As many of you are aware, our dear friend and most senior swimmer, Bruce Paterson, sadly passed away yesterday.
Bruce has been swimming with B&B since our very beginning, three and a half years ago. Bruce loved B&B, not only for the swimming but like all of us, for the camaraderie and social interaction at apres-swim and for the very dear friendships he made during this time.
Over 90 B&B swimmers gathered on the shore line, for a minute’s silence, before we embarked on this morning’s swim, to remember all the happy times that we have been privileged to share with Bruce.
James Goins captured the morning beautifully.
It was indeed a truly gorgeous swim
It is the wish of the family to have a private, invitation only, funeral for Bruce.
This will be followed by a public scattering of Bruce’s ashes on Sunday 24th June at 7am.
It was Bruce’s wish that B&B swim out with him one morning at 7am, all in our pink caps, form a large circle and scatter his ashes as we collectively sing Gracie Field’s, Wish Me Luck As You Wave Me Goodbye.
This tribute to Bruce on Sunday 24th June at 7am is open for anyone who would like to attend, either in the water or along the walkway and will be followed by brekkie, so please spread the word both of the private funeral and of the public ashes scattering, thank you.
To learn the song that Bruce would like us all to sing you can listen to it here
The lyrics are:
Wish me luck, as you wave me goodbye.
Cheerio, here I go, on my way.
Wish me luck as you wave me goodbye.
Not a tear, but a cheer, make it gay.
Give me a smile, I can keep all the while,
In my heart while I’m away.
Till we meet once again you and I,
Wish me luck as you wave me goodbye.
Wish me luck, as you wave me goodbye.
Cheerio, here I go, on my way
Wish me luck, as you wave me goodbye.
Not a tear, but a cheer, make it gay
Give me a smile, I can keep all the while,
In my heart while I’m away.
Till we meet once again You and I
wish me luck as you wave me goodbye.
A few more fittingly beautiful dawn photos taken this morning, courtesy of Gaetan.
In contrast to our tranquil seas today, we have a few more photos of us at Half Way Beach, taken two morning’s ago on Big Wednesday, courtesy of local photographer, Caleb Dawson, who kindly shared these with us. Spectacular hey !!
It would seem that it’s not tranquil everywhere today. Gaetan has just shared this link from Fiji where they currently have their surfing competition on hold due to big seas.
Happy birthday to Christine Armour today 🙂
Water Temperature 17.9
Air Temperature 8.0
Sunrise 6.55am
Sunset 4.53pm
High Tide: 11.31am
Low Tide: 5.08pm
8 comments
Lesley
08/06/2012 at 12:49 pm
Bruce made Sprout http://daily.sproutdaily.com/?m=201206
Great photo of him (you just know it’s him) 🙂
Michael [EX CI]
08/06/2012 at 2:30 pm
According to MSW its looking pretty good in the morning!! I would be tempted to do an ‘early one’ if anyone else is interested??
Chris Young
08/06/2012 at 7:00 pm
Early one to Queensie?
Gaetan
08/06/2012 at 7:53 pm
Thanks Jules for the nice pics of Bruce, I remember that when we went to see him 2 weeks ago with Iain & Nicole he still had the energy to throw a few jokes around and make us laugh despite being weakened! We’ll miss you dearly Bruce!
Gaetan
08/06/2012 at 7:55 pm
will be there 🙂
Gaetan
08/06/2012 at 7:56 pm
i know Miles is planning a Freshie swim after Shelly if you are interested
margo
09/06/2012 at 2:59 pm
thanks Julie, you do my dad proud. in every part of his life he quietly and humbly inspired people by simply being ‘Bruce’. some have known him with the smell salt water and and a rubber wetsuit, many have passed the old bloke running or cycling up Allambie hill or other peninsula roads, some have shared with him in listening to his beloved classical music, some have known him through his love of bush care and regeneration, some have known him with the smoke of the campfire and the twinkling of the flames that matched his quirky humour at the end of a long days trek. i hope that all who knew him whether they stopped to say hello or not will come and sing his farewell to the waves and share a few memories as we enjoy his ‘last supper’ 🙂
Liz
02/10/2012 at 3:26 pm
Dear Margo
I have only just heard the news (yes, I have been living under a rock for 4 months) about your dad passing. My partner and I met him Australia Day 2011 when we swam with the Bold and the Beautiful. He came to ask if we were the Manly Can Tooers. He was almost the same age as my dear uncle and surrogate father whom I lost to prostrate cancer last year. He was an inspiration Margo and you are rightly proud. I will think of him this year swimming for Cure Cancer Australia again. He continues to inspire me even now. Vale to a courageous and very special man.