A Bad Influence

66.6% of The Coven were flatmates (July 1977)

 

Because of the high spring tides covering the beach this year’s North East SkinnyDip was postponed from the 22^nd to the 29^th of September.  This was a disappointment to me as that was already in my diary as a Coven weekend.

E-mail to the Coven 21/8/24

Hello Ladies

I've suddenly realised that the Premier Inn Ashington is only a 12 minute drive from Druridge Bay Country Park so I could actually do the skinny dip at 07.05 and be back in time for breakfast.

The question is:-

1. Should I?

and

2. Would anyone like to join me?

Something else for the zoom meeting!

Love

B

xxxxx

Comfortable in the belief that no-one would take me up on it.

However

On Wed, 21 Aug 2024 at 16:15, Dr E to the Coven

2 answers yes do the skinny dip but no I won’t be joining

On Wed, 21 Aug 2024, 16:20 Dr D to the Coven

Hi B

I may have missed something, but which day is the skinny dip.?

I might be tempted, it’s just horrendously early .

From here, would have to set off 6am !

On 22/08/2024 06:42 BST Dr E to the Coven

I might be changing my mind to do it. 

I’ve registered and got my 1st sponsor.  As someone said, that’s what coven members do!

It's on the Sunday of the Coven weekend, 29th September.

On 22/08/2024 08:45 BST Dr D to the Coven

Hi B

You can register me as well, please.

Regarding sponsorship- am I right in thinking we are collecting for LDNE ?

On Thu, 22 Aug 2024 at 08:53, Bentonbag to The Coven

Sorry Dr D

You have to register yourself, click on the 'get tickets' button.

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/north-east-skinny-dip-2024-tickets-858949580317?aff=oddtdtcreator

It costs £16.96.

Once you've done that they send you an email asking you to open a Just-Giving page for sponsorship

The sponsorship goes to Tyneside Mind.

And so it transpired that at, just after 5am on Sunday 29^th September half the Coven crept out of the Premier Inn Ashington and drove to Druridge Bay to join the hundreds of people dashing into the sea at dawn.

It was a beautiful sunrise.

It was the first time in their seventy years that Dr D and Dr E had skinny dipped.

Today is Dr D’s birthday and last week I sent her a card which had a picture of four older ladies and the caption “We’ve been friends for so long I can’t remember who is the bad influence.”

Inside I wrote “But I’m beginning to think it might be me.”

The other day she texted me

Hi B, Thanks, and congratulations on being so much better organised than me.  As for the bad influence – shall we blame Dr E … or may Bess Cavalier (all that gin!)…

Happy Birthday Dr D