Mermaid Pool

We weren't feeling quite up to a complete swim around Burgh Island, so decided to go and have a swim in the Mermaid Pool instead.  The storms have taken their toll - there was a huge hole in the wall which keeps the water in.   The pool was a shadow of its former self - more of a puddle in fact...with the diving platform standing on a sandbar. No storing the lobsters under there for the moment.   We swam and walked to the other side where there was deeper, greener water.  We could see over to the beach where there was a big pile of breeze blocks, so touchwood the hotel is going to mend the wall.

Raid on secret pool

It was low tide at Burgh Island, and we decided to swim round for an illicit guerilla raid on the Mermaid Pool, the hotel's private tidal lagoon. We felt rather Bond-like as we swam through gulleys and then scaled the rocks to the top of the block wall - complete with 'private' sign - before jumping into the pool on the other side. The water was beautifully green and clear. We did a few leaps off the diving platform in the middle, and started to draw the attention of hotel guests who came to their windows to watch. At that point it was time for a sharp exit.