27/08/2019 – Stumpy and Freckles

I was stuck for a blog title today so have named it after the stumpy tailed Ray and Grey Nurse Shark that have made Cabbage Tree Bay their home the last few weeks!

Excitement at the swim this week with the presence of not one but at least 2 Grey Nurse Sharks! A few of us saw swam with the small one on Monday at around 7.20am. We found later Ted and Kerry were swimming with a bigger one the other side of the bay at the same time. Ted said that he even saw the shark breach the water!

I only heard of one person seeing the Grey Nurse today but lots of other sea life to be seen!

It was a beautiful morning with sunrise at 6.20am

The Drinks Express

Ironman and world surf swimming champ Craig Riddington was down this morning handing out flyers for his ocean swimming/surf entry classes starting soon on Friday mornings.

A few champs in the pic above too. David Ingram is sporting his 40 year old wetsuit!

It was pretty flat with the odd small wave to wake you up. It was 16.9 but felt colder to me! Around 150 of us today altogether with 3 newbies!

Brian said, ‘Get the best looking chaps on the blog!'(He meant himself and JK!)

Mel and Jill have just finished their 6.30am swim and cross over with the 7amers.

Gunnar and Helsy. Helsy’s first year of winter swimming and she’s up to about 34 without a wettie. Well done!

Lots of beautiful Gropers around today. Shane thinks they’re getting bigger. They can live to 70 years so they would be.

This huge ray with the stumpy tail has been hanging around for a while but usually just lies on the ocean floor. Has anyone seen him swim?

The smaller of the two Grey Nurse Sharks sighted in the bay. 

These two were taken Monday closer to Shelly Beach.

Click on the short video below to see him/her swimming!

https://www.facebook.com/elaine.dejager/videos/10212355386433719/

According to the net…Grey Nurse Sharks on the East Coast of Australia are critically endangered. A Mac Uni study mapping the eastern Australian grey nurse shark population has found it has declined rapidly over the last few decades, with only 400 breeding sharks left, too few to maintain a healthy population.Their liver oil was used to fuel the lamps that illuminated Sydney streets during the early 1900s, and during the ’60s and ’70s divers wielding spears with exploding tips actively hunted these sharks for sport. Their aggregating behavior made them easy targets, which eventually led to a major population decline.

By 1984 they were deemed on the brink of extinction in NSW, and declared critically endangered – the first shark to be granted protected status in the world.

and more info re Grey Nurse Sharks https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grey_nurse_shark_conservation

This Moray Eel was more frightening than the Grey Nurse! I encountered him swimming yesterday around the point.

Great to see the odd Cuttlefish are still around…

Lots of Port Jackson sightings to be seen by all!

Another rushed job today as scootering off to work. I did want to put a photo in of amazing B&B swimmer Pierre Lord who has just swam the North Channel from Ireland to Scotland! 

SOCIAL NOTES

The Monthly Dinner – 10^th September 2019 – Guest Speaker

 

Next B&B monthly dinner:

Tuesday 10th September at 6.30 pm

at Bluewater Restaurant

Our guest on the night will be Emily Kempson

Australia’s 2019 Ultraman Female Champion.

 

After suffering a fractured sacrum in the lead up to the 2018 event, Emily managed to overcome her injury and win the 2019 Female Ultraman title. This was no mean feat, as the event is conducted over 3 days and includes a 10 km swim, 421 km bike ride and a double marathon (84.3 km). Emily will talk about why she was attracted to the event, what her lead up training was like, the number of people who helped her in the race and their roles (it takes a village), her nutrition during the event and recovery each day, how she kept focus, dealing with injury and disappointment to come back stronger and what’s next.

Please book early for this event as it is sure to be popular.

The cost of the dinner is great value at only $25 a head

which includes shared entrees, and a selection of mains to choose from (including a vegetarian option).

Glasses of beer or wine and desserts are also available at the special price of only $5 each.

Numbers are limited, so bookings are essential.

To avoid disappointment and secure your spot please book at:

 www.boldandbeautifulmanly.com.au/bb-bluewater-monthly-dinner.html     

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2019 Winter Badge Ceremony – Sunday 22^nd September

You’ve done the hard yards and earned your Winter Badge(s), now come and collect your badges with all the pomp and ceremony the B&B can muster.

Bring along $10 for each badge you have earned (correct money appreciated).

The venue is the Royal Far West Centre (Wentworth Avenue, Manly) on Sunday 22^nd September, straight after the regular swim! Everyone is welcome, family, friends and swimmers alike.

A $5 donation will be payable to the RFW at the gate for hosting this event, and …. RFW will provide a FREE breakfast (sausage sandwich and a coffee/tea).

Bookings are essential to ensure there is enough food.  Book here for Badge Ceremony.

All 2019 winter badge qualifiers will be presented with their well-earned badge(s), so whether you are getting one personally or you want to enjoy the celebrations of your fellow swimmers, a great morning is guaranteed, so come along, soak up the atmosphere and get inspired for the upcoming summer badges.

In conjunction with the badge ceremony, Royal Far West will be holding a raffle with great prizes, so don’t forget to bring along extra money for the raffle (credit card payment facilities will be available for the raffle).