My wild swimming adventure began locked in the grief. I had lost my sister Jen after a year-long battle with Leukaemia was ended by contracting Covid 19. Ten days later, one of my dearest friends, Annie O’Connor, passed away suddenly and unexpectedly of natural causes aged 41. I’ve known grief before, but the shock of losing two so young and so central to my life sent me into a downward spiral of grief. For months I felt like I was drowning in sorrow. My heart was broken, I cried an ocean of tears and was just numb.
AN INSPIRATION
Annie was an inspirational woman of faith, full of adventure and fun. I will be eternally grateful to Annie as she taught me how to play and enjoy the fullness of life with all abandon. After her death, Annie’s family found a quote in one of her journals that read, “Don’t just live the length of your life… Live the breadth of it too!” I was so inspired by Jen’s determination and by Annie’s zest for life that as I meandered through grief, I knew in my depths that I wanted to honour them by living my life to the fullest, not just the length but the breadth, height and depth of it!
I was reflecting on the things I wish I had been brave enough to do and wild swimming, especially the prospect of ice swimming came to mind. I wanted to try it but was scared. I booked into Manvers Swimming Club in Wath-upon-Dearne, for a coached lesson in open water. To my delight, I was able to join the club and swam there most days through September. I was completely addicted! Wath is quite a drive from my home, but I had I heard about others in my community swimming in the plunge pool at Rivelin Valley in Sheffield, so decided to give that a go.