A SIDELINE VIEW Joy at braving the wintry waves

• Published date: 22 June 2022

For the past couple of months, we have been swimming almost every day

I’m not talking laps at the heated pool, but braving the cooling depths of the ocean, aclimatising ourselves to the inevitable temperature drop. And it’s starting to get rather crisp.

Earlier last week we swam in the hail. A few days later we went a step further, splashing about in the waves, with the full moon shining to our right, the Kawekas behind us showing off a thick layer of snow and the glowing yellow ball of sun rising in front.

To say our days now revolve around the daily dunk is only a slight exaggeration, with the magic of the moment imprinted beneath our bright orange neoprene caps.

Speaking of neoprene, we decided it might be time to give wetsuits a go. But never before have I been happier to have a bit of extra blubber.

I know belly fat has a bad wrap, but I’m starting to think the extra bits wrapped around my middle could be a good thing.

Those layers of blubber might be helping to stave off the chills — it could even be keeping us afloat.

We had been nervous about wearing a wetsuit, but bought one each anyway and went through the motions of squeezing into the confines of a neoprene coffin.

Flopping into the waves like a dark grey version of the Michelin Man, we knew sacrificing comfort for warmth would not ride well.

Instead we decided to ditch the rubber and keep riding the waves in our bathing costumes.

Although I’ve always been a keen swimmer, this new...