24 Bold & Beautiful Swimmers successfully swam across the heads!
WE DID IT !!! 🙂
More details and photos later, Kelly said “we’re too busy drinking beers – cheers” 🙂
OK, here’s some photos to get you started from our awesome observer Christine Armour.
So the 24 Bold & Beautiful swimmers were:
Kelly Johnson, Paul Micheletti, James Goins, John Bond, Michael Christie, David Brocherie, Tony Box, Jan Davies, John Masters, Laurie Burgess, Nicholas Dowson, Jan Beacham, Mark Burgess, Bruce Baird, Simon Cowell, Ben Hutt, Barry Feyder, Richard Agius, Dunstan Bertschinger, Roberto Suares, Richard Murray, Iain McGregor, Denise Elder and Julie Isbill.
We all arrived at Quarantine Beach via slightly different methods but with one common goal firmly in sight: to swim across the heads ! Iain, Kelly, Jan B and Ben swam from Manly Cove, Richard M arrived via boat from the south side, the rest of us got the Quarantine shuttle bus down.
Murray Cox was there with Belinda Curly, Suanne Hunt, Paul Ellercamp and a couple of other friends. Murray was kindly accompanied by John Fallon on his yacht and a couple of Marine Rescue Sydney Coast Guards.
Dave Thomas from Eco Divers was there with camera in tow at both Quarantine Beach and Camp Cove getting some great shots of the start and finish, which he hopes to have available ready to go up on the website tomorrow. Can’t wait to see them Dave, thanks very much 🙂
Dave also chauffered across clothes and money for some of us, which was certainly hugely appreciated, thanks Dave !
Due to the popularity of the adventure and in order to meet the logistical needs the two groups separated slightly, with one of the Coast Guards very kindly accompanying the 24 Bold & Beautiful Swimmers. We were also safely shepherded by our super heroes and safety beacons Olly Rees and Christine Armour. It was awesome having both the big yellow Coast Guard boat and our ever faithful safety beacons out there alongside us the whole way – thanks guys !!!!
It was a truly magical swim, we stopped and re-grouped about 24 times, with each swimmer calling out their pre-allocated number: “1-24”.
The swell was huge ! Sometimes the heads were even out of sight as all we could see was the next wall of water gracefully rolling towards us, but my gosh, it was truly awe inspiring. To just lie back and take in the reality, we were all there together swimming across Sydney Harbour Heads !
We crossed the heads with big swell, clear water, beautiful plankton albeit some of it stingy – ouch, then as we reached Hornby Lighthouse, the water calmed and some swimmers started to race for shore – we made it ! We were greeted by some familiar faces, such as Dave Thomson, Jo Cowell – Simon’s wife, Dylan Rowland – Jan’s Beacham’s husband and two children and Iain’s parents which was lovely. We all congregated in the water for some great photos as we collectively reveled in our great achievement before going to the pub and getting the water taxi / ferry home.
You reckon that’s a first ??? It certainly was for the 24 of us, WE DID IT ! 🙂
One of the best mornings and most satisfying adventures – A REAL BEAUTY !
There will be plenty more photos up on the website later today and tomorrow.
What’s next guys ?????
31 comments
Michael [EX CI]
February 12, 2011 at 4:20 pm
What a great swim!! Lots of beautiful, warm, clear water with plankton down into the depths. Very similar to round North Head but without the bluebottles. Although we did have stingers like I’ve never seen before. Long strings of stuff floating free which sort of stung a bit like blue bottles!!
It was exciting and fun.
We’ve had a few real good adventure swims in the last few weeks: Round North Head, Curly and back for the 10k and now Across Sydney Heads. We’ll have to think of something good for next time. What’ll it be ????
John
February 12, 2011 at 5:33 pm
Thanks to Julie and all the other swimmers which made this
‘Across the Heads’ possible. Congratulations to all for completing the challenge despite the adversities which included consistent choppy seas,stingers and yachts. Some of us also scored a good deal with a water-taxi – thanks Iain. I enjoyed the celebratery beers at the Watsons Bay pub and at ManlyWharf. Hope to see you for the regular swim tomorrow.
John Macleay
February 12, 2011 at 5:35 pm
Congratulations – awesome stuff, I wish i was there
regards
John Macleay a TOSS and Tama SlSC swimmer
Ben
February 12, 2011 at 6:17 pm
Thanks to everyone involved (coastguards, vol. water safety, parents, friends and families), without whom this could not have been done. It was a great swim, thoroughly enjoyable, even if we did see a few species of jellies I’ve never seen before! Bring on the next adventure, and good luck to Murray continuing his! p.s. John, from an ex-TOSS swimmer, you should come along!
jan
February 12, 2011 at 6:25 pm
loved it, loved it, loved it.
thanks jules again x
Anna Alvsdotter
February 12, 2011 at 6:29 pm
Soooo glad you all survived. Phew! Am in awe of your achievement – very cool!!
Congratulations to all brave (and yes slightly crazy) participants. Well done.
Stephen
February 12, 2011 at 6:31 pm
Contests guys, wish I was there to be #25!
Little Tiger & Cub
February 12, 2011 at 6:35 pm
Well done to all those who crossed the Heads. Sounds like a real adventure. I travelled on the Manly ferry at lunch and there was quite a bit of rocking and rolling.
Jan Davies
February 12, 2011 at 6:53 pm
Thank you Julie, and to everyone else who supported us.
We did it together. It was worth the stings.
Richard Murray
February 12, 2011 at 7:11 pm
Nothing great is easy !
