While browsing Facebook in November 2022 I saw an advert from the Los Alcazares town hall advertising a lunchtime swim that they were organising on Boxing Day 2022. I thought it looked like fun and decided to give it a go.
Boxing Day Swim 2022.
After seeing the advert for this swim, I followed the link on Facebook to the signup page and read all the details. It had limited space, and only 120 people could sign up to do it, so I signed up and paid my €5 upfront. The swim was in a marked-off area and would be no longer than 100 metres. In the warmer weather, I would average swimming 1000 metres in the Mar Menor every morning so 100 metres should be no problem, apart from the cold.
For my €5, I could join in the swim at Playa de Carrion in Los Alcázares at noon on boxing day, and when I finished, I would be presented with a beach towel, a drink, some stew and some churros with chocolate to warm me up. I had no plans for Christmas, so this gave me something to look forward to.
On the Day.
I didn't know if I would make the event yesterday as I had been feeling unwell most of the week, but I felt a bit better in the morning and decided to get out and have a go. At 11:30 am, I got on my disability scooter and drove along the promenade to Playa El Carrion, where the swim would take place.
When I arrived, it was busy, and many people were milling about with loud music playing. A finish line with an inflatable arch had been set up on the beach next to where I had to register. I got my participant number written on my arm. I was number 89 out of 160, and my Santa hat to wear whilst I made the swim. As I looked around, I heard someone shout my name and saw my friend Dan with his mum. He hadn't registered so couldn't take part, but he offered to look after my bag whilst I went in. There were a couple of other English people there that I recognised and a few different nationalities, but it was predominately Spanish.
As with anything organised in Spain, the start time came and gone but we were soon standing on the pier over the Mar Menor next to Club Nautico. Once we started, all the people involved moved in small groups onto the floating jetty to dive off, there was no going back now. I jumped in the cold water and gulped as my testicles tried to do a high jump and remove themselves from the cold water. Being a big butch man, I swallowed my impulse to scream and valiantly followed the swimmers in front of me as they swam around the marker boy and back towards the beach. I have to say my body quickly became accustomed to the cold water and it didn't seem as cold as I expected.
As we clambered out of the water and onto the beach, we were wrapped in a large warm beach towel and ushered to one side, where we were given a hot broth with a dumpling in it and a can of beer. It had only taken a very short time, but I did feel exhilarated and was very pleased that I had made the effort to register and come along and do it. I am already looking forward to next year.
I found my friend Dan, who had recorded everyone jumping into the water and the short swim. I finished my food and got a promise from Dan that he would take part next year. I got my bag from him and then headed home via the churro van, where I was given free churros and some hot chocolate to dip them in.
