I’ve just returned home from a two and a half week vacation in England.  Well, mostly a vacation – I also photographed a wedding with the fabulous Mister Phill, but more on that later.  One of the highlights of my trip was Christmas Day, and no, it wasn’t because of the presents, nor the roast ham.  My dad took my hubby Josh and I down to the beach below their flat in Exmouth to watch Exmouth’s annual Christmas Day Swim.  The Christmas Day Swim is an institution in Exmouth – and indeed in many of the towns along the south coast of England.  It’s pure madness, of course (it’s not exactly warm in the winter in the UK) but that makes it all the more fun to watch, and the pleasure was doubled this year with the snow on the ground (a rare Christmas treat) and the bright blue skies.

Of course, I couldn’t resist taking a few photos.

A lot of the swimmers dress up each year – I was quite taken with the Supergirls (as were the press photographers who pounced on them as soon as I started chatting with them), and it was fun seeing so many Santa Clauses in the crowd.

The guy’s face above says it all.  🙂

Damn cold!  And damn steamy!  Got to love that backlight …  The older couple in the crowd below cracked me up – such silly hats, such serious expressions:

Cold … but happy.

Thank you, dad, for taking us down there – it was a treat!