119 lucky people swam across Cabbage Tree Bay this morning in pink caps. July used to be the best time to escape Sydney and have a holiday somewhere warmer. Not this year, with water temps over 18 degrees, lots of sunshine and air temp reaching 23 degrees today. Manly is the place to be. And a 7am swim is the best way to start off any day….Especially with this all inclusive, friendly, warm and welcoming group! The title today came courtesy of Andrew Drinkwater…Our swim is so many different things… but it is definitely the BEST medicine!
This morning started off a cracker of a day…Here are some of the 6.30am early lappers getting in the quick swim before work.
The 7am swimmers meet under a gorgeous pink sky, this THURSDAY morning!
This is a photo of Todd’s bulldog wearing a pink cap. He’s named after a famous surfer called something like Tuiwaka (not Toohey as I’ve been calling him, after the beer!)
Breathtaking Manly…
Sunrise on 6.55am as the LSA/Lips slow but steady crew head off.
Love the reflections as we head in for our daily dose of vitamin sea…
The water temp has gone up a degree since last week
But still a few shrieks as the first little wave hits.
Yay!
These two lovely people are like the new Jules and Michael. They do such a lot behind the scenes to keep this amazing group going. Thank you so much Ian and Lesley aka Lesbutt, Leswee or Lesbubbles. We really do appreciate all you do.
Always lots of smiles as we wait at The Point.
Krystina, Jill and Ros blog tarting again 😉
At Shelly, Libby, Chris and Sue point out a flathead. Look at that camouflage!
Robert does the ‘Let’s Go’ this morning. Good on ya Robert!
The water is so clear today and on the way back a lot of us look out a bit more for marine life. Stephen gets up close (not too close) with a Port Jackson.
And there are cuttlefish around again!
The cuttlefish we have been seeing lately are amazing creatures. They aren’t fish at all but ‘cephalopod’ related to octopus and squid. They have 3 hearts and green blood and are able to change colour in a flash!
Another PJ…
Great visibility over the rocks near the shed.
And a catfish coming back off the Point.
Yesterday I dove down deep to get a photo of the old wives and realised there were 2 puffer fish with them, cool ey?
These lovely ladies in their matching suits look like they have had the swim of their lives and it really was a good one. No stingers, no dangerous surf, just calm, clear water and heaps of fascinating creatures to see, above and below the water!
More gorgeous gals against the backdrop of beautiful Manly Beach sparkling in mid Winter
And when you’ve swam without a wetsuit (or even with in winter) we all look forward to our bottle of hot water and savour every last drop! Hands off LSA!
Great photo courtesy of Stephen of our new emerging blog tart Cathy!
So another ahhhmazing swim guaranteed to boost that circulation and immune system, get you ready to tackle the day ahead with energy and vitality and most importantly put that smile on your face!
Get your Ball ticket quick!
Themed as The Great Gatsby with a Touch of Pink, enjoy a night out with your fellow swimmers at the cinematic home of Jay Gatsby, the old St Patrick’s Seminary in Manly (now the International College of Management).
Be transported back to the 1920’s with the theme of The Great Gatsby with a touch of Pink. You will enjoy a night of fun and entertainment for $85, which includes a 3 course meal and drinks throughout the night.
Tickets are very limited so head to: https://bnbball.arrangemyseat.com/ to book your ticket.
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.
Signing off, your Thursday blogger
Lainey Loo aka E-laine
The Stats
Regulars: 119 (early lappers 15)
Temp: 18.5 degrees
Air Temp 16.0 degrees!
Sunrise: 6.55am
Sunset: 5.06pm
37 comments
Nick D
18/07/2013 at 11:19 am
Very nice Elaine – What a great swim this morning! Think I’ll come again tomorrow!
Michael [EX CI]
18/07/2013 at 11:38 am
Beautiful blog Lainey-Loo!
‘Twas a great swim in Fremantle this morning also. However air temperature was 3c and the water was 16.5c. I think we’re tougher over here.
Rusty
18/07/2013 at 11:50 am
Great blog Lainey
I always feel amazing and invigorated after our swims. Then I go into work and annoy everyone by being extremely chipper.
