let yourself want it enough

One Month A Swim: July

One Month A Swim is a newsletter looking back on the month that was through my sea swimming, but also through the things that caught my eye and ears, and most importantly, my heart. If you’re new to Another World is Possible, welcome! And if you’re not so new, thank you for being here!

I went for my first open water training swim – 965 jagged metres (as recorded by the Strava app) in the idyllic setting of Château de Val, in France. You see, I signed up for the Glendalough National Park swim again. Only this time I’m swimming a mile – twice last year’s distance.

Taking out my bright pink tow float for the first time, in which I put my phone in a waterproof case to track my effort, I set off from the busy beach with a safety crew of two: Brian and our daughter, gliding by on the paddleboard. My goal was to swim to the tiny islet by the castle, about 250 metres away. Only my sighting skills are not exactly up to scratch, and I ended up swimming an embarrassingly long detour to get there,…