seal. Alfonso was at the lido again and waited for me to get ready. He said he'd do six lengths but we ended up doing eight, a gentler pace than yesterday. I carried on after he got out.

My next target was Guy, who was about a length ahead of me. It took about another eight to catch him up, it wasn't really racing but I like to set myself a goal. Another two made eighteen and I got out and went to the sauna.

General painting and tidying up has begun, the fountain has dark blue x's on it, will this be the colour they paint it?

First attempt at catching the Elizabeth dive, portrait shape not really suited and I chopped her foot off.

She swam a couple of widths and then asked how the image was, agreeing to give it another go right away.

A little too high this time, and after being in the water I think my lens has condensation on it again.

This one was better but not nearly so high as the other day. David had taken the temperature and it was just under 9ºC.

One last jump for luck! I think the camera is ailing.