In my life the winter solstice in Melbourne has never meant anything significant to me at all……until this year. This time the shortest day of the year arrives with the longest and most painful preparation completed.

As a seasoned ocean swimmer a 1.2 km swim is like a jog in the park, however this one adds some mad twists:
a) 11.5 degrees in the water
b) after darkness has fallen
c) without a toasty wetsuit

These are the ingredients that got some Brunswick boys (Anthony Ferguson, Paul Turner, Duncan Howard and myself) closer to finding Dory. Not wearing a wetsuit in such cold could be likened to a reptile sheding it’s skin and where the sensitive cold sensations turn into a tingling burn.

Sunday 19,June 2016….

A dark cloudless winter night in St Kilda and a group of chill seekers squawking like penguins have gathered and are ready to take the icy plunge. The plan is to firstly survive this cold swim by conquering all the associated fears of what may be lurking in the dark. Then secondly, in the process of navigating the shimering course, absorb the unique experience possibly only experienced by others that had had a ticket on the Titanic.

After meeting up with the boys we had the added privelege of Duncan’s children and my daughter greeting us to wish us all the best.

The time arrived for us to submerge and gasp as the chest constricts due to the initial shock.
Before long it was evident that staying together was not a viable option so it was all about getting into a rhythm and letting the training take over. The pink latterns on the marker poles did the trick and navigation was easy. At one point I was a bit concerned about how much the cold was hurting but I kept thinking of that spa waiting at the finish.

I checked my watch as I stood up in the shallows and 24 minutes had lapsed. Sue Cox appeared out of shadows and kindly took the group photo and before I knew it she had vanished back into the night. Thanks Sue!

The ultimate reward, better than any medal, was a spot in the spa. The tingling feeling as the cold is flushing out of your body and avoiding the usual violent shaking and shivering is better than you know what.

At the end of the evening after the presentation of the certificates and special ancouragement award, I too felt like a winner for having completed the challenge safe and sound with my Beluga buddies. Thanks to Anthony for the encouragement.

Needless to say there is another much more beloved winter swim around the corner for the Brunswick Belugas. Yes, the shivering winter pier to pub at Lorne and perhaps without a wetsuit for some.