What a gorgeous Sunday morning! More than 150 of us thought it would be rude not to start such a beautiful day with an ocean swim. This is Lips reporting from beautiful Manly Beach.
The morning started as usual, with an apology from Lesbubbles. Via text message. Classic Lesbubbles.
But who needs Lesbubbles when you have a blog to fill with the Queen of Blog Tarting, the Hong Kong Triad Queen (HKTQ), Bold & Beautiful Royalty, Little Sarah Abbott (LSA)!
(that’s her, below, on the left..)
Yes, after camping out in Central Hong Kong for the past couple of months, Little Sarah and Jon were finally back in Manly.
Lots of hugging and kissing everywhere. Here LSA with lovely Margot from the Blue Mountains. Both had travelled far to join today’s 7am swim.
Did I mention Little Sarah was back today?
While we’re on the topic of long commutes.. two other swimmers that had travelled far to join us this morning – Lainey-Loo and Heather:
And here the same two ladies just a few hours earlier, at ‘some wild party’ in Palm Beach:
Be careful girls, you don’t want those photos ending up on the Internet!
Back to the actual swim. It all started off with the usual shenanigans around the surf club. Jeff in a particularly mischievous mood this morning..
Management, undeterred, taking new swimmers through the usual process – photo, fingerprints, blood and urine samples, etc.
The area started to fill with happy faces and beautiful smiles, which have become a trademark of our daily Bold & Beautiful ritual..
Say hi to Holly – I’m awarding her ‘smile of the day’. Despite tough competition:
The Manly Beach Running Club – having poached one of our finest swimmers, Page. Below in the middle with cap, making eye contact, looking guilty.
Back to the swim. At some stage, word spread of bluebottles in Cabbage Tree Bay. Andrew told tales of ‘bluebottles the size of horses, with tentacles of up to 20 meters’.
He even provided a drawing:
A motion was put foward to go North. Which, after brief negotiations with a halfway splinter group, was adopted unanimously.
Did I mention Little Sarah was back?
Someone must have tipped-off the press. The beach was buzzing with photographers..
Luckily, the photographers can’t follow you into the water. Well, except for the blog camera..
Isabell, 10, waiting for the Let’s Go..
‘Let’s Go!’
As the group gathers about half way to Queenscliff, Ros is successfully seduced into some blog tarting.
And we’re on our way back South..
Fifi looking confused. She had set off to Queenscliff earlier, with a small group of Frosty Nuts, unaware of the mass migration of 7am swimmers to follow her. Quote: ‘WTF?’
Luckily, she adapted quickly to the new situation, switching her mindset from ‘solitary queenscliff swim’ to ‘blog tarting exuberance’ in seconds..
On the topic of blog tarting.. Vanessa & Matt:
Elizabeth & Victoria:
No introduction needed for these good looking media tarts:
Peter x2:
Javier:
Even the Frosty Nuts were happy to pose.. Miles and Michael:
The Pirate:
Back at the benches, the post swim coffee scene was in full swing..
The South African table..
Ali’s sister joined us:
Simon and Richard (aka Garfunkel):
Classic Shaun:
Veena & Jon:
Did I mention Little Sarah was back?
No really, she was..
Meanwhile in Perth:
Important announcements:
Alright. That’s it swimmers. I have to run. Lots of scheming, ehm, catching up to do with Little Sarah.
Have a great Sunday!
Signing off, Lips
Today with HKTQ LSA & Lips selfie, beautifully photo bombed by FiFi & Vanessa.
Stats:
Swimmers: 150+
Swimmer Of The Day: John Cunningham
Newbs: Plenty
Water Temp: 18.5
Sunrise: 6:08am
Sunset: 7:11pm
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.
18 comments
margot
19/10/2014 at 1:09 pm
Good swim today, B & B. Even though I found the feng shui very different (scary)at the opposite end of the beach, I’m glad I did it. On the way back I saw a HUGE line-up of cars waiting to get off the motorway at Blacktown and queue up for Wet ‘n’ Wild, then queue up for rides, slides and goodness knows what. I know what I’d rather do for my watery fun. It was great to see everyone again. And nice to meet you, Sarah, even though I lost you straight away!
Simon
19/10/2014 at 1:10 pm
Lips
Why did you include such a brief mention of HKTQ LSA? We want more pictures and some juicy gossip.
Jane
19/10/2014 at 2:30 pm
Lips – did you really mean that Little Sarah is back?
LSA aka HKTQ
19/10/2014 at 2:32 pm
So lovely to be back for a jet-lagged, low-profile swim:-)) xxx
LSA aka HKTQ
19/10/2014 at 2:35 pm
Margot, you were just too speedy – once past the waves, Derek and I were watching you in front of us, racing with the A-team, so we could see you were fine:-)
roger
19/10/2014 at 2:59 pm
Fantastic stuff, Lips. Love it … Well done
🙂
ed
19/10/2014 at 3:46 pm
Great blog Lips
A change of course
Caught some waves
All fun
Gillian
19/10/2014 at 4:34 pm
I missed you all this morning. I headed in Margot’s direction for the first triathlon of the season. Not only is 750m only half a swim, but the Riff (Penrith Regatta Centre) just isn’t the same as Manly. Too warm, too un-salty, no fish, no pink caps. Lots of sweat and smiling faces though.
Alyson
19/10/2014 at 4:41 pm
Great job, so lovely to see everyone!
Lesbubbles
19/10/2014 at 5:46 pm
Fell asleep reading that
Elizabeth
19/10/2014 at 6:01 pm
Fabulous blog Rainer. Makes up for not being there almost. You had a hard job picking best smile but you made a good choice. Welcome back Jon and Sarah!
Dancing Roz
19/10/2014 at 7:07 pm
Blogaliscious!
Emma S
19/10/2014 at 8:31 pm
didn’t feel right swimming backwards….. in the wrong direction …. but as always, so fabulous to be with everyone. Thanks Ed for keeping me company as we headed back early…
Ian, why do I have an ice cream next to my picture??
See you next weekend!
Suzie P
19/10/2014 at 9:50 pm
Such a happy blog, love it!!! And go Dad for getting two pics on today.. Legend.
Elizabeth X
19/10/2014 at 11:33 pm
Emma that would be because you swam without a wetsuit.
Another awesome blog from Rainer. Did you say someone was back Rainer? Who would that have been?
Elaine de Jager
20/10/2014 at 4:59 am
Amazing blog Lips! Oh no I left my Madame Lash party photos on the camera!
Fifi the Schwimmenfrau
20/10/2014 at 9:50 am
ha ha, what a brilliant blog, very entertaining!
Fifi
20/10/2014 at 9:51 am
That is because Rainer is going to buy you an ice cream. Just let him know your favourite kind.