{"id":58907,"date":"2021-12-06T12:50:04","date_gmt":"2021-12-06T12:50:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/altcardiff\/?p=58907"},"modified":"2021-12-06T13:03:27","modified_gmt":"2021-12-06T13:03:27","slug":"i-feel-like-for-the-first-time-in-my-life-i-belong-where-i-live-says-sea-swimmer","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/altcardiff\/2021\/12\/06\/i-feel-like-for-the-first-time-in-my-life-i-belong-where-i-live-says-sea-swimmer\/","title":{"rendered":"&#8216;I feel like, for the first time in my life, I belong where I live&#8217;, says Penarth-based sea swimmer"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The pandemic has caused many people to feel isolated. For au pair, Lene Hops, it helped her find community through a shared sanctuary: cold water<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"512\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/altcardiff\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2021\/11\/Lene_resize-1024x512.jpg\" alt=\"Woman in her twenties with short blonde hair smiles at the camera with the ocean behind her\" class=\"wp-image-58908\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/altcardiff\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2021\/11\/Lene_resize-1024x512.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/altcardiff\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2021\/11\/Lene_resize-300x150.jpg 300w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/altcardiff\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2021\/11\/Lene_resize-770x385.jpg 770w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/altcardiff\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2021\/11\/Lene_resize-1366x683.jpg 1366w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/altcardiff\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2021\/11\/Lene_resize-585x293.jpg 585w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/altcardiff\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2021\/11\/Lene_resize-1170x585.jpg 1170w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/altcardiff\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2021\/11\/Lene_resize-293x147.jpg 293w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/altcardiff\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2021\/11\/Lene_resize-1400x700.jpg 1400w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/altcardiff\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2021\/11\/Lene_resize.jpg 1500w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"512\" src=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/altcardiff\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2021\/11\/Lene_resize-1024x512.jpg\" alt=\"Woman in her twenties with short blonde hair smiles at the camera with the ocean behind her\" class=\"wp-image-58908\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/altcardiff\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2021\/11\/Lene_resize-1024x512.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/altcardiff\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2021\/11\/Lene_resize-300x150.jpg 300w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/altcardiff\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2021\/11\/Lene_resize-770x385.jpg 770w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/altcardiff\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2021\/11\/Lene_resize-1366x683.jpg 1366w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/altcardiff\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2021\/11\/Lene_resize-585x293.jpg 585w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/altcardiff\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2021\/11\/Lene_resize-1170x585.jpg 1170w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/altcardiff\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2021\/11\/Lene_resize-293x147.jpg 293w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/altcardiff\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2021\/11\/Lene_resize-1400x700.jpg 1400w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/altcardiff\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2021\/11\/Lene_resize.jpg 1500w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/noscript><figcaption>Lene Hops at Penarth Pier, where she swims every morning<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Lene Hops moved from Germany to Wales in the middle of the pandemic. She was unaware that soon she would discover a passion as a sea swimmer that would allow her to feel \u201chigh on life\u201d every day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Lene unintentionally helped to found the sea swimming group, <a href=\"https:\/\/dawnstalkers.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Dawnstalkers<\/a>, earlier this year. The Penarth-based group grew organically during the pandemic, as ordinary people appeared at the seafront for sunrise every day to dunk in the water.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h5 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Listen to the story here:<\/h5>\n\n\n\n<iframe class=\"zeen-lazy-load-base zeen-lazy-load\" width=\"100%\" height=\"166\" scrolling=\"no\" frameborder=\"no\" src=\"about:blank\" data-lazy-src=\"https:\/\/w.soundcloud.com\/player\/?url=https%3A\/\/api.soundcloud.com\/tracks\/1155381946&amp;color=%23ff5500&amp;auto_play=false&amp;hide_related=false&amp;show_comments=true&amp;show_user=true&amp;show_reposts=false&amp;show_teaser=true\"><\/iframe><noscript><iframe width=\"100%\" height=\"166\" scrolling=\"no\" frameborder=\"no\" src=\"https:\/\/w.soundcloud.com\/player\/?url=https%3A\/\/api.soundcloud.com\/tracks\/1155381946&amp;color=%23ff5500&amp;auto_play=false&amp;hide_related=false&amp;show_comments=true&amp;show_user=true&amp;show_reposts=false&amp;show_teaser=true\"><\/iframe><\/noscript><div style=\"font-size: 10px;color: #cccccc;overflow: