High Tide 01:58 (2.50m)
Low Tide 08:12 (0.80m)
High Tide 14:45 (2.20m)
Low Tide 20:03 (1.10m)
Sea temperature: 7.1/7.6
Sea conditions: good
Weather: slightly warmer, wind has dropped
Joined by: The Bridge Captain
Topics of conversation:
Exercise, before or after? The Bridge Captain had sand on the top of her hat when we met on the beach this morning, so I assumed that she had been doing her stretches, but she assured me she couldn't touch her head on the ground before the swim, only after. Our friend, who is a fitness instructor and mad marathon runner (Mark's Blog click here) has advised caution when exercising after swimming in these temperatures and I have to admit that it was because I was cold that I damaged my hamstring last year. We both agreed that you need to keep moving after the swim though, and today the tide was low and the sand wide, which is conducive to a quick jog after the swim. Now that I have shoes which are suitable for running and swimming I feel that I'm not as prone to running unevenly, but ultimately I'm saving up for some Five Fingers, which should be the best solution.

Yesterday I'd nearly lost my swim shoes and The Pirate as we came out of the sea - we'd hit a patch of quick sand, not something we've really encountered before. As we walked across the sand and then into a shallow trough before we hit the shingle it had suddenly gone soft and shifty beneath our feet, The Pirate went down onto his knees and the sand gave way, I stepped forward to grab him and my feet simply sank, and the sand sucked my shoes off. Eventually, with help from DK, we managed to get out, but it was a very odd sensation.
It had been a stunning sunrise yesterday but my battery was flat and The Bridge Captain only managed to get a couple before her's died too, but they were lovely, today I brought my charged SLR, but it wasn't a patch on yesterday.

Yesterday - thanks to TBC

Yesterday - thanks to TBC

Today

Rain out to sea today

Squall 

The squall cloud made us all get a wiggle on as we could see the rain coming. Regardless of the lack of sun there were some stunning clouds today, I had told DK that I've recently become a member of the Cloud Appreciation Society, as a result of The LE introducing me to the Gavin Pretor-Pinney books. He asked whether I now spend time in railway sidings, counting train engines too. Yes DK, I am a middle aged, middle class geek - I don't care - and hopefully he doesn't either now that I've forced him to be a guinea pig for the guinea fowl experiment. I asked him to be part of my blind tasting today, he seemed a willing volunteer and gave excellent feedback, just what I needed to confirm the Christmas menu. The guinea pigs have all just left and I've had a hyper-hour washing/clearing up with very loud music whilst Mertz and The Architect walked the dogs and now I intend to digest for the next hour or twelve, which means not moving a muscle, till it's time to swim again.