Open water swimming - I am now convinced that it takes years off your life.
Yesterday, Derek & Di put on the perv suits for the very first time to experience the delights of scottish loch swimming.
To try and explain what goes through your head as you swim and tread water, for me would be impossible.
The negatives - not seeing anything as you swim except your arms as they pull underneath your body; the black slimey mud that you have to stand on and the fear of getting cramp in the middle of the puddle knowing that your only help is your buddy.
The positives - the sun shining in your face as you come up for air; watching the red kite circle above you and the invigorating feeling that you get when you have finally de-thawed.
For our first time in the water, with hindsight we were probably in the water just a bit too long. My right hand formed its own open claw on the swim back which I couldn't move; on getting out the water Derek wobbled uncontrollably to fetch the crutches; we could both hardly speak for at least 5 minutes because we were shivering so much and it took a hot chocolate and poke of chips in Tesco to feel half human again.
Life is just full of adventures ... oh and sharks? Don't be silly, you don't get sharks in Scotland - just pike!