Motion sickness – she’ll grow out of it.

Well 48 years later having tried every drug, herbal remedy, bands, patch, ginger biscuits, looking at shore, staying drunk, etc apart for putting myself to sleep nothing has worked.

On Sunday I took on my second seas swim, the first was last month in Tenby for LCW and on the 30 minute mark I lost my lunch.

This time I was swimming in Bournemouth for a charity swim organised by British Heart Foundation, BHF. The swim is from Bournemouth Pier to Boscombe pier a distance of 1.4 miles.

First time I’ve been to Bournemouth and I was very impressed with the cleanliness of the beach, the clarity of the water, the amount of marine life and the fine sandy beach. Plenty of parking which didn’t cost an arm & a leg either. Didn’t like the look of a local jellyfish I saw on the beach whilst walking to the start, luckily didn’t see any in the water and didn’t get stung this time like Tenby.

There were two wave starts 10am and 12 o’clock, I was in the second, red hat swim. We could get in the water to get acclimatised,   a beach start after briefing and start horn blew.

There was  huge amount of safety crew on the water from paddle boasts, kayaks, inflatable boat, RIBS and the RNLI on land. We all wore an ankle timing chip and were tagged going into and out of the water. Excellent safety cover.

With Bournemouth pier to our right and zip linners whizzing from pier to beach we went through the start flags out sea. Heading away from shore past the wooden sea defence groynes it was then a west to east swim to Boscombe pier which could just about be made out on the horizon.

At the start the sea was relatively calm, the sun was shinning and I was watching the crabs scurry along the sea floor and small fish in shoals and big fish just eying me up but enjoying the swim and the passing cliff scenery. The beach huts changing colour and shade as we went along, the cliff railway going straight up in comparison to the hairpin zig zag road.

Two thirds of the way down and a swell began to form – ugh. I drifted inside a couple of groynes so had to readjust and swim out to sea more. Each time I thought I was at  the last post on the end of the groynes another seemed to appear between me and the pier. Never ending.

30 minutes after the start my body had enough of the motion and time to feed the ocean.
I did have a dry practise about 20 minutes in but held on. Annoying as I could see the finish pier and only had 6 more minutes to swim.

Feeling queasy I finally saw the red finish flags on the beach next to the pier and was glad to turn to shore and walk out to get my medal. Huge crowds were at the finish but also clapping and cheering us from the beach as we swam the 1.4 miles / 2275m

I finished in 36:45 one of my best swim paces yet. Ironic that I swim better in saltwater but how it affects me so much. May have to take sea swims off my list of future ironman races.

We were provided with a hot drink and bottles of water, my coffee didn’t taste so good possibly from the salt water dripping into it so kept water for a while. Bag collection and fresh water showers all within a few meters.

I ended up driving home in my swimming costume as I dropped my pants in the shower !

A great event for a great charity, this one was again for my Dad.