So here we are in the seventh week of winter and 44 people have already qualified, and a further 777 are on target for their Cold & Bold Winter badge.
The very lovely Lesley and JK do it sans wetsuit so they are totally WWW!
Still plenty of time to qualify! Then make sure your diary is clear for the badge ceremony. This is scheduled for Sunday, 21 September after the swim at the Royal Far West.
The temperature gauge told me it was a crisp 7 degrees outside, but that little zephyr slinking around disrobing central must have dropped it by at least a couple of degrees!
Very happy to see Michael back in the swim.
Jane leads the charge to the water.
This is Matt. He heads up Sydney By Sail should you want to be on the water rather than in it – especially if you want to check out the whales!
And The Spaniard is all alone!! Looks like the speedy group have taken a vacation!
It was Blue Groper central around the point today.
How is this for looking cool at Shelly.
And Bella is back after her European sojourn.
Renae is smiling – she is half way to that winter badge!
Lips is facing a dilemma – tomorrow Germany is playing Brazil at the same time as the swim!! Anyone have a waterproof TV?
Don’t forget the dinner tonight!!
Mary with Ros and Lips 🙂
Bottom of the Blog – the very useful stuff
Monthly Dinner Tonight – Bluewater Cafe, Tuesday 8th July at 6.30 pm
In her early life Valerie Taylor was a champion spearfisher. She switched from killing sharks to filming them when along with husband Ron, she became fascinated with marine life. Ron and Valerie were the first people to film great white sharks without the protection of a cage or anything else during the making of the series Blue Wilderness in 1992. Valerie became a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) in 2010 for service to conservation and the environment as an advocate for the protection and preservation of marine wildlife and habitats. Valerie will give a talk about her various experiences with sharks over the years. She will also show a short film on the marine world in Indonesia and how it has changed.
The cost is only $20 a head and includes shared entrees, a selection of main to choose (incl a vegetarian option) and free corkage (for byo wine only) and a little thank you for the staff.
All beers, wine and deserts are an optional extra at the special price of only $5 each!!
BOOKINGS ARE ESSENTIAL, so book here now!!
Week 7 of the Winter Badge season.
There are 14 weeks in the winter season. To qualify for the prized Cold & Bold Badge you simply need to swim 20 times within the season ensuring you have swum in a minimum of 7 different weeks. So, attempting to do it all in the first few weeks does not count!! Make sure you use the i-Log to register your without wetsuit for the WWW badge.
B&B i-Log
The B&B i-Log is the best way to capture your swims!! Log your swim ANYTIME of day using this really efficient and 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 (This is not a link so please copy and paste into your email). He will check that your email address is activated on the attendance register then send you info on how to get started.
Staying safe
There may not be any waves just at the moment, but are you prepared for their return? 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: 110
Newbie:
Temp: 17.7 degrees
Sunrise: 7.00 am
Sunset: 5.00 pm
25 comments
LSA aka HKTQ aka QofT
08/07/2014 at 12:14 pm
Great to see all the happy faces, especially Lesley’s:)
Fifi and Billy still doing www doubles at just after 6.00 when it is black and very cold….No way I can catch up to Billy on PC even though I’ve swim every day since we returned. He has an annoying habit of ticking every few days, so I think I’m there and then he spurts ahead!!!
Anyway, beautiful early swim with lovely pre-sunrise sky and so many fish….
Bootycampbuffman
08/07/2014 at 12:15 pm
Great pics, good blog Mary.
according to the winter challenge Lesley hasn’t done a swim without a wetsuit !
http://www.faulconbridgesoftware.com/bb/pub/winterbadge2014.html
LSA aka HKTQ aka QofT
08/07/2014 at 12:17 pm
Found at the tables: speedo(!) pink cap and zoggs goggles – will join Ian’s collection tomorrow.
Also, found on the floor – large, black, Marks, cashemere jumper. I put in on the table and left it there as not sure it’s B&B. If it’s yours, suggest you go asap to pick it up.
Bootycampbuffman
08/07/2014 at 12:24 pm
I lost a large wallet full of cash, if you find it DON’T give it Ian F.
Nick Dawkins
08/07/2014 at 12:24 pm
Nice pics Mary 🙂 x
Nick Dawkins
08/07/2014 at 12:25 pm
What size is the jumper?
Lesbubs
08/07/2014 at 12:33 pm
Love the fish and stingray pic!!
I have swum way past 20 swims www but am not ticking anymore… It’s a wee bit tough watching everyone go past me on the pacific challenge but I’ll live!
Sarah Abbott
08/07/2014 at 12:34 pm
Nick, it had a “L” inside – thought it was a ladies’, but hard to tell these days!
As for the cash, don’t worry Buffman – if I find it, I’ll make good use of it:)
Sarah Abbott
08/07/2014 at 12:36 pm
We know that really you should be no 1 on the PC and never sleep in, Lesbubs:-)
Lips
08/07/2014 at 12:49 pm
Agree.
No ticks. No badge. No kudos..
Nicolee
08/07/2014 at 12:50 pm
Frosty nut #4 Miachel Teys will be under way across the English Channel by 3pm today . Here is his last blog before he enters the water. http://wp.me/p4keWw-22. Hopefully all can access it. Go Teys
Lips
08/07/2014 at 12:55 pm
Great blog Mary!
Dilemma indeed. I’m afraid I’ll have to prioritize Germany v Brazil tomorrow morning.
Can I still tick if I have a cold shower before 9am?
ros
08/07/2014 at 12:59 pm
Rainer: can you join Billy and Fifi for the 6am dark-dash to Shelly? Then you’ll be back in Manly in time for Germany vs Brazil. (Unless you get lost in the dark, of course). Just a thought.
Lips
08/07/2014 at 1:10 pm
Would love to Ros!
Alas, kick off is at 6am sharp. So even 6am swim would clash with the match.
Trust me, I checked all options. 9am cold shower is best I can do!!
Sarah Abbott
08/07/2014 at 1:17 pm
I’ll join you for a 6am dark-cold-dash with you Lips! I have a sparkly light…. can be back at whatever time you need to be back…. Maybe Lesley can join us for some ghostly blog-tarting!
Sarah Abbott
08/07/2014 at 1:19 pm
Our messages crossed…. how about a 5.30 am dark-freezing-dash! It might even count as a double at that time!!
Lips
08/07/2014 at 1:33 pm
Oh Sarah… what a sweet offer!
5:30am winter swim. Complete darkness. Which is great as we won’t see the cold wind chop from the fresh Northerly thats forecast.
Let me think.. no, thanks. 🙂
Simon
08/07/2014 at 1:45 pm
Hi
The black cashmere jumper is mine if anyone picked it up please call me on 0404805413
Simon
LSA
08/07/2014 at 1:51 pm
I’ll pop along on my bike to pick it up if it’s still there…..
LSA aka HKTQ
08/07/2014 at 2:11 pm
LUCKY!!!!!!!
will give it to you in the morning:)
Mary
08/07/2014 at 3:14 pm
She just joins us for the social interaction 🙂
Mary
08/07/2014 at 3:16 pm
That fish kept diving at the stingray then swimming around it! It was more strange fish behaviour.
Jane tells me that the fish I saw doing funny things at the point on Saturday were actually performing a courting ritual! I did think that might make a good topic for the blog – then I thought about that some more. . .
Nicolee
08/07/2014 at 3:53 pm
Teys can be followed on this
linkhttp://share.findmespot.com/shared/faces/viewspots.jsp?glId=0SxTy5DO5PbY4Epx5RsqsZrERxj5s9ItR
Lainey Loo aka E-laine
08/07/2014 at 4:01 pm
Great to see Mike Stacey back swimming, made my day!Lovely blog Mary. We’ve decided against a swim in The Thames after a newspaper report saying 5% of swimmers in a recent race got sick from the water.
Bootycampbuffman
08/07/2014 at 5:31 pm
You can do it Lainey loo ! just don’t drink it !
95% are okay.