Open water swimmers, that is.
- Dishwashing liquid in the shower
- Chocolate
- Wearing less clothes than everyone else in winter
- Ice cream before bed
- Barnacle lacerations
- Wearing more clothes than everyone else in summer
- Deeply-tanned back
- Jelly babies
- Staring-at-the-sea gaze
- Chocolate
- Coastal maps and Google Earth
- Deeply-tanned face
- Hugs for everyone
- Owning an unusual number of Thermos flasks
- Swim box
- Putting on filthy swimsuits
- Panda-eyes
- Jellyfish stings
- That underwater green colour
- Drying with filthy towels
- Smelling like a sheep
- Or a baby
- Hot chocolate all year round
- Suffering pools that are too hot
- And seas that are too cold
- Being more healthy than most people
- Being more tired than most people
- Swimming holidays
- Friends around the world
- Freedom
LoneSwimmer 
freedom! and the faint but lingering smell of fish … thanks!
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I love this list! For open water swimmers in Nebraska, I would add:
Wishing the snow would melt already so we can get in the lake before it goes from 50F to 70F in a matter of days.
Saving up for a plane ticket to the next ocean swim event
Chocolate
Coffee
Leaving in the dark morning for swim practice
Coming home in the dark after evening swim practice
Eating an entire bag of potato chips
Backpacks
Chocolate
Dozens of goggles in various states of functionality
The worst hair ever
Dreams of sandy beaches and rolling waves
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Excellent Molly. My girlfriend occasionally calls me Tufty, because of my hair. 🙂
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I especially like the second to last one “Friends around the world.” It is so true and one of the best things that has come out of my swimming.
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You are one of the best examples!
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I hate to ask but “Dishwashing liquid in the shower”? Why?
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Vaseline and/or lanolin removal!
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aaah! I don’t use those so had no idea!!
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