hidden;font-family: Interstate,Lucida Grande,Lucida Sans Unicode,Lucida Sans,Garuda,Verdana,Tahoma,sans-serif;font-weight: 100\"><a href=\"https:\/\/soundcloud.com\/cardiffjomec\" title=\"CardiffJomec\" target=\"_blank\" style=\"color: #cccccc;text-decoration: none\" rel=\"noopener\">CardiffJomec<\/a> \u00b7 <a href=\"https:\/\/soundcloud.com\/cardiffjomec\/how-a-german-au-pair-found-her-community-in-wales\" title=\"How a German au pair found her community in Wales\" target=\"_blank\" style=\"color: #cccccc;text-decoration: none\" rel=\"noopener\">How a German au pair found her community in Wales<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It started when Lene realised she had lived in Penarth for six months, but had never taken the plunge. One gloomy day in February, she dragged along two friends and finally went in, wearing just a bikini. \u201cIt was choppy &#8211; super choppy, super windy, super cold. We were in for probably 30 seconds and I thought I was going to lose my toes,\u201d she says with a beaming smile.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThat one day I was literally so high,&#8221; the sea swimmer says. &#8220;They call it a cold water high because it literally feels like you are high on something and I was only high on life.\u201d The euphoric sensation that Lene is still obsessed with is caused by the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sciencefocus.com\/the-human-body\/cold-water-swimming-why-an-icy-dip-is-good-for-your-mental-and-physical-health\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">beta endorphin<\/a> that is released to block the sensation of pain caused by the icy chill of the water. \u201cI want to do this all the time!\u201d she repeated once emerging from the waves.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Later on that fateful day she bought a coffee to warm up and met another Penarthian sea swimmer, who agreed to let her join him for a dip every day before work. From there, the group only continued to grow to over 300 swimmers, with Lene regarding each new person as a friend that was part of her \u201cgang\u201d.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h5 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Finding headspace&nbsp;<\/h5>\n\n\n\n<p>As an au pair, Lene lived with her host family. She said that the reality of waking up and immediately being in work with three young children was a lot to handle.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>She wanted an escape in the morning so she could face work with a clear mind. \u201cThat\u2019s why all the other people started, they needed to start their day with something that they really wanted to do.\u201d This was especially important as she was homeschooling two of the children during lockdown.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h5 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Why would I ever leave this place?<\/h5>\n\n\n\n<p>Originally from landlocked Western Germany, Lene worked as an interior designer before moving to Penarth. She followed her Welsh boyfriend, longing for a change in her life, and found luck when there was a gap in travel restrictions, enabling her to catch a flight.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote has-text-align-center is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\"><p>I&#8217;ve found so much more than what I was actually looking for<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI\u2019ve found so much more than what I was actually looking for,\u201d she says, gazing out to sea. \u201cI told myself I\u2019d go there for a year, then if it doesn\u2019t work I can go back home. Now I\u2019m like, &#8216;Why would I ever in my life leave this place?'&#8221; Finding this community during such a dark time seems to be the source of Lene\u2019s bright energy, which is infectious to all those around her.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The sea swimmer has plans to set up her own business in the new year, as well as finding new ways to grow the Dawnstalkers community. \u201cI feel like, for the first time in my life, I belong where I live.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator\" \/>\n\n\n\n<h5 class=\"has-vivid-cyan-blue-color has-text-color wp-block-heading\">Lene&#8217;s top tips for sea dipping<\/h5>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li><strong>Be prepared for it to be cold<\/strong>, but realise that\u2019s a good thing<\/li><li><strong>Don\u2019t stop halfway<\/strong>, because the longer you stand there the harder it gets&nbsp;<\/li><li><strong>Get some water shoes<\/strong> to avoid cutting your feet on rocks<\/li><li><strong>Listen to your body<\/strong>, if your jaw starts chattering, get out<\/li><li><strong>Warm up afterwards<\/strong> by bringing lots of layers, putting a hot water bottle on your feet and getting a hot drink<\/li><\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The pandemic has caused many people to feel isolated. For au pair, Lene Hops, it helped her find community through a shared sanctuary: cold water<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":772,"featured_media":58908,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_active":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_note":"","_exactmetrics_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[185,6],"tags":[7399,20,7128,608,7398],"coauthors":[7367],"class_list":["post-58907","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-active-home","category-active-life","tag-cold-water","tag-community","tag-lockdown","tag-penarth","tag-sea-swimming"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v25.2 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>I feel like for the first time, I belong where I live, says sea swimmer<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"The pandemic has caused many people to feel isolated. 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