I committed to a month of cold ocean swims as one of the self-help ingredients in my recipe to get me back to being me.
Immersing yourself in the beauty our Sydney harbour and beaches offer is therapy alone. The cold shock to the body is the bonus.
For the odd day in the month that I was too busy to access the ocean, I jumped in our pool which was significantly fresher than the salty sea. During the days I was in the Snowy Mountains I treated myself to a swim in Lake Jindabyne or the Thredbo River.
With my inherent all-or-nothing mentality, I haven’t missed a day.
Today there was a lucky beneficiary to the madness.
After a full day of ripping up the mountain and a post-ski Wim Hoff breathing session, my sister and I were strolling a Snowy River Trail when we came across a perplexed mother (Ingrid) and son (Noah) who had lost their frisbee deep in the River and were at a loss.
They couldn’t believe their luck seeing two exposed-skinned individuals in their cossies, barefooted, towels over shoulders and meandering the dirt track en route to their trusty swimming hole.
With snow all around and the air matching the waters crisp 4 degrees, Ingrid was almost hesitant to ask us if we were heading for a dip despite our beach attire.
After an amusing conversation, the friendly mother and her son were joyed to get their frisbee back. Ingrid even asked if she could take a snap from the bridge while I was slightly motivated to exit the stream as It’s a challenge to reside in there for too long.
I’m hoping they will dine out on that story for a while. I will.