…and somehow life feels different
Sea dipping…life feels different. Simon and I were looking for something new to try, a hobby we could do together, so we are trying out sea dipping…and somehow life feels different.
It feels strange to say that something so simple could shift the way we feel so deeply, but honestly… it has.
Trying something new
On Monday morning, we got up early and drove to the beautiful, secluded Elberry Cove near Broadsands. The walk down alone feels healing — around twenty minutes through stunning landscapes, peaceful paths and views that immediately make you slow down and breathe differently.
But the water?
Freezing.
I managed only a couple of minutes before needing to get back out again, and it took me quite a while to even fully submerge myself in the first place. Simon was much braver than I was. He got in quicker, stayed under longer and seemed to embrace it far faster than me.
Despite the cold shock, something happened afterwards. We both felt invigorated, alive, refreshed in a way that’s difficult to explain unless you’ve experienced it yourself. Before we’d even got home, we’d already decided we wanted to do it every day.
All the gear, but no idea
That same afternoon we went shopping for “sea shoes” because Elberry Cove is incredibly rocky and our unprepared feet quickly discovered that. Feeling fully equipped suddenly made the whole thing feel even more exciting.
So Tuesday morning arrived and off we went again — this time even earlier, around 6:15am.
And somehow, it was completely different.
The water didn’t feel nearly as cold. I got under far quicker than I had the day before and found myself actually enjoying it. Surely we couldn’t already be acclimatising? There was a slight swell in the sea that morning too, but instead of making it harder, it somehow made it more fun. We stayed in for around thirty minutes and neither of us really wanted to leave.
But what affected me most wasn’t actually the sea itself.
It was Simon.
For the first time in a very long time, I watched him completely relax. I watched him laugh, play in the water and genuinely let go. This is someone who refused to even get into the sea last year. Years of mental stress and emotional exhaustion from a difficult working environment had slowly chipped away at his confidence over time, and standing there in the sea watching him simply be himself again felt incredibly emotional.
It was as though something had loosened its grip.
And I think we’ve found “our thing”.
Every morning this week we’ve returned to the sea. We’re now fully equipped for our little ritual afterwards too — a flask of coffee, a mat to sit on while we dry off in the sunshine, towels, sea shoes… we’re becoming surprisingly organised people at 6am.
But more than that, life feels calmer.
More intentional.
More peaceful than it has in a long time.
I cannot believe how something so simple can make such a difference to your mindset. After these sea dips, I feel positive, relaxed and grounded for the entire day.
Time will tell
Of course, it’s all very idyllic right now while the mornings are bright, warm and beautiful. Time will tell how committed we feel when it’s raining sideways, freezing cold and we’re trying to get dressed on a beach in the middle of winter. But honestly? I’m ready for that challenge too.
Because right now, as we walk those quiet coastal paths each morning towards the sea, coffee waiting for us afterwards and the world still asleep around us, life feels good.
And sometimes, that feeling alone is enough.
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