(said Matthew Webb, a breastroking pommie swimming pioneer)
Today’s swim was a great challenge
A little scary riding over in the boat from Watsons Bay to Manly and getting a good look at the wind and waves on the course before the swim
And the aforementioned big swell, losing sight of the landmarks, patches of unfamiliar stingers, DEEEP green water most of the way, and into a tide that was starting to turn against us the last little bit
Mentally that was a tough swim today
And that’s the way it should be
Well done and thanks B&B and all the friendly helpers for putting it all together
Regards Richard (Number 21)
Tacomajim
February 12, 2011 at 7:17 pm
Hey gang. Thanks very much for the opportunity of a lifetime. A bucket list day for me, for sure. I saw some serious cameras in action out there today, so we’ll surely be able to view some good stuff for sure, hopefully. Until then, here’s what I saw today. Were you there?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kyk3Ki5GXB0
Pacific Jules
February 12, 2011 at 9:29 pm
Awesome video James, love it, thank you so much.
Thank you to everyone who made today’s adventure such an amazing, wonderful experience for everyone.
Wonderful memories for us all 🙂
ToBe Tony B
February 13, 2011 at 12:40 am
Good to see all those heads at the Heads. It’s wonderful out there looking around, swimming like a fish with wings, sailing by. God loves all of its creation. Not one soul will be lost. Thanks Seven!
Simon
February 13, 2011 at 9:30 am
Hi Julie
It was great fun to cross the heads, something you would never do by yourself. I have some images of the Quarantine to Camp Cove swim not sure how to attach them here.
regard Simon
Nick
February 13, 2011 at 1:50 pm
Well Done to the brave 24 from number 11. Was a tough old swim, battling the southerly swell. It was amazing looking down into the calm clear blue abyss after struggling against the swell. Only a little tingle from the stingers and no sighting of anything toothy.. Thanks to Julie for keeping us all bunched and safe..
Indeed , what is next ? Might have to have a road trip..
kelly
February 13, 2011 at 2:42 pm
what can I say…. have read all your comments and totally agree with you all. thanks to jules and all the other like minded crazy people that swam “Across the heads” I think we have made history. !!!
This was not on my bucket list, but am very proud to have now ticked another box. Just one more to go in two weeks!!!
well done and cheers from number 1!!!!
James love the video!
Pacific Jules
February 13, 2011 at 3:23 pm
Some sensational photos of yesterday’s swim across the heads courtesy of Dave from ishootmermaids along with a few of my happy snaps are now up on the website: http://www.pacificjules.com.au/across-the-heads.html
Gaetan
February 14, 2011 at 6:44 am
Congratulations guys, so cool!!! As the ‘next swim’ suggestion, how about making it a return trip? 🙂
See you all in a week time!
Pacific Jules
February 14, 2011 at 1:04 pm
Hi Gaetan, good to hear from you. How about Palm Beach to Palm Beach, i.e. around Barrenjoey headland, about 4km… ?????
kelly
February 14, 2011 at 1:28 pm
sounds like a good swim…Count me in!!!
kelly
February 14, 2011 at 1:35 pm
OR lets go and see claire in good old Dubbo. B@B 7am swim in the Macquarie river?
Christine Armour
February 14, 2011 at 1:39 pm
Crazy as you were what fantastic photos. Wow and what a swell. I don’t think I have ever seen such wonderful photos. Didn’t you guys have fun 🙂
Christine Armour
February 14, 2011 at 1:40 pm
and count me in too. Nick says no more water safety for me. I am in.
Iain
February 14, 2011 at 3:28 pm
Why not Palm Beach to Patonga? AKA Sydney to Central Coast
Only 7km of fun and I’m pretty sure the Tiger Sharks stopped living up there when all the fish ran out.
Now that is a pub I would enjoy having a beer and some fish n chips at. I think i might be able to get some help from Palmy Surf Club as well.
Linda
February 14, 2011 at 3:56 pm
How about Manly Beach to Shelly and back?
Now I have heard that is a lovely swim!!!
Pacific Jules
February 14, 2011 at 5:57 pm
Gosh, now that’s a good idea Linda. Why on earth didn’t I think of that… ?? 🙂 xx
Pacific Jules
February 14, 2011 at 5:58 pm
Perfect, I agree, definitely your turn to be in the water 🙂
Pacific Jules
February 14, 2011 at 6:03 pm
Uhmm, I reckon that’s another one Iain, I like it. The best fish and chip shop is at Patonga, but with a wait that would see you catching your own fish. Maybe we place the order before we leave the sand at Barrenjoey.
How about around Barrenjoey first, then if we survive it, whoops sorry for the typo I meant like it, we can take on the connection to the Central Coast.
Iain
February 14, 2011 at 6:59 pm
Jules Jules Jules. It’s like a game of poker you need to raise the stakes not reduce the bet.
Now I lead with:
“I see your Barrenjoey Head Swim and raise you a swim to the Central Coast”
to this you were meant to respond:
“I take your Palmy to Patonga swim and raise you the Palm Beach to Manly Swim. Either as an individual swim or a team relay from Surf Club to Surf Club with each Surf Club participating to the next beach (might need to go to Shelley to include Manly SLSC).”
Of course a swim of this magnitude would demand a full time employed organizer who knew something about ocean swims. We would then have our Rottnest on the East Coast.
First sponsorship options to Solar Choice.
d.elder@mac.com
February 14, 2011 at 8:37 pm
Great adventure. Another one crossed off the list which seems to be growing and growing. Appreciation for the support crew, both on the water and on the land.
Den
jan
February 15, 2011 at 2:00 pm
saw a lovely bull shark in a recent trip to patonga…….