Twelve Swans a swimming, paddling, gliding, multiplied by four in my layout app. From light to dark blue, srartling white feathers, getting all your swans in a row, photo….
Tag: Swimming
Remembering Georges
I met a wild dolphin when I was on holiday in Devon once. It swam into the bay and lots of people were watching it in the shallows and about fifty yards out ( they were wearing wetsuits) I got in fully clothed except for my shoes and glasses and swam about midway between the two groups. I wasn’t going to miss the opportunity. Soon the dolphin was swimming around me. I noticed he was male (later found out he was called Georges, an adolescent male). Goodness knows what he thought I was! The next day there was a notice put up saying not to swim near him as you can catch diseases when they breathe out droplets of water, luckily I was fine. I remember he was badly scored along his sides. Apparently he was too interested in motor boats. I still think of him and hope he was OK. I did a painting of him but can’t find it.
Bog snorkeling
What is this?
Looking at Wikipedia I quote:
“Bog snorkelling is a sporting event in which competitors complete, in the shortest time possible, two consecutive lengths of a water-filled trench cut through a peat bog. Competitors must wear snorkels and flippers and complete the course without using conventional swimming strokes, relying on flipper power alone. A wetsuit is not compulsory, but is often worn.”
I only looked this up because there is a channel identity thing for BBC1 which has bog snorkeling in it. Not having heard of it before, and not knowing that it was a sport I was fascinated by the idea. Its odd what humans get up to. Apparently it’s held in Wales, Ireland, Sweden and Australia?
The lake.
The lake looked inviting, the sun was breaking through the clouds and the water was still. Gentle ripples from the slight breeze disturbed the surface.
No one else was around. She had been sitting on the sun terrace and had fallen asleep in the hot sun. Now she was awake and hot. A paddle in the water would be nice and cooling. There was a sloping beach at one end of the lake. She put on her sandles and walked round the edge of the lake.
Walking over pebbles the water rose round her ankles then her knees. Blissful cool water lapped around her.
She stood quietly for a while then started to splash the water up to cool her face, arms and body. It felt so good that she slipped down into the water. Kicking off her sandles she started a slow breast stroke out towards a wooded island a few meters off in the distance. She knew there was a bench in the shade there. Her thin skirt billowed out behind her and she felt relaxed and like she was floating in space.
Then it happened. The skirt snagged on something, weeds? She was a strong swimmer and didn’t think it was a problem. She swung round to pull at her skirt. A hand grasped her wrist and she felt herself being pulled down…..
Moorhen or Coot.?
I can never remember, it has large, pale blue feet paddling below the surface. It’s smart black body is decorated bu a white crest and beak. Swimming through the cold grey blue water of the lake. Luckily they sell duck food but all the birds are hungry at this time of year.
Paddling along, looking for food, trying to survive the winter.
Mallaband-Brown 