One last dip

One last dip

Matthew James Harrison takes to the waters around Copenhagen

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Who remembers that gloriously warm Saturday two weeks ago? I tried über hard to yesterday as I cycled over Langebro, battling the wind and icy rain with my camera equipment hanging off my back.

The type of weather I’ve been dreading since starting up my own photography workshops business has finally arrived and it’s time to start factoring it in to my lessons. So please forgive me for posting this modest picture of myself about to enter the waters around Islands Brygge, because it makes me feel all warm inside.

A few days before this picture was taken I had spotted an athletic-looking gentleman dipping his legs in the water straight after a run. His legs were awesome (compared to my chicken legs, anyway) and I remembered being told how cooling the blood and muscles in this way immediately after exercise is a good thing to do. It seemed to be working for him, anyway. He looked healthy.

The very next day I again witnessed two people taking an early-morning dip, but this time they were both naked – a young couple in their early-20s. Naturally she looked much better than he did when they both climbed out (I’m sure you can picture it) and suddenly I had an urge to get in there myself. Again, they both looked good. Is it the water, I thought.

That opportunity finally presented itself that delicious Saturday and once again I arrived at the water and saw a group already swimming. I had just returned from one of the workshops and trust me – walking around for four hours with lots of cameras and wearing thermals is thirsty work. The next thing you know I’m submerged – and it was absolutely freezing.

This lasted a testing 20 seconds and I was out as quick as I was in. But then that tingling sensation kicked in as the blood starts to warm again and the heat of the sun does its job. I highly recommend it. I fear that was the last time I’ll be doing that for a while, if yesterday’s weather is anything to go by.

The clean waters around Denmark are just another fine thing about this country and, as we march steadily towards winter and Christmas, I hope you’ll join me in enjoying the autumn weather and the colourful trees before they all disappear one last time in 2012. Because the world’s ending, don’t you know?

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