This summer it is debatable who has swam in the open water more, myself or my daughter Freda Pepper, now 2. She has a love of anything cold and wet, just like her parents. From a small puddle to an open expanse of sea Freda is driven by the toddler force to strip off and get in. Only when her lips start to turn blue does she seem the smallest bit interested in changing activities.
I'm not sure this is a trait unique to Freda, we saw so many little ones charging towards the water this summer, it's just wonderful to watch. The slightest breath of sea air seems to send small children into an excited frenzy of pulling off clothes and picking up buckets, all this whilst trying not to fall over and get covered in the sandy stuff!
Whilst I know that most children love the water, I'm convinced that Freda has the determination, and madness, of a true cold water swimmer. She was in the water from April to late October and despite the occasional chilly giggle she didn't even blink at the temperature. She would often watch Stuart or I swimming off into the sea or river and make loud attempts to follow only to be distracted by the sea swallowing her latest construction whole 'SEA GET IT!!! at which point she would run off excitedly and hurridly trying to build the next blob of sand for the waves to munch.I love her love of the outdoors and her love of the water, it's wonderful and if only I could bottle the mood and sprinkle it on her when she's not feeling quite as chipper life would be an endless bout of giggles, splashing and ofcourse finding 'Nemo', her name for any sealife!
Whilst I know Freda is showing us a childhood love I do often wonder if Freda will be a year round open water swimmer like us. Will we be able to pass on our passion for swimming outside or will she be very different to us? I don't mind either way but I am very interested to see how her early and continuous exposure to open water swimming year round will influence her, if it influences her at all. Watch this space....
