PICTURE: water broken at eye-level!]

Cold!—but then every river, lake, and sea except the Dead Sea is cold when you first pierce into it. The water just here is said to be colder because it has issued from the river's mouth nearby. That may be part of the reason why most of the bathing crowd is half a mile away, at the wider and sandier end of the beach near the harbour. After a minute, you may discover that the coldness starts nine inches down, and you can stay in the sun-warmed top layer by swimming without dangling your legs, or by floating on your back with your hands behind your head.

And that is a pleasant posture for surveying the scene: gulls overhead, yachts, the far-off cliffs, the theatre of the town, families on the beach, a few in the water though mostly paddling (they would do better to jump in like you but they prolong the cold thrill by advancing inchwise). The beach here is made of stones at the top (difficult for bare feet), and sand revealed when the tide is lower.

The Cobb is farther off than it looks. On some of Lyme's festive occasions there is a bathtub race from the Cobb Gate jetty across to the Cobb. Insist, if you dare, on trying to swim to that goal.

Or be sensible and go back ashore to your towel.