22nd February 2022
I had heightened anxiety about going into the sea today after the storms. I avoided wild swimming while strong winds from storms Dudley, Eunice and Franklin pounded the Dorset coast.
I have been checking my Met Office app regularly, looking for the opportunity to get back into the water. This morning’s forecast gave me a glimmer of hope as it predicted a short period of sunshine before rain later on in the day. The wind strength was still more than I would have liked it to have been, so it was important to think about the wind direction, so I could choose a sheltered location.
As I entered the water I felt tense and there was no magical sunshine to lift my mood. However, it was important for me to get back in the sea. As the cold water touched the back of my neck it felt cold and uncomfortable but after a few minutes, the familiarity of moving my body through cold water felt good. I looked up to the sky and focused on the small breaks in the cloud where I could just about see the sun. I watched the gulls swooping in the wind.
I was back in the sea, my anxiety vanished and I felt calm and mentally restored.