The perfect moonlit dip

Well, how about that?  An absolutely magical moonlit swim. Usually the clouds rain on our parade, but tonight it was cold and clear.  It was very exciting arriving at our swimming spot, Oddicombe Beach in Torquay, as I could glimpse the glimmering whiteness of the moon beckoning me through the trees as I drove down the winding road.  On arrival at the prom - well - there was a simply stunning  moon casting an enormous white pool of light onto the sea, and lighting up the cliffs behind the beach, creating a silvery amphitheatre.  As we stood on the shore we felt very cold,  and I was dreading getting in.  But the sea was a delicious, welcoming surprise.  It was warm and I felt comforted and enveloped as we moved around in the soft, smooth water, as it gently lapped against the shingle. 

Mercurial moon

picture by Jackie Wills

The moon is so fickle.  Every month I attempt a moonlit swim; I rarely achieve it.  Last night we had yet another go.  Jackie, Allan, Yaara and I met at Anstey's Cove, in Torquay; on the way over, Yaara and I had watched the moon rise over Newton Abbot - it was huge and orangey and low in the sky. As we approached Torquay though, it started to pour with rain.  Down at the cove the moon was obscured by a huge cloud, though it did come out for about four seconds, raising our hopes momentarily.  We decided to try our luck at Meadfoot, as it was too dark to get down to the sea at Anstey's safely.  At Meadfoot the moon remained stubbornly stuck behind a cloud; the sea was lively, with big waves crashing onto the prom.  We ran in, and bobbed in the obscure grey light.  After swimming around, vainly hoping for the moon to appear, we came out.  Just as we were finishing changing it emerged majestically above the clouds, casting a silvery beam  on the sea.