6:30am. Not my usual alarm time on a Saturday morning to say the least, but here I am sat in my car as the engine starts. The sky is starting to turn from black to blue and it’s getting brighter and brighter every minute without a cloud in the sky. The world doesn’t seem to have woken up yet as there aren’t any other cars on the road – a true rarity in Farnham – as I turn off the bypass, past the turning to our coffee shop on Bourne Green, heading towards Frensham Great Pond. I’ll be back there for a coffee shortly, but there are far more important matters at this hour than coffee today.
As if by magic, as I turn down Bacon Lane light bursts from the sky as the sun rises and I’m simultaneously met by the sight of where everyone who is awake has met. Several cars ahead are all indicating left on the the road towards the Pond’s entrance for the return of our International Women’s Day swim and based upon the number of cars I can see ahead, I instantly know it’s going to be a good one.
What a turnout! Groups of friends walking down towards the pond together, laughing about the weeks they’ve faced and talking about their plans for the weekend ahead, strangers bond over their mutual concern as to how cold the water is going to be, and hype gals (such as myself) wrap up with an extra layer to support their friends without actually entering the water themselves.
6:45. The sun now shines gloriously from the sky as it begins to rise, whilst the first of our attendees brace the water. Amy and Caitlin lead the pack, as bobble hats can be seen far and wide across the pond as more and more gather together for a cold-water swim to kick-start the weekend. Layers of clothing are left on the bank, poised to warm the first of the swimmers up as they return from their dip.
7:15am. Amy manages to not get eaten by her nemesis of a swam who seems to have it out for her. Everyone is dry and starting to warm up as we walk back towards our cars to convoy back to our Pavilion coffee shop. The lights don’t need to be switched on in my car this time, because it’s bright out now and more and more cars seem to be appearing on the road already.
We reach Bourne Green where Laura is poised with espresso ready to welcome those who have come to celebrate International Women’s Day. If the cold water wasn’t enough to wake everyone up, the coffee sealed the deal and the cafe is now buzzing with chatter as people who arrived as strangers now talk as though they’ve known each other for years. Donations are collected for Women’s Refuge (our chosen charity this year), and women begin to head on out to resume business as usual for the weekend.
We cannot thank you enough for supporting our crazy ideas (like a 6am wild swim) here at The Coffee Can. It is testament to what a wonderful community we’ve been lucky to build over the years we’ve spent in Farnham. We were worried that we wouldn’t be able to replicate the magic of last years swim if we tried to do it again, but this year went above and beyond to blow us away once again, whilst we celebrated Women and raised much-needed money to support Women’s Refuge at the same time.