Swimming

Got over various long-standing bodily issues in Switzerland the other week by swimming for the first time in at least 20 years by deciding the opportunity to do so in crystal clear, open water enveloped in gob-smacking surroundings was too good to pass up. First dip in a Zurich river sporting a strong current made me afraid initially, given that my most recent swim before that was in a calm pool somewhere. It's so easy to forget how glorious being submerged in water is. A later swim in the expanse of Lausanne lake had me in raptures.

We followed it up with a couple of lengths of the segregated Serpentine area this weekend, although that made it clearer how much of a travesty public water is over here. Still loved it, but felt as if I was barely moving. There's lots to admire in anyone who clearly has a strong stroke, which nobody remarked about mine.
Well you know, different strokes...

I can't get my head around the idea of swimming in the Serpentine. Why did you feel static in it? Too much bird poo?