This morning we had an exceptionally beautiful start to the day with a balmy morning temp of 22 degrees and glorious sunshine.
Booty Camp is back after the festive break! Looks like a great excuse to roll in the sand don’t you think?
The indulgent holiday season must be ending for some swimmers as we were at final count 226 pink capped swimmers today!! Still, not bad for a Monday. Here is the Dinks Express coming back into Manly.
The buzz of yesterday’s swim with the lone bottle nosed dolphin dominated the conversation this morning. Some were daring to suggest that a special badge would be a really good idea!!
Yesterday’s event was captured by a number of swimmers, but really for a sense of the magic of communing with this magnificent creature you have to watch Mauricio’s video. Simply click on the link and Follow the dolphin.
With the earlier sighting of both a shark and the dolphin, there were mixed emotions as we prepared to enter the surf. The sage advice was that if you were about to pat the dolphin, check the teeth first.
An excellent article by author Tim Winton appeared in the SMH on December 14. It is a great read putting a very rational perspective on the subject of sharks. Click here
Once again we were privileged to be joined at the point by the dolphin. The squad split as a huge pack followed our exotic visitor; the rest made it to Shelly.
Today I shared the photo duty with Eric Dole. Just so you have an idea of what we look like from the shore, he offered to take shots of the squad as we crossed the bay.
At Shelly there was a rapid rendition of Happy Birthday to Chris Taylor today, then back to frolicking with the dolphin.
The water clarity is not fabulous – lots of weed and sand making it murky – but there she was!
Some photos from Stephen Coulter.
So, see you tomorrow? You never know what you will see on a B&B swim …
Mary
CAPS
We are very low in pink caps so some serious recycling needs to be done! All those swimmers who swim regularly who have 2 or more caps at home please can you bring the extra ones to us to re-use! Apart from the environmental reasons we are actually running out (till the new stock arrives). THANKS!
SHARKS
As much as we wouldn’t want to come face to face with a shark in the ocean, we all KNOW that part of swimming in the ocean is that ‘risk’… After all, it is where they live; it is their home. HOWEVER apparently, Premier Colin Barnett believes in the right to alter nature against the advice of many marine scientists and WA Fisheries by announcing a policy to kill endangered White sharks in the hope this will reduce the incidence of shark attack on WA beaches.
So please use this online form HERE to send Premier Barnett a message telling him that shark killing does not have your support. (or copy and paste this link http://ccwa.org.au/action/no-shark-cull-wa)
B&B Attendance Login
Come on folks – this is the most efficient way to capture your swims. It’s a smart phone friendly website so no need to download, just mark it as a bookmark. There are so many good reasons to use the B&B Login – like no queues, no need for glasses to find your name, and never missing the 7am call.
Log your swim between 5am and 9am for the easy way to ensure your swim is recorded in the daily attendance and on the Pacific Challenge. To get started, send an email to Ian Forster (ugoboyo@gmail.com). He will check that your email address is activated on the attendance register then send you info on how to get started. Happy clicking.
Summer badge swims
Every Saturday during summer there will be a 6km swim – usual route is to Freshwater and back; then once a month there is a 10km swim – this is to South Curl Curl and back. However, the final route depends on conditions that day so it is a good idea to arrive a little early to have a briefing from the designated swim leader. Both swims kick off at 7am.
The next 10km swim is scheduled for 11 January depending on conditions.
2014 B&B Calendar ON SALE NOW!!
Get one for yourself or pin it up at work. Give one to friends or send them overseas to the family back home. Only $15! BUY YOURS HERE NOW
Staying safe
Remember that there are no badges for scaring yourself silly! While it is great to extend your boundaries, it is important to know your limits. Do read these excellent tips on staying safe in the surf. To read, or even download, click here.
The Stats
Regulars: DON’T PANIC EVERYONE! All the attendance will be up later on today – because Lesbubbles has to do the majority manually. Please be patient!
A way to HELP in the future and also so you don’t have to wait around is to start using the LOGIN APP. It’s called an APP but it’s actually a website – you can use it on your computer or smart phone!
Boulderdash: 7
Newbie: TBA
Temp: 21 degrees
Sunrise: 5.52am
Sunset: 8.10pm
25 comments
Fifi
06/01/2014 at 12:10 pm
Great blog Mary! Wasn’t it a wonderful day, twice in a row!
I almost shrivelled up after two hours out there!
Rusty
06/01/2014 at 12:17 pm
Great blog Mary – loved some of the arty photos!
Fantastic conditions today – never saw the dolphin though! Oh well, there’s always tomorrow.
Bill McCaffeine
06/01/2014 at 12:18 pm
We all feel a sense of wonder about our dolphin friend. However if it is to rejoin its family it shouldn’t be socialized with humans. Pleas keep a sensible distance and try not to cuddle it.
LSA
06/01/2014 at 12:27 pm
Love the team pics & happy b’day Chris!
Also, a very happy birthday to Jill and welcome to the swinging 60s!
