A couple of years ago, after years of doing laps in my local pool, I took the plunge and started swimming in the sea off Largs and Wemyss Bay, joining a group of friends who'd been doing it for years.

I was hooked on the first outing.

Since then, I can't look at a stretch of open water (sea or loch) without asking myself:"could I swim that?"

I've swam a lot off the west of Scotland since then, and every time, it hits me: the cold, the dreaded prospect of meeting jelly fish, the dread of seeing fish (these things are scary!), the ever-changing conditions.

and every time, it's a thrill! swimming in the open is just a joy.

This year I'm trying the Cumbrae swim once more, to check whether I can still do it. There will be about 70 of us swimming across, in help of the Gillian's Saltire Appeal, which provide respite accomodation in Largs and Millport; for cancer sufferers and their families. 

Hopefully on the day, some of these families will be watching us swim, and maybe they'll think "nutters" , and it will bring a smile to their faces.

thank you very much for your donation. 

Heloise