IMPORTANT MESSAGE – Due to The Cole Classic Swim at Manly on SUNDAY we will swim in the Harbour instead. Please walk to the end of Ashburner Street and we will all meet together there and swim to the ‘Toilet Roll’ building and back! Don’t leave your stuff at The Surf Club!
Here we are this morning showing our support for the protest against shark culling in WA!
Another gorgeous morning with water temp and air temp both on 20 degrees. We were joined by a Great White Shark today. Sharnie and friends came down to spread the word about the peaceful protest against the illegal shark culling happening in Perth. Judging by the numbers joining in most of us are totally against this. The protest is at 11am Saturday on Manly beachfront. Please come down and show support.
Lesley shows us how much she loves sharks. Like many of us, she has battled a fear of sharks to do this swim but knows that we are swimming in their habitat and according to statistics we are more likely to suffer a fatality through an encounter with a vending machine, cow, icycle or hot dog than a shark!
All supporters AGAINST shark culling in WA gather on the beach before the swim.
There was a beautiful sunrise again today, of course, it’s a Thursday 😉
The ocean was a little choppy again today, not as bad as yesterday, so only 2 swimmers did the Bolderdash. Loads of you did The Drinks Express at 6.30am. I counted about 38!
Most people embraced the challenge and went through the surf. If you are a bit unsure buddy up with someone and read the surf tips at the end of the blog. It’s great fun once you are used to