An evening at the New Forest Water Park ~ Monday 23rd June

Tonight I spent the evening at the New Forest Water Park at Fordingbridge. I have to say this is probably the best one around! The setting is beautiful and the facilities are good...nice hot showers and somewhere to buy a drink (alcoholic or otherwise) and have a cooked meal! The large lake tonight was closed, which was a bit disappointing, and we had to swim in the smaller lake. It wasn't very pleasant getting in...I'm always afraid of falling in or slipping up. But there was a friendly helping hand from a fellow swimmer to aid the entry...very gallant I must say!!

This has to have been the best swim I have done in open water this year, although less than a month since my visit to Eastleigh Lake...I feel I have improved immensely. There was some discussion as to how distance of a circuit of this smaller lake, but in the end the general opinion was 250m. I did do about 12 circuits, one in skins! (not allowed but hey it was a beautifully hot evening!)

Mark was trying to teach me to sight...but I can't get the hang of it...I will just have to practice, practice, practice!! As with all things eventually it all falls into place and you wonder how you ever couldn't do them in the first place. I have 3 weeks until my first event..The Bournemouth Pier to Pier which is 1.4 miles in the sea. 2.25km. I am hoping to do it in around an hour. I am trying to get as much sea swimming in as possible, in order to cope with waves, tides etc.

But tonights training was excellent...beautiful surroundings...next time...CAMPING!!!