Open water swimming at the Royal Docks

I have recently moved to the East side of London, and as I began to look for sporting opportunities, something very exciting popped up. Open water swimming at the Royal Docks. At the time it seemed like a great idea: a nice swim on a Saturday morning, followed by a late breakfast in the neighbouring café. I signed up ready to conquer the river. However, there was one thing I didn’t really consider until jumping in, the water temperature. As I took my first plunge into the water, the initial shock was invigorating, to say the least. I should have expected it, as it was October… The water temperature without a wetsuit felt like a daring challenge to my endurance. The first few strokes were a battle against the cold, but gradually, my body adjusted to the temperature, and the experience transformed into an unforgettable aquatic adventure. So much so that I decided to torture, I mean challenge myself again a week later. To my biggest surprise the temperature dropped significantly since my last visit, and despite being better equipped, fighting hypothermia required much more discipline. I will surely return once the temperatures hit a solid 15 degrees, in my new wetsuit of course.