You Never Regret A Swim.

I woke up after a fairly good night in my little boat hut.

A pretty cool place to sleep on my own private beach.

Someone had built the little hut with an upturned boat stacked on some of the rocks collected from the beach.

I crawled out and noticed the sign I found the night before.

I'd propped it up at the door of the boat hut so I wouldn’t forget about it.

“You never regret a swim.” it said.

I couldn’t not get in then really.

So I searched out my towel from my backpack, walked down to the water's edge, stripped right off and jumped in.

Not too long later I was back out again and wrapped up in my towel but felt so good.

Thank you whoever wrote the little note.

You never regret a swim.

The day before I had set off from Poppit Sands to walk the coast path.

Just me.

No internet.

Dumb phone only.

A notebook in one pocket and a camera in the other.

I’ve walked parts of the Pembrokeshire Coast Path for years but never linked it all together.

So I thought I’d have a go.

In part optimistically hoping to do the whole thing but also just going as far as I go.

It was great.

Everywhere was familiar but I hadn’t explored all the ups and downs and ins and outs of the path before.

So it was also unfamiliar in a weird way.

I camped out wherever I got to that night.

Ate what I could carry.

And filled up with water where I could.

No distractions from the internet.

Just listening to the sound of the world.

Just watching the show in front of me.

After four days of walking there was a pain in my knee developing.

I umed and ahhed about whether I should carry on.

Feeling a little like I was failing as I had hoped to do a lot more.

But I eventually realised it was the best choice.

I’d only damage my knee further.

And I certainly hadn’t failed.

The days weren’t wasted so far from it.

I’ll be back for more another day.

Jacob.

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