Mary
06/01/2014 at 12:31 pm
It was getting a bit chilly hanging in the water, but so worth it.
elizabeth
06/01/2014 at 12:31 pm
I lost my goggles – white framed View – at Manly beach. First outing with them. Did anyone pick them up?
Mary
06/01/2014 at 12:37 pm
There is a view that the dolphin might be one that was released from Sussex Inlet in May 2013.
http://www.dolphinresearchaustralia.com/sussex-inlet-dolphin-set-free/
Snorkles
06/01/2014 at 1:04 pm
What is this shark story? I’m hoping to start jumping in with the 6:30ers and being clearly the slowest in the group …I am wondering!
mauricio
06/01/2014 at 1:19 pm
Mary, I think you might be right, the dolphin in the video has the same mark on her dorsal fin as the one we saw yesterday and today! The single clear cut on the fin can be seen on both videos.
Fifi
06/01/2014 at 1:22 pm
Dont worry Snorkles. I’m the 6.30 am sheepdog, so I herd everyone over. (Thats the theory, anyway. Its really because I am always late.)
Therefore, the shark will bite me and not you on the way over, but I cant gurantee anything on the return journey.
Fifi
06/01/2014 at 1:25 pm
It is definitely the same Dolphin.
Mauricio, our persistence paid off….
Fifi
06/01/2014 at 1:27 pm
actually, I am just wondering that given the ruckus she caused amongst all the aquatic life in the bay, e.g., poking that wobbegong and chasing the ray, what on earth would she do if she and the shark crossed paths?
What sort of shark was it? A dusky?
Marije
06/01/2014 at 1:45 pm
Wow how amazing to swim with the dolphin! I was lucky enough to swim with it yesterday late afternoon for 1,5 hrs with only a few other people around. This morning was very special too. Stayed out in the water till about noon.If anyone wants to see the dolphin, she is still out there (it’s very busy though there are about 40 swimmers out there).
Marije
06/01/2014 at 1:47 pm
PS I like how the dolphin shows up on the attendance page!
The Submarine
06/01/2014 at 1:58 pm
Lips won’t be happy, the dolphin didn’t use the app
Lips
06/01/2014 at 2:00 pm
Great Monday blog Mary! And well done on filling the position of camera assistant. Eric looked like a good candidate.
What a way to start the week – dolphin cuddles galore! It really felt like she was waiting for us at the point, eager to play again. Big puppy dog.
Any chance we can set her up as a new swimmer?
Lips
06/01/2014 at 2:03 pm
OMG! Just saw this! Two issues:
1. It’s Ms. Dolphin (not Mr.)
2. She didnt do a full Shelly swim today
Lesley – can you please fix?
Thanks
Lips
Marije
06/01/2014 at 2:21 pm
I reckon I swam about 6km today following the dolphin. Does this count as a 6km in the pacific challenge? 😉
Marije
06/01/2014 at 2:27 pm
Rainer, you never do a full Shelley swim either… (well except for wkds).
slower Ian N
06/01/2014 at 2:43 pm
a great swim today; so smooth and placid. My son Jon, came for the first time and saw the dolphin; I didn’t see it even after swimming back from Manly point to the dolphin watchers lingering 150 m sth. I saw plenty of other fish coming back near the point and the rocks there.
Jon said that swim changed his life!! I will ask for more details about that. He wants to come again tomorrow.
On New Year’s day a dolphin, probably the same one, was idling around at DY with swimmers and surfers from 9 am till 1 pm and still there at DY just at the back of the small surf break at 6 pm and at 5 pm on 2 Jan.
A very nice blog Mary and the dolphin pictures are excellent.
(somehow I didn’t get onto the attendance list today like the dolphin; I have no smart phone and used the paper tecnology.)
Claire
06/01/2014 at 2:58 pm
I support this proposal.. but am prepared to settle for a bolderdash!
lesbubbles
06/01/2014 at 3:58 pm
I’ve renamed ‘her’ Elaine The Dolphin because she is a) very social b) obsessed with BnB c) a total blog tart
Sparkles
06/01/2014 at 5:51 pm
Hey what an absolutely fantastic blog Mary ! Love the photos Mary and Eric and love the video by Mauricio. Absolutely catches the magic what a wonderful experience! Sorry I missed it! missing you all enjoy enjoy
Vanessa lansdown
06/01/2014 at 7:15 pm
Hi think i might do an early what time do the 6.30 swimmers meet exactly? Thanks Vanessa
Lainey-Loo aka Elaine
06/01/2014 at 9:29 pm
A beautiful blog Mary and love Eric’s arty photos esp swimmers at Shelly. (I think he may have adopted my squatty stance to do that!) It has been amazing swimming and watching the dolphin the last 2 mornings. Today it came right up to me so have a great frontal photo of his bottlenose and face! Have some great photos of him with our swimmers too and more with Mauricio. They will be on Thursday’s blog for sure!