'Bring A Partner In Brine' June Gathering

Meteorolgical summer begins on the 1st of June and astronomical summer on the 20th - the summer solstice, which will be at 9.50pm that day.  The solstice  marks the time when day equals night and then, after 3 days of standstill, we begin to see longer days and shorter nights.  So come along to this gathering to celebrate the light with good company and great seasonal changes.

We thought it would be a lovely idea to introduce (even) more people to the wonders of the sea by running this month's gathering as 'bring a friend'. It can, of course, be any friend or family member (or lots of them!) and even better if going into the sea is a relatively new/unknown experience to them. So seek them out and invite them over for what promises to be a wonderful time all together on the beach as the weather and sea starts to warm up!

***please park carefully and considerately on Lifeboat Way. Do not block any drives and even better, if you can park further away and walk, or walk, or cycle, even better.****

Thanks to Lois Brady, an outdoor swimmer and artist based in Northern Ireland for this month's beautiful image and poem about 'Partner's in Brine'. both used with her kind permission:

Partners in Brine

Your friend talks you into your first cold water dip

You stand on the shore and think what the f..lip

You are shivering, it's only 6 degrees

Everyone else seems to do it with ease

She puts her arm around your shoulder your troubles seem far away

She whispers in your ear it'll be ok

Into the water the waves hit your body in stages

You start to feel alive, you become courageous

That's it you've got the cold water bug

You will always remember her encouraging hug

Now when the shoulders go under in record time

You can thank your cold crew and your partner in brine

This month we'd love you to bring someone along who's hardly, or ever been in the sea before, and would like to try it! 

And if you'd like to find out more about Lois's work, see her Etsy store here.