Love it.
Marije
18/07/2013 at 11:51 am
Such à great swim this morning! Beautiful
Photos. Going to send the link of the blog to my family and friends in Holland so they can all see how lucky I am to live here :).
lesbubbles
18/07/2013 at 12:08 pm
Bl*8dy ‘ell – You got Rusty to comment AND Michael!!!!!
Love Toni and LSA pic! good fun!
Lips
18/07/2013 at 12:21 pm
Great blog Lainey! Beautiful swim! What a treat..
Great fish photos. Best one has to be Cathy’s underwater shot though. Well done Stephen!
Talking of quality photos and writing:
I can also highly recommend yesterday’s blog. Check it out if you haven’t done yet. Lesley experimented with a new layout and, as always, sprinkled it with her trademark ‘out-there’ sense of humour. Another masterpiece of a blog. She loves comments too, so dont be shy!
PS: For the record, LSA, Marije and I head off at 6:59am, not 6:55 as stated above.
Nicolee
18/07/2013 at 12:41 pm
Stephen, that is such a top shot of Cathy, what a great model 🙂
fifi
18/07/2013 at 12:56 pm
wow, that was a very picturesque blog post today Elaine. Well done.
I was wondering if Joy, Cathy, Jon or John from the Numbfish table could email me? Click my name and the email appears. Thanks.
Little Sarah aka LSA aka HKTQ
18/07/2013 at 12:57 pm
Incredible! To watch these Bloggers work at the brekkie table with chatter all around, brekkie to eat, non-stop distractions AND still produce a masterpiece is amazing:-))
Love all the shots…..and all your witty comments too:-)
Conditions are stunning at the moment…..
Little Sarah aka LSA aka HKTQ
18/07/2013 at 12:57 pm
How were your toes at brekkie afterwards?
Little Sarah aka LSA aka HKTQ
18/07/2013 at 1:01 pm
I think it should be 6.57 as a compromise between the time we need to leave to be well clear of the Peloton at the Point and the time you like to leave after signing all those autographs!
lesbubbles
18/07/2013 at 1:43 pm
yeah I agree – beautiful photo!!
lesbubbles
18/07/2013 at 1:46 pm
10th photo down – sun and little splash is going to be my new Desktop photo! brilliant!
lesbubbles
18/07/2013 at 1:50 pm
Elaine – the puffer fish are called (4 barbed)Porcupine fish although I think they do Puff too! I saw one as well – they are so cute – but haven’t seen 2 together before!
lesbubbles
18/07/2013 at 1:50 pm
yeah yeah whatever – too late!
Jane
18/07/2013 at 1:56 pm
Attracta, don’t know whether you were there this morning – I was going to show you some pics to try and ID the beautiful fish you saw – but this is better still. Go to:
http://australianmuseum.net.au/Pennantfish-Alectis-ciliaris-Bloch-1787/
Is this it? There are 2 others a bit similar; I’ll try and get a link to them.
Stephen Coulter
18/07/2013 at 2:14 pm
Great blog Lainey, getting all the comments you deserve. I think there were pent up comments after yesterday’s disappointment!
Stephen Coulter
18/07/2013 at 2:15 pm
Jane, can you submit the Cathfish photo to the Museum?
John S
18/07/2013 at 2:22 pm
Chatting to Robbie (Mondays mostly ok Irish blogger) last night as NSW lost yet again, made me rethink, re-assess and re-appreciate how much time is put in by the many people including, Les.B, Ian, JK, John B, all the regular and fill-in bloggers and everyone else that donate selflessly their valuable time, $ and energy at various times and functions for the benefit of others within the pink caps.
These people are very generous with the one limited resource we all have – time. Get behind them and support them, say thank you to one of em tomorrow.
Remember they are all volunteers, not paid!
And we are all really, really lucky to have them to sort and organise for us (cause we don’t), in their various capacities, a thing that we all love – swimming in the ocean with an extremely inclusive and (I find) understanding group.
