Welcome to Waterblogged



Welcome to our Blog. The majority of the content is about our outdoor swimming activities; with other comments, thoughts and pictures along the way. See our website http://community.lincolnshire.gov.uk/blueskyswimming/


and our videos on You Tube: http://www.youtube.com/user/Nicola8259



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Tuesday 31 May 2011

Best Laid Plans

Well, we're probably never going to win prizes for planning...but that famous waterblogged sisters joie de vivre kicked in to give us another fabulous swim trip this weekend across the Fenland Lidos...

Jesus Green was calling loud and clear through the sunny breaks in the Sunday evening clouds so we heeded the call and jumped in to this most beautiful of Lidos. Blooming cool water - 16 degrees posted up on the board - there is something about the physics of this pool that give great great swimming; you really cut up and down those long long lengths. The sun lit up the water from time to time to add to the magic of this special and long awaited swim - can't wait to come back for the day to bask in the sun.

This put us ahead of "schedule" so I decided to keep Nicky awake all night in our luxury Travelodge with a little light snoring (apparently!) - must have been all that exercise, or the wafer thin pillow! After a full and frank discussion on the Little Chef breakfast menu options we're headed back to pretty Cambridge to rendezvous with Ted the Treasurer at Newnham - the highlight of the trip; to swim in the heavenly Cam.

This swim is too good to sum up adequately - needs to be experienced as a sublime mood lifting dream rather than trying to describe clumsily....ooh, Pseuds Corner awaits! 13 degrees, Earl Grey tea and ginger biccies post swim in the sunshine, warm hospitality from genuine gents John and Ted, weird post swim hair, diving in again and again....pretty tough to beat this one.
A special thanks again to the lovely Judith who invited us here last year and introduced the fen girls to the delights of river swimming....looking forward to catching up with you over the summer Judith xx

Reports from "back home" suggested this warm sunny start to the day might not last...

.....and we ran into the sheets of constant cold rain halfway to Peterborough. It's really not so tempting to get undressed and dive in to a cold gloomy pool - with no other bathers braving the elements despite the promo free entry for opening weekend. However, we had a plan to stick to (?) so persevered and managed half a mile each in only 17 degrees despite the apparent heating. BUT - this IS a fantastic Lido that needs support and TO BE USED and we'll be back during the season to pay our fees and enjoy the sunbathing terraces.

Dropping air temperatures and persistent rain where having their effect by the time we set off up the A15 to Bourne - my thoughts had turned to an Indian takeaway by the fire after a hot bath - our steely resolve was wavering.

I kind of hoped the pool would have closed early due to the bloody cold rain but they had valiantly stayed open to entertain a couple of hardy young fen girls....just not these two! We did feel a bit disappointed to have given up on Lido swim 3 but that is the essence of Blue Sky Swimming - we don't feel any gung ho need to prove anything other than having a bit of fun!

I will be making my regular post work speed dash to Beautiful Bourne during the season to catch a few lengths and a few rays.

Another perfect start to the season...Come on in, the water's lovely xxx

Saturday 28 May 2011

How Many Metres in a Mile?


Here we go again .... getting the conversion chart out to work out how many lengths I will need to swim in each of the lidos on Monday. So here's my working out:

1,760 yards in a mile; 1,609 metres in a mile.

Cambridge - 17 and half lengths
Peterborough - 32 lengths
Bourne - 33 and a half lengths

Now the only question is whether we share them out and if Sandra ends the day in negotiations with young swimmers at Bourne, trading her lengths for a portion of chips.

All we need is for the sun to shine on Monday. All ready for a dip in the Cam on Sunday night for our appetiser.

Sadly the train running times in 2011 are not what they were in the days of LNER, with no Sunday service between Peterborough and Cambridge and Bourne having lost its station years ago. So, we'll be taking the A1 south tomorrow and enjoying a Little Chuf breakfast to set us up for the day on Monday.


Yeh!

Wednesday 25 May 2011

Lovely Lidos here we come!



Only 4 days to go before Sister Nic and I reprise our traditional (well, we did it last year too...) THREE LIDOS in ONE DAY extravaganza.




I'm SO looking forward to it...we've even got a bit prepared and booked a luxury £30 quid Travelodge for Sunday night so we can plunge into Jesus Green bright eyed and bushy tailed (after a big Little Chef brekkie of course!)




Hoping to get in a magical River Cam dip too ... SOOOOO excited!!




Come along and join in to celebrate these magnificent and precious Lidos xx

Friday 20 May 2011

The Covers Are Off

Yeh! The season started at Jubilee Park, Woodhall last Saturday. Sandra braved the chill wind and took back up supporters Felix and Leo for a few choppy lengths.



I waited for a warmer day on Sunday and enjoyed my first lido swim of 2011. Lovely pool and great to see it in good shape for the season. Sad news that the cafe has gone and to be replaced with a 'white van' type of burger bar - not quite the same nostalgia as the retro formica tables and chairs (where did they go I wonder?).




Here's a sneaky shot taken from outside the pool after a peaceful swim on Thursday night.






Thursday 12 May 2011

3 Lidos, 3 Miles, 1 Day



Only 2 weeks to go until the next long weekend, hurrah!


No doubt you'll be scratching your head wondering just how to fill yet another Bank Holiday after the glory that has been sunny April 2011 downtime?


So what could be better than a cooling dip and lots of energizing activity in one of our fantastic open air lidos??


Nic and I will be setting out on MAY 30th to swim a mile in each of the GORGEOUS pools gracing our lovely fenland counties:


12 noon : Jesus Green Cambridge

3 pm : Peterborough Lido

6pm : Bourne Outdoor Pool

8pm : Abbey Road Chip Shop in Bourne!


Why not come along and join in the fun....contact marshallnicola@rocketmail.com or sandram6665@yahoo.com for more details.


HERE COMES A SUMMER PACKED FULL OF LOVELY SWIMS!!!

Monday 2 May 2011

One Afternoon of Solitude

Ok, so it's not quite up to Gabriel Garcia Marquez standards, but my blissful afternoon of solitary swimming and sunbathing was PERFECT! A big thanks to Steve for giving me this brill treat on Sunday while he entertained Felix & Leo.

Cool water swims, sparkling skies and lake, warm sun, fresh breezes ... heaven for a lazy pootler like me. The perfection of the day was topped off with supplies of chilled ginger beer, a good book and just my thoughts to entertain me!

Spring 2011 has been a corker hasn't it?
Here's to many more stolen sunny afternoons this year ....