Swimming Wellington

Hi there

All through the Christmas/New Year period I've been swimming at Worser Bay.  I really enjoyed going to that beach.  It was like I had gone somewhere else on holiday.  What's that saying? - something about Viva la Difference?

But yesterday I did go back to Hataitai Beach.  Into the water, swam half a dozen or so lengths, had a bit of a frolic, swallowed a mouthful of sea water when an unexpected wave hit me.. 

I got home and took a bit-of-a-late look at the LAWA (Land, Air, Water, Atmosphere) website.   Oops, the site advised caution when swimming at practically every beach in the Wellington area. 

For days they had been giving me the all clear ("Suitable for Swimming" had replaced "Not Suitable for Swimming" - curses on that broken sewage pipe at Oriental Bay).  But now old people, and the young were being advised not to swim? 

I wonder how bad swallowing a mouthful of contaminated sea water truly is for a body?