Thank you
Jane
18/07/2013 at 2:26 pm
Ackshally Lesbubbles, they are Threebar Porcupinefish (Dicotylichthys punctulatus), referring to the 3 black bars across the body (but you weren’t far wrong).
And yes, they are in the same family as Pufferfishes – the Tetraodontidae.
See http://australianmuseum.net.au/movie/Threebar-Porcupinefish-Dicotylichthys-punctulatus/
and http://australianmuseum.net.au/image/Threebar-Porcupinefish-Dicotylichthys-punctulatus/
Jane
18/07/2013 at 2:28 pm
Well why not? Mark always appreciates a joke – and it is certainly a beautiful mermaid!
Slow Ian
18/07/2013 at 2:29 pm
I think the 11th one will be my new desktop.
Lainey
18/07/2013 at 2:38 pm
Thank you all for your encouraging, supportive and lovely comments. It makes a huge difference when you are giving up time and money (if you knock back work) to do the blogs, to have comments so you know swimmers are reading and appreciating them. And if you don’t usually comment please do!
Lesley does such a lot, always filling in to do attendance if Ian can’t and overseeing the blogs as well as her own.
I love doing the blog though and enjoy the experience of the swim even more on Thursdays as I try and capture the magic of the morning!
This group is simply amazing. Most people know that we have recently found out Ted has prostate cancer and if it wasn’t for the swims and amazing people, we both would have sunk into depression by now. So thank you to the wonderful B&B family xx
John
18/07/2013 at 2:44 pm
Considering the pleasant conditions you had this morning I hope you did a ‘double’.
Ros(-e)
18/07/2013 at 3:01 pm
Lainey your photos capture the beauty of the morning, and the fun of the swim is so visible. Some of the fish pictures are amazing – you’d hardly think they are UNDER the water, they are so clear. Cathyfish is gorgeous!
Alyson
18/07/2013 at 3:01 pm
Two very important people made two very valuable comments on the Wednesday blog…. Personally I thought that was rather dapper! 😉
Alyson
18/07/2013 at 3:04 pm
Baha and from the photos above Stephen I think it’s fair to say Lesley isn’t the only one that needs to be watched for those underwater diving shots!
John
18/07/2013 at 3:10 pm
A great swim this morning. It doesn’t get much better for the middle of winter.
A top blog Elaine,with great photos including the
magnificent sunrise.
lesbubbles
18/07/2013 at 3:21 pm
hehe
lesbubbles
18/07/2013 at 3:22 pm
yeah Alyson!!
Little Sarah aka LSA aka HKTQ
18/07/2013 at 3:31 pm
…with the well-deserved comments!
Cathfish
18/07/2013 at 4:25 pm
I’ve just looked at the blog and the comments!! Very funny!!! Thanks to all the bloggers – I agree it’s a huge job and takes a lot of time and effort. I hope they don’t give me a latin name at the OzMus!!
Jane
18/07/2013 at 5:29 pm
…..and he liked it!
Michael [EX CI]
18/07/2013 at 6:42 pm
Naturally! What else?
Lindsay, Richard, and Stephanie.
18/07/2013 at 6:55 pm
Another super blog (as, indeed, it is every day). Makes me feel that I’m not missing out on the days that I can’t make it 🙂
Thanks to all of the crew who keep B and B going strong – your hard work is much appreciated!
Nicola
18/07/2013 at 7:00 pm
Hi Guys,
Have booked two tickets for the Ball for my partner Stephen and myself however we are at present having to sit at different tables…any two single people willing to swap tables or anyone one person from Southern Rights or Sting Rays prepared to swap as there is one single seat on each of these tables..if not..we will just mingle :-)please call Nicola Scotcher 0406970622
P.S There are also single seats on Dolphins, Nudibranch, Jimbles and Lion Fish…so if anyone there could swap a seat…would be great, Nicola
Robster
18/07/2013 at 9:32 pm
Thanks John S, but I actually have outsourced my Monday blog to Chennai in India and haven’t done a blog myself in five months.
Dipta and her team do an excellent job every Monday and their five day prep work