Double Weather Bomb Dip

They’re at it again! Weather Bomb Swimming on the West Coast of Scotland.

wildswimmers

We’ve been keenly anticipating this “Weather Bomb”, forecast widely for the past few days.  Scary looking graphs and diagrams indicated massive waves and terrific squalls of wind.  During the night the wind increased to a howling gale and so, mid morning, the hardy group gathered for our Weather Bomb Dip.  The Polar Bear was the only un-wet-suited swimmer – full marks to him for bravery.  We were lucky to get a superb sunny spell, with white wave tops and spray and deep green water and we spent fully half an hour in a sort of giant washing machine type situation, shrieking and yelling with exhilaration.  Capt. Duggie disappeared almost out into the Sound of Jura, and returned only when the rest of us were back at the house, dressed and half way through a giant box of biscuits won by the Polar Bear at the local Co-Op.  Just before…

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Fire and Icy Water

Gloved Moon

A full Cold Moon draws us to Bantham, where we meet to swim in the Aune ria. We build a bonfire and use it to light home-made torches. There is an arterial sound and energy here, of lifeblood whooshing upstream on the flood tide. The scents of salt and woodsmoke meld, and we trail flames as we wade in.

Frigid water glows in orange ripples, while above glares a phosphorus moon, escaped from the glove of a passing cloud. Sparks shoot in the steely edge of the sea wind and hair flies like the flame from my torch. Warm thoughts and wind-burned cheeks tussle with chilled bodies. On the far bank, from a glass-walled house, silhouetted figures watch. We form a circle, shadowing the moon who has lured us and the sea to her.

Moonglow, Torchglow

Flaming Water

Tara Adds Magic

 

Bonfire

 

Wading