Spring life

8:19 a.m. 

We had a wonderful swim at high tide with beautiful big waves splashing over the wall! 

I love swimming at high tide! 

14.9 degrees sea temperature :-)) definitely warming up .... 

Quote I'm pondering: " The price of anything is the amount of life you exchange for it. " 

 - Henry David Thoreau 

Stoked

6:56 a.m.

My "stoked" happy face after my swim...

Stoked: adjective - excited or euphoric 

13.7 degrees sea temperature...

What makes you happy? 

Shirley xx 

The beauty and mystery of right now

Movement is living and exercise is medicine.  - John Zapotocky, 92 

A cold front has come through this weekend to Cape Town and we arrived at the pool in a storm. 

The sea temperature has dropped to 11.5 degrees and we had a very quick swim! It was lots of fun swimming in the rain. We even had hail. All the rain has been wonderful as we are still going through a serious drought. 

I was wanting to post a picture everyday of my sunrise swims! I cant believe its already September  on Saturday! 

 Happy Monday xx 

Hello August

My morning routine since January has been to wake up at 6 a.m. to  a cup of tea.

Put on my costume and clothes and drive to the tidal pool in Kalk bay. 

Then jump into cold water and swim lengths with all the other "crazy" sunrise swimmers. 

It's the most crazy and beautiful way to start everyday! 

Then I'm in my home "studio" for the rest of the morning to potter and create with clay...

Today we had a whale in the bay and we watched it's huge tail flapping out the water.

We are so blessed to start the day this way! 

Paradise found... 

Happy Wednesday! 

Shirley xx 

Keep showing up...

There are 18 Tidal pools in and around Cape Town. I have decided I want to explore and swim in all of them...

Our first new Tidal pool was the very large pool at St.James beach. We were the first to jump is and the sea temperature was a cool 13.6 degrees.

It was very low tide so we saw lots of life and starfish. 

Sunday we were back at our favourite pool - Dalebrook. The temperature went up to 14 degrees!

I have been swimming for 6 months now...my challenge is to swim through winter and all year! 

I got my first pair of flippers as a reward and I love them! I'm swimming so much faster now!

Hello Monday morning swim! It was so cold! I'm really finding it hard to swim in these cold temperatures after a Durban holiday where the temperatures were a lovely warm 21.5 degrees!!

Tuesday was back to school for my two girls. This means very early morning school run. we get to the pool at 7 a.m. and it is still dark! 

It is so beautiful to swim as the sunrises!! My absolute best time to swim.

Keep showing up...

The tide was high this morning and I really love swimming when its a bit rougher and not so still and shallow. My flippers help so much with swimming faster and also any urchins that might be at the bottom or sides of the pool! 

I've had 11 urchin spikes in my foot and it is so painful!! 

Happy Wednesday! 

I hope you find time to get outside and get moving! 

Shirley xx 

Silence is more appealing

6:45 am with all my family - I was so excited to have everyone swim with me! This view is... bliss! 

I decided to take my brother the "sage" ( the wise one) advise and only ask Anthony the water temperature after I have swum! I really want to focus on the joy of swimming and the beauty of the sunrise.  ( 15.9 degrees) Yay ... warmer than yesterday :-))

Soaking in the first rays of the sun...

In such a high pressure lifestyle that we all lead, you may think you thrive on stress and speed. However, when you pull back, you will come to appreciate silence and solitude. 

You will lose the guilt about sitting still and discover that it is possible and rewarding to do less and be more. 

This is happiness ... all together in my very happy place! 

What are you doing everyday, to stop and just  be ....still? 

Happy Friday 

Shirley xx 

Dolphin show!

This morning as I arrived at Dalebrook there were little  swiss rolls, cupcakes and an array of sugary cakes. It was one of the ladies birthdays so she brought treats for everyone to share! Cakes and a swim - now that's the way to start the day!!

7:01 am sunrise and Anthony ( he takes the temperature of the water every morning) told us it was a warm 17 degrees! :-)) 

A we were swimming we looked out into the ocean we saw hundreds of dolphins swimming, jumping and leaping out the water! We  stopped and watched the amazing - DOLPHIN SHOW!! So beautiful!  

Every 2 weeks the men arrive to clean and scrub all the algae ( which becomes very slippery and dangerous to walk on ) off the side walls and steps going down into the pool. 

This pool is more than a place I come to swim - it is my therapy. I have always known the sea and the beach is "my very happy place". It is the place that brings me the most joy and happiness. 

I am not the greatest swimmer, actually I have never been able to swim very well. But I love being in the water! It is the most wonderful exercise to start my day.... what can you do today to have some fun? 

" Nobody looks stupid when they are having fun." Amy Poehler 

Happy Wednesday! 

Shirley xx 

 

Dalebrook Pool... my very happy place!

This is "my" pool and my very happy place. 

I have been waking up very early ...before the sunrise! This is so unlike me. I have been as Gretchen Rubin the author of Better Than Before explains... I have always been an "Owl" My favorite time of day has always been the evenings. 

However since mid January my daughters encouraged me to get up early and take them to this pool for a dip before the school run. I never swim in Cape Town water...its just tooo cold for me!( Im a Durban girl)  But the one morning it was just so incredibly beautiful - that I decided I' m going to swim with them. 

Well 3 months later I am still swimming - every morning! I am totally addicted to my "new" morning routine and life! 

This morning we arrived at 6:40 am to a calm, beautiful sunrise. The tide was at its lowest (6:35am) and the water is absolutely clear and calm. 

This morning one of our friends who also swims every morning spotted a small Puffadder  shyshark. We could  all  clearly see it at the bottom of the pool. 

This little shark is also known as happy Eddie and is a species of catshark. This is a common shark and typically reaches 60cm in length. When threatened, the puffadder shyshark curls into a circle with its tail covering its eyes, giving rise to the local names "shyshark" and "doughnut". 

Thankfully it is harmless to humans. 

There are lots of other little fish in the pool and a beautiful big Cormorant was swimming and then sunning/ drying off his wings on the rocks close by. 

Quote to Ponder: 

Lifestyle change requires focus and effort; it can only work if its constant and intensive and results in habit formation. 

Have a happy Monday! 

Shirley xx