Together Under The Stars

Naomi and Sarah celebrate a year of going wild by inviting followers to a twilight swim at Dunwich

- Naomi Gornall

All of us have a thirst for adventure. It is in our DNA. That’s what led a bunch of strangers to join my photographer friend, Sarah Lucy Brown, and me on an almost deserted Suffolk beach for a wild swim at sunset.

Since launching our collaboration, Two Girls Go Wild in Suffolk, a year ago, we have been steadily building our Instagram brand, and in 12 months have gone from zero to almost 1,000 followers. So, we thought what better than to share our final wild swim of the year with some of the Instagram community?

We put out a call on our social media channels, encouraging people to join us for a group swim at Dunwich beach one Friday evening and were surprised that so many seemed keen.

On the day of the swim, a menacing storm engulfed Ipswich, and as we drove through the teeming rain, thunder and lightning, the messages started to come in. One person cancelled and another tentatively asked if it was still on. But we were undeterred by the weather, which was just as well because as we drove north, grey skies made way for blue, and dramatic clouds appeared – heavy, luminous, hungover from the storm.

As we neared our destination, we spotted a rainbow. It’s such a simple, natural phenomenon, and yet we always gasp in amazement and stare child-like at its stunning beauty. Sarah was desperate to pull over to take photographs, knowing that the precious golden hour was fading fast.

Then it was onwards to Dunwich, hoping the light would remain as spectacular. As we reached the beach, huge pink clouds, like candyfloss bundles, dominated the skyline, creating perfect twilight. A group of four women were waiting for us and we all greeted each other like old friends, with warm hugs and plentiful smiles.