Over 200 Bold & Beautiful swimmers gathered to celebrate the full and successful life of Bruce Paterson, 1929-2012.
The morning was absolutely spectacular and just as Bruce would have wished with a record winter turnout, with hundreds of swimmers and spectators from all parts of his life coming together to farewell him. A guy who lived his life to the full and touched the lives of so many people in many different ways, from his love of drawing to music, bush regeneration, bush walking, cycling, running, swimming and much much more.
The conditions were absolutely perfect, starting with a beautifully atmospheric sunrise across our calm peaceful ocean albeit it with it’s fresh winter’s touch.
Margo, Bruce’s daughter, dressed in Bruce’s wetsuit, paddled out first with Bruce’s ashes and a couple of wreaths to share.
The hundred’s of B&B swimmers then swam out forming a circle just off the point so all the non-swimmers could join in along the rocks and walkway too.
Thank you to James for these first four lovely photos.
Then as per Bruce’s wish we all, both in and out of the water, sang two verses of Gracie Fields “Wish Me Luck As You Wave Me Goodbye” as Margo scattered his ashes amongst us.
Gotta love the innovation, Bruce would be proud, with Nicolee reading the words of the song from her flipper whilst others were reading from Margo’s laminated cards 🙂
Followed by three big cheers for Bruce before we all swam over to Shelly and back.
A lovely collection of photos of the ceremonial swim as it proceeded, courtesy of Tim from Manly Surf Co.
We weren’t alone either as there were 4 whales breaching off the Bower as we swam across and a flock of black cockatoos flying above just as we arrived back to Manly Beach, very special !
We then all came together for a fantastic breakfast at Whitewater where the staff, coffee and food was fantastic, thank you very much !
It was an all round beautiful ceremony, thank you all so much for coming down, embracing the morning and making today a special occasion for all of Bruce’s family and friends.
Thank you to all the people who joined in on craft too, helping to ensure that everyone had a pleasant morning.
We will have plenty more great footage to follow as Murray from Sprout Daily was in the water with us and Monique kindly took a video of the ceremony from her board with Kell’s Go Pro Video from Global Surf Industries. We will put the video together with some stills and a sound track and share it with you all via a link on the blog in a couple of days.
Some photos are already up on the Manly Daily website too which you can view here
Rest and swim in peace Bruce xx
In any other business…
- The 24 hour Mega Swim for multiple sclerosis comes to a close today at midday. Congratulations to everyone who swam, and thank you to all the generous sponsors.
- News just in from Nix… Roger completed the Manhattan Island swim successfully in just over 8 hours !! Fantastic, very well done 🙂
Water Temperature 15.5
Air Temperature 6.0
Sunrise 7.01am
Sunset 4.55pm
High Tide: 11.31am
Low Tide: 5.09pm
16 comments
Gaetan
24/06/2012 at 12:14 pm
Very touching ceremony! Great photos, great people, great song, great atmosphere, great organisation, and not so great … water temperature :-))
Cheerio Bruce, here you go, on your way….
Michael [EX CI]
24/06/2012 at 12:17 pm
A beautiful day and a beautiful ceremony.
Tomorrow will be just as beautiful a day. No swell, sunny and very little breeze. I won’t say anything about the water temperature except it surely can’t go any further down?
Anna Alvsdotter
24/06/2012 at 12:36 pm
Well said Gaetan. What a fantastic send-off, so beautiful and very befitting of Bruce. He would have loved the whole thing (except perhaps for my out-of-tune singing)
All the best to Margo and all of Bruce’s family.
xx
PS. Thank you for a great blog Julie.
margo
24/06/2012 at 1:13 pm
a very personal thank you to everyone who turned out this morning and to say goodbye to my dad. he certainly knew how to pick good people as friends and i know he regarded many of you as ‘family’. this morning was everything he would have wanted it to be and i thank you all for enriching his soul, sharing his inspiration, becoming such a big part of his life and giving him such happiness.
Elaine de Jager
24/06/2012 at 2:16 pm
Michelle, Jenny and I were ‘counting our blessings’ today at breakfast to have discovered such a wonderful activity/drama to experience with such a lovely group of people in the most beautiful place on Earth.
It enriched Bruce’s life in his last years and what a fantastic way to send off such an inspiring, humble, gentle man today.
Thank you Julie, Michael and everyone who puts in ‘work behind the scenes’. So lovely to see so many of Bruce’s family too and what lovely words Margo. Bruce will always be remembered xx
Paige
24/06/2012 at 2:19 pm
I didn’t know Bruce personally but he must have been one awesome guy to have a send-off like this morning! What a great feeling out on the water and it made me happy to sing Bruce’s song and send him on his way with a smile!
Jenny Holmes
24/06/2012 at 2:31 pm
What a spectacular morning – absolutely perfect, almost heaven sent… Lovely to be able to make Bruce’s wish come true with family, friends and us. A very special day remebering a very special guy.
Thanks to you Julie for wonderful organisation – and breakfast was extremely yummy too!
Sherieli
24/06/2012 at 3:10 pm
What an amazing send off for a truly amazing man.
You will be missed dearly Bruce, but you will be forever with us during our swims with B&B.
Swim in peace Bruce xx
John
24/06/2012 at 3:39 pm
A beautiful ceremony set against perfect winter conditions. A wonderful turnout by swimmers and those on sea craft. Rest in peace Bruce.
Little Tiger
24/06/2012 at 4:12 pm
One perfect day in Manly. Lovely to share with Bruce’s family & friends.
Well done Nicole & Roger. Hearty congratulations!!!!
Fabulous effort by the 24hr Mega swimmers.
Photos as usual are amazing, so very beautiful.
Gaetan
24/06/2012 at 5:09 pm
Seems like everyone was out to celebrate Bruce today, I was at the Bower in the afternoon and there were dolphins right there as well as probably a dozen of whales further out!
Michael [EX CI]
24/06/2012 at 5:25 pm
I hope you booked a couple to swim with us tomorrow Gaetan.
Tacomajim
24/06/2012 at 5:45 pm
Over 200 swimmers breaking into song whilst bobbing in 15.5C seas in the dead of winter, before sunrise.
Takes a special reason, and a special group.
Well done, people.
Rest in Peace, Bruce
Little Sarah Abbott
24/06/2012 at 8:24 pm
So glad to be back for the very special occasion. Margo, he gave us all a lot of joy and happiness too. Please come and join this lovely ‘family’ again! You were very bold and beautiful this morning:-)
Irish Liz
25/06/2012 at 5:45 am
Sounds like a beautiful morning. Lovely to be able to keep in touch with B&B even if I’m not there 🙂
Rest in Peace Bruce xx
Deb
25/06/2012 at 9:47 am
A beautiful send off for a truly beautiful and amazing man!