"Pondlife: A Swimmer's Journal"

Am reading Al Alvarez's diary of his swims on Hampstead Heath entitled "Pondlife" (reviewed by the Telegraph and  Guardian). He says in limpid, lucid language what this blog nudges at in pictures, but we evidently share the same cold-water compulsion - the same atavism.
Another 2km at Queenford this morning and a welcome first chat with some of the other swimmers, all of whom seem to be training for various events, from triathlons to channel swims.