Winter open water swimming

By June 2021, I was feeling the heaviness of winter, the longer dark days, and the impingement of yet another COVID-19 lockdown in our city of Melbourne, in Victoria.

I decided it was time to shake things up and to wake up early one morning to make my way to the local beach to enjoy a walk in the brisk air and dawn light, and to take some photos.

*Swimmers heading out to the pole off Seaford Beach, Port Phillip Bay, Victoria*

Upon arriving down at the beach, I noticed a group of swimmers who’d braved the freezing water and air temperatures, to swim out toward a pole, which is about 150m from shore. As they swam out, I walked along the pier.
Suddenly, as if out of nowhere, a pod of playful dolphins started swimming and jumping right by the swimmers. There were squeals of delight and awe from the open water swimmers as the dolphins made their way through the water. I captured the encounter on my iPhone, delighting in the scene before me, too.

Having walked back to shore, I met some of the other open water swimmers who were either already out, or who were acting as ‘spotters’, and who enthusiastically invited me to join the swimming crew. ‘We’re called the “pole dancers” because we swim between the poles,’ said Karen, rugged up in her winter coat, gloves and beanie, yet with such a warm and welcoming smile. ‘I might just,’ I replied.

But in the meantime, I’d shared my video clip with Karen to pass onto the swimmers who had the amazing encounter with the dolphins in the water. While walking home, one of the swimmers passed by with his daughter in the car, interested in seeing the video footage. They too extended an invitation to join them the following morning, despite the freezing temperatures.

Again, I said, ‘I might just’. Enthused by the dolphin encounter, inspired by the open water swimmers, including young Alice who joins her dad most mornings, and a desire to ‘shake things up a bit’ during winter and another COVID lockdown, on 4 June 2021, I braved the freezing cold and jumped in with the others.

It was freezing! It was exhilarating. It was the start of something beautiful and surprising.