Frosty

A cold clear morning, a thick layer of frost on the common. There's a stillness to the water, as if it's too cold to move about. The sun hasn't yet reached the lido when I arrive.

 The leaves in the gutter and the roof of the cubicles have a fluffy frozen coat.

Footprints freeze on the concrete tiles, I'm glad I have my flip flops. I cut back to ten lengths today, it feels much easier somehow although my hands and lower arms are numb by the time I get out.

After the sauna the sun is fills the pool, steam rises as the frost melts back despite the chill. I try to capture the expanse of water, click on it to see it bigger.

iSpy

What a wizard idea! ' I-SPY At the Lido' Yours for only £3. It has 57 different things to look for.

A dead mouse scores you 50 points, the same as a live frog.

Despite the spiffing illustration I can tell who most of these swimmers are.

It was colder again in the water today, down to 6ºC. I did twelve lengths but felt it was a bit to far, nothing that a twenty minute sauna couldn't sort out.

Six and a bit

Seven is a distant memory - one cold night and we're at 6.5ºC. You can really feel it in the fingers and toes, I did twelve lengths again but no time for underwater pictures and I was glad to get in the sauna.

David is out official temperature taker but we all knew it had dropped. It's going to get harder from here on in!

Dark water

It was even darker than the gloomy mornings of late when I arrived. Carl and Kate already swimming in the rain.

 Sangetta dived in for me. It's all a bit blurry due to lack of light.

The leaves have all moved to the deep end, this means the wind is from the north and it will be getting colder. The sauna was very popular today.

Another picture of Kate making her way through the leaves. I went on to do twelve lengths the temperature is around 12ºC.

Soaked

 I was soaked before I reached the lido this morning. A light shower turned into a deluge. Sangeeta thought she saw lightning, I didn't see it and neither did the lifeguards so we were okay to swim.

Nando was in the water when I arrived and Carl soon joined him. Later Nando tried to keep pace with me, he was right with me for about three quarters of the length before he dropped back.

Kate takes almost twice as long as me to swim twelve lengths, I'm not sure how she can bear the cold. I love this picture of her negotiating the leaves.

I turned around to catch her push off from the wall, bubbles and leaves made for another great shot.

Wrong side of the track

 Another dramatic morning sky. After the nights storm a bank of cloud clearing away.

 Vince already in the water swimming through the new supply of leaves.

 Looking back into the cloud, the wind had dropped and it was till quite mild.

 Lots of Oak leaves had been carried across from the other side of the railway track.

 There must be a thousand at least, we each took a handfull or two out of the water with us.

 No underwater pictures, the water was a bit murky and I concentrated on the swim.

 Another twelve lengths, it feels quite warm to me. I might push for a mile if I have time at the week end.

Elizabeth back from Vienna, celebrates with a post sauna dive.

Leaf gallery

Clouds scudding across the sky, blue patches appearing after yesterdays stormy weather.

 That means a lot of leaves in the water. Click on a picture to scroll through the gallery.

Blown into thick floating blankets like the Pacific Garbage patch.

 Vince makes his way through the flotsom and jetsom

A little closer, the light catches the leaves.

 

 A reflection on the doors in the water from below.

 100 yards of leaves.

 The water didn't feel so cool, twelve lengths again.

 Something's a foot?

 Subaquatic portrait

 Looking up

 Looking down

 Alfonso was swimming as I left, here he comes.

There he goes.

In a blur

 A damp gloomy morning. The light so low it's difficult to get a picture. Ian joined me toward the end of my swim and I had a good race to try and catch him up.

 Sangeeta tumble turns, she looks like she's falling. despite the blur I like this picture a lot.

 By contrast Hilary looks serene as she glides through the water although she later said seeing me lying on the bottom of the pool gave her a start.

Fred in a blur as well, I don't think I'd focussed before I released the trigger but I like the effect. Tweleve lengths again not sure of the temperature though.

Nothing to see

No new pics for a while but I've been swimming. I forgot the camera yesterday and today it was a bit quiet when I was in the water. People don't stay in too long at this time of year. I did twelve lengths then chatted in the sauna, I think the water's around 7.5ºC but the air was mild.

Leaves

Misty, damp, cold water, you get the picture. Water quite empty swim twelve length without any pictures. Ian in a wetsuit joined me for a burn out on the last two.

We don't seem to be winning with the leaves, however many we take out more seem to find their way back into the water. Although I thought it was cold David made it around 7.5ºC still.

Play misty

A misty morning, not too cold but the dampness hangs in the air. You might be able to spot Tricky and Carl, they swam a massive twenty six lengths this morning.

Pip swam right over me, the shadow is on her face but you can see her watching me even though she doesn't wear goggles.

Fred stopped for a thumbs up, you can see Johnathan disappearing in the distance too.

After the sauna Elizabeth dives back into the water, just under 8ºC today. I did twelve lengths.