Monday 20 January 2014

Return to the Hindu Temples

I'd been longing to go back to the Hindu Temples, a spectacular set of sea caves in between Torquay and Paignton, having not swum there for several months. Once you've been, they haunt you and call you back.  They were given their exotic name by the author Charles Kingsley who was captivated by their strange beauty one winter when he and his wife stayed in the Bay. We arrived to find a glorious blue sea, sparkling in the winter sun.  The water was almost turquoise against the great orange slabs of rock, studded with pearly barnacles,that overhung us. As we swam into the caves the water groaned and gurgled, and the light danced on the walls. We swam out of the first set and then climbed into the next, where we walked around before descending into a lower, water filled section, from where we swam out.   As we returned to the first cave someone said "What's that?"   I glanced over and dismissively replied "Oh, just a rock".  Then the rock moved.  "Aaaarggh!  It's a seal!"   Stuff the sightseeing, it was time to head for the shore.
Here's a video of our adventure (NOT featuring the seal).

2 comments:

Dartmoor swimmer said...

Most people would love to get that close to a seal. The one at Churston Cove has been there most days for the last 2 weeks and once with 2 younger ones.

Sophie said...

Yes......the problem is I've been v close to them before and I find the experience overwhelming...also a local dive shop told me that someone was bitten last year and had to go to hospital. I think the problem I have is that they will suddenly disappear under the surface and then you never know where they're going to pop up.