21 July 2026 - Summertime

Finally got to summer. Time for all the summer activitives, particularly open water swimming. Did you know that Swimming engages almost every major muscle group — arms, legs, core, back — while also increasing strength and endurance. Water provides natural resistance, making the muscles work harder without straining the joints. Most workouts give you one or at most two benefits — strength, cardio, flexibility, or low impact. Swimming gives you all of them simultaneously, which is why it’s often recommended for lifelong fitness.

Did you know that a two piece garment for women is ancient — Greek and Roman women were wearing bikini like outfits for athletics as early as 1400 BC and 5600 BC. Isn't that amazing? However, the modern bikini was introduced on 5 July 1946 by French engineer Louis Réard, who named it after the Bikini Atoll nuclear tests. He was inspired by women rolling down their swimsuits to tan their midriffs. The first model, Micheline Bernardini, was a nude dancer — the only woman willing to wear such a revealing garment at the time. The design exposed the navel, which was then considered shockingly intimate. How times have changed, I'm pleased to say.