Cooler

It's a while since I had an Elizabeth picture, she seems to swim a little later than me at the moment but she hasn't forgotten how to pose for a great shot.

It was a chilly morning, a faint steam was rising off the water. Amazing, given that the water temperature is about 13°C. Who is that with a mask of bubbles?

It's Fred of course! He got in about the same time as me.

Ian joined us in the water a little later, I think he's much quicker than last year.

The water is crystal clear and the lifeguards have done an amazing job at clearing the leaves.

Sue showed me a copy of the SLSC calender, it has some of my pictures in it! Do buy a copy.

That's me!

Warm if grey weather today, I was joined after a few length by Alfonso. Then I noticed The Aquatic Ape also speeding along parallel to us. After a few more lengths Carl dropped out and got out his camera taking some terrific pictures you can see here.
They look quite dynamic as if we have real speed. It shows how smooth Alfonso's stroke is compared to mine, he barely makes a single bubble. My left arm continues to do that thing of it's own in the catch and it's no wonder Alfonso swallows leaves given that he swims with his mouth open.

No Sun

 Not so sunny today, still warmish though. I like this action shot of Pip racing Batch down the pool.

Gus was in the water before I got in and still in it until just after I got out. Making the most of his half term swimming, he did a mile.

Pip seems to be staring at me in this shot, the shallow end was very cloudy today but there was just enough light for deep end pictures.

I swam eighteen lengths, fourteen with Alfonso. We must have been a bit quicker than Gus.

Pip was joined by Batch and then Johnathan. The water is about 13°C.

Swimming with leaves

Another morning of bright clear skies, the falling leaves filling the water. A warm Autumn day is probably my favourite time for a swim.

The water is getting a little fresh, but eighteen lengths were still possible with out too many shivers.

Chris and Sue in sync, the deep end was still in shadow. he water must be below 14°C now.

Alfonso only joined me for my last two lengths, the pool was quite full due to the weather and half term I guess.

This was an attempt to catch Alfonso tumble turning, all looks a bit splashy to me.

Daylight saving

With the clocks going back it seems much lighter than usual when I reach the pool. It helps that it's sunny and really quite warm still as well.

But we're nearly in November, the leaves are gathering and the water is chilly at 14°C. I manage 18 lengths, the last four with Alfonso.

Windy

A week away in Turkey (I'll do a post on that later) and Autumn has really arrived at Tooting. I did swim yesterday but had no time to post pictures. This morning was bright and breezy, clouds scudding across the skies and leaves falling.

It's still quite warm in the water, about 14°C. Katherine makes her way though the leaves blown in overnight.

Although they have a nice colour the leaves are still quite scratchy and get stuck to my goggles. I did an eighteen length swim.

The carpet of leaves on the poolside were being collected up and put into sacks, a never ending job for this time of year.

Sparkling

 

Almost the opposite of yesterday, a cloudy sky slowly gave way to brilliant sunshine sparkling across the water. I did another 18 lengths, my last before I go to Turkey next week.

The leaves are still falling, I like this yellow one camouflaged against the yellow gutter, I just managed to snap it before it was swept away.

The fall

A clear autumn morning, the leaves have begun to fall, I love swimming through them.

The sun is just reaching the water by the end of my swim, the water temperature id beginning to fall as well.

Ian and Sue set off through leafy waters.

Richard the Cabbie was toward the track side of the lido where the light doesn't hit the water until later.

Autumn colour gathering around the shallow end steps.

Margy joined Ian and Sue, they were the only three in the water when I left.

Here they are approaching the deep end, light sparkling off the changing room doors.

Beautiful blue skies, it's hard to believe that it rained about 10 minutes later as I cycled to work.

The suits

The suits were out in force this morning, Ian, Katherine, Dominic and erm? someone else. Speeding up and down the pool together. The sun was beginning to creep across the water although my pictures are a little dark.

Ian swam right over the top of me. I turned around and raced him for my last length, eighteen again today.

The sky was almost clear by the time I got out but you can see how dark the water still is. The water is around 15°C and despite the wind dropping since yesterday I still felt a little cold when I got out.

Before the storm

The Lido didn't look very inviting this morning. A dull grey sky and a chill wind blowing the leaves off the trees.

 Here comes Sue with perfect red nails, a vestige of her Dive-in Belle performance on the week end.

 An unusual angle to catch Chris. I went down to eighteen lengths today and still felt a bit chilly afterwards.

Sunshine

A warm bright morning, light mist clearing and golden sun spilling across the water. The water was quite full, everyone making the most of the weather before it changes.

Ian swimming with Margy I think? Earlier Ian had been racing up and down in his wetsuit.

The headless swimmers, Katherine and Pip.

Elizabeth swam down to see me.

A nice reflection on the water surface.

Pip and Katherine racing from the twenty yard mark.

The lido in all it's October glory.

Autumn is here

It's always nice to get the lido back to ourselves, if a little sad that the days are getting shorter. It was good to see Richard again, he made a successful channel crossing in September in just over 13 hours, well done!

Richard and I did a 22 length swim in under 34 minutes, faster than I usually go. Alfonso joined us for the last few but I was getting a bit late for work by then.

Richard and Alfonso carried on after I stopped. The water must be above 16°C which is pretty good for this time of year.

Last day

The last day before we open to the public. I always feel a little sad but on the positive side it will mean the whole pool will be open and there will be more people to race in the morning.

It was surprisingly empty when I arrived, perhaps only three people in the water. As I swam it slowly filled up, maybe everybody wanted a lie in this morning? I did twenty two lengths.

I felt much faster today not having Dan and Alfonso speed past me. Instead it was me doing my best to speed past Richard the cabbie, Hilary and Tricky.

I then played with some of the art filters on the Olympus, this one is dramatic! can you tell?

Almost the same shot but with the diorama mode selected.

And again with the pin hole camera setting. The filters are fun but you can in fact apply them to the pictures after you've taken them which is probably a better way of working.

Now it's summer season there might be fewer posts and pictures until the autumn.