09/03/2021 – A Banana, a Lime, a Fat Dusky and The Willy Dolphins

I love asking swimmers about their swim as they come out of the ocean alive and invigorated. I also have to say “What did you see?” The first swimmers I asked surprised me as they delved inside their cossies and pulled out pieces of fruit! “A banana’ said Lesbubbles and Fiona’s response was “a lime … and a fat Dusky!”(No comments about Lesbubbles’s banana please folks it’s a family blog ;-)) My Dusky wasn’t very fat but he was a decent size for a juvenile.

Stunning start to the day with first light at 6.25 and sunrise 6.51am. I opted for pre-swim yoga with Jen and Sally, was wonderful!

Then it was a treat to see Sophie and her fiance Pete with gate-crasher Anthon 😉

Followed by Cath and her boyfriend who she introduced as ‘Crackers’! Hope you had a lovely swim Cath and Crackers.

The ‘Merpeople’ about to set off for their swim

Helen’s daughter Natasha is now becoming addicted to our swim too so her Mum tells me!

It’s Penny’s birthday today. There really is no better way to start off a birthday than by bringing your nearest and dearest down for a splash and swim!

Larry, Roz, Rick and David wanted to cuddle up but I had to split them up!

Tony introduced his friend as Magic Mike…

I met a lovely newbie called Elle this morning. She’s only swam with us a few times but was said how she feels blessed to have discovered this amazing swim group. Hope you make it a regular habit Elle as it’s certainly enhanced so many of our lives.

Lauren loved how beautiful the light was this morning as it reflected on the water. Charlotte loved how the fish were up quite high feeding on debris and salp today!

Then a t.shirt grabbed my attention…Willy Dolphins! These guys have come to swim with us from Williamstown, Melbourne and call themselves The Willy Dolphins! Below is some info, their leader Danny, sent me!

The Willy Dolphins are a group of swimmers from Williamstown (Willy) in Melbourne. They are a loose group that swim all year round at Willy, wetsuit free.

They have just finished a 5 day stint at Manly swimming 20km+. “A lot warmer than Melbourne”,  Graeme aka Coke commented, this being his first swim with the Bold and the Beautiful.

Covid lockdown in Melbourne meant spending even more time in the 9 degree Willy water over 2020 winter, hence their ‘winter miles, summer smiles’ t-shirts. Lockdown also meant they couldn’t make it to Manly for their annual swim and drink session in October 2020. So this is the 2020 catch-up Manly trip. A reward for the Winter miles.

They have come up to Manly annually now for the last 6 years to swim with the ‘Bold and Beautiful’. This trip also coincided with Dolphin team member Andy Featherston’s aka ‘Chop’ birthday. Chop first swam at Manly in 1996 and it was in his recommendation that the Willy Dolphins head to Manly for a break from the cold.

They will be back in Manly this October for more training.

The Willy Dolphins on this trip, Andy, Bob, Tom, Danny, Graeme. (Absent: M. Harwood)

The water was clearer today than the last 2 days but the photos below are from last week when it was aquarium conditions. So excting that the Duskies are back, Cuttlefish starting to come out of their lairs and Turtles are about!

So awesome swimming with this Turtle last Wednesday and Thursday!

Water still warm, 23.3! Have a great day folks and keep swimming! If you’re feeling low…get your body down to the swim and your mind will follow!

lots of love

Lainey