An evening swim from New Grimsby to Samson


Hello and how are you doing? Have you been enjoying this brilliant sunny weather? The Isles of Scilly are looking resplendent under the brilliant summer sunshine at the moment. I'm including this map today to show you a wee swim I undertook last evening after work. The view from my office at New Grimsby looks directly down the channel towards Samson which is one of my favourite desert islands. Steve and I often take our boat there after work, he to sit on the beach and have a beer and me to swim off the beautiful white corner of sand where all the boats land and depart from. By the end of the day all the tripper boats have gone, taking the visitors back to their island of choice leaving Samson deserted once again. This is our time.


I'd spent most of day yesterday, staring into the distance, longing to be basking in the sunshine on Samson beach (see it in the centre of the photo - that slip of white sand on the island ahead), but work kept dragging me back to reality. We were almost at the close of business when I finally shared my idea with Polly - I wanted to swim to Samson. It's not far, maybe about a mile and half at the most, but that's far enough when I haven't done any open water swimming for a while. My shoreline swimming is a daily routine, but swimming along the beaches doesn't necessarily stretch me out of my comfort zone. 




I messaged Steve with the idea of a beer on Samson at the end of the day and he said yes, then I added that I was going to swim there. Fine was his response. At home I flurried about finding my wetsuit that hadn't seen the light of day for about two years. Earplugs was the next problem, as I'd dropped one of those into the sea the previous evening. A quick scrabble around in my swimming drawer and found my back up pair along with a new pair of goggles in case I needed them.


I squeezed into my wetsuit (heck, I was a bit slimmer last time I wore this!), slipped on my wetsuit boots and followed Steve down to the shore below our house. My heart was racing, panic sending adrenalin to surge through my system at the prospect of this long swim. Not just a long swim, but more the prospect of crossing the open water akin to crossing a busy road on the mainland. Not something you would do without due care and attention. The idea of Steve coming alongside me in this boat offers protection from any traffic. As it was, we encountered a couple of jet boats which tore past at speed leaving me bobbing about in their wash. 



Leaving the shoreline behind meant leaving the warmer eddies of water that linger across the sun-warmed sand and as I crossed the open water I felt the chill of the Atlantic sea. I thought about Ross Edgely as I was in the deeper water and the thing that came to mind was that he always had a song buzzing around his head by way of distraction from the long swim ahead. What came to mind for me was the little ditty of "Row, row, row your boat gently down the stream ..." and that helped to take my mind off the icy water coursing across the back of my neck. The slow beat of the song was the same rhythm as my rolling stroke and did indeed act as a fine accompaniment to the final push towards Samson.  


Steve had a great view from his vantage point.


Nearly there ...







Yay, I made it!

Anna x

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12 comments

  1. My goodness Anna! What an achievement! I am so impressed! It must have been lovely to reach Samson! I don't think I could do something like this ever as I am not a very strong swimmer, alas!!!! The boat traffic sounds a bit scary too!

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    1. Oh thanks so much Kezzie! It was a huge relief to reach Samson and gave me such a sense of achievement too. It's years since I've done any long distance swimming so this was a good solid start to my training. I'm on a countdown to a long swim in September ...

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  2. You are a splendid woman Anna!! I'm SO impressed. The photos of you bobbing along in the great big Atlantic make me shudder a bit. Conquering you racing heart and anxiety and just pushing forward and doing it anyway has got to make you far more confident and self reliant in other life endeavors. You are my heroine Anna! :-)

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    1. Judy you're such a great supporter of all of my efforts - thank you! Feel the fear and do it anyway has to be the best motto ever written. As I stood on the shoreline I honestly could have bolted and run away. But hey look, I did it! I'm feeling more confident in my swimming again and am ready to get out doing longer distances ready for the Big Swim in September. Watch this space x

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  3. I have no words for that! I find it unbelievable that you swim in winter, but this, my goodness woman I admire you!

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    1. Oh Nancy, how very kind of you! I consider this as no different to someone who works out at the gym - this is my gym x

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  4. Wow ! What an achievement and what a courageous lady you are. I love a swim but prefer the pool lol. Very impressed with you.
    Regards - Jill stylishatsixty
    www.stylishatsixty.wordpress.com

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    1. Thanks very much Jill. Your pool swimming is just as valid as mine you know! xxx

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  5. Great job. Way to go.
    www.rsrue.blogspot.com

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  6. WOW, what an adventure you conjured on the spur of the moment, Anna! That's like deciding to run a marathon that day after doing regular 5Ks!

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    1. I know! Suitably bonkers, without enough thought to training or nutrition, but that's just me isn't it x

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