16...A cold dip and into the New Year

A slightly delayed start to the year as I set off for Newhaven this morning in a beautiful dawn, but found the ferry had been canceled. It is time for the annual service and refit, and the boats were being changed this morning. So, an unexpected day on my hands which I filled by experimenting with my new iwork package and watching youtube photoshop tutorials. Ah well its work of a sort.

Anyway, I've had a lovely Christmas, frugal and quiet, and all the better for it. My friends and I made our presents for each other this year and as a result the gifts were lovely.

On Christmas morning there is a tradition in Brighton of taking a dip in the sea. This year it was a lovely sunny day with a calm sea and the beach was full of people, most of whom were not going in. The bathers all run in together at 11am, and a couple of minutes before, round the corner of the groyne, came a line of Santa's paddling on boards.

Santa's on the horizon

Anyway, when the time comes we all run in together,

scream, and run out again.

The council must have been worried this year as they had notices advising people to be extra careful and not to stay in too long. The water temperature which would normally be around 7-12 degrees at this time of year was 3.4 degrees. But, it is great fun and strangely you feel very warm when you come out.

So, into the New Year and I have a few things in the pipline which means I need to really focus now and get a good body of work built up.  Over the holidays I have been playing around with a new Poppy idea, dying and threading monofilament into a Poppyhead sculpture.

Happy New Year all!