Autumn colours on Lac Léman. Same lake, different swim for everyone.
When staring at open water in winter, not everyone experiences the moment the same way. Each swim can also feel different as two weeks, both at work and at home, are never the same.
With cold water, the first part of the swim is usually what people talk about. Getting in often follows a recognisable pattern: an initial hesitation, a deep breath, and the decision to step in.
The second part of the swim attracts far less attention even if the decision to exit the water matters just as much as getting in. Knowing when to get out deserves admiration too as knowing your limits is not about stepping away from a challenge. On the contrary, a challenge is enjoyable when it remains something we choose deliberately to do, not something we feel obliged to prove.
It is a useful reminder beyond the lake, a busy week and a quiet one do not ask the same of us.
At the Commodities Swimming Club, what brings us together is a shared love of a challenge and respect for one another’s limits. One of the nicest things about swimming as a group is that nobody needs to have the same swim. There is no prize for entering the water first, nor for staying in the water the longest. We simply enjoy sharing the moment together.
The same flexibility continues over lunch. After mustering the cold trembling fingers to get dressed, those who can stay a little longer share lunch and discuss what is happening in the market warming their hands with a cup or a warm drink. Interestingly, what starts as market talk often ends up somewhere quite unexpected.
Right now, the vineyards above the lake are turning red and orange. Temperatures are getting a little colder, but we know that the lake will be there next week. So will our conversations.
Interested in joining the crew? You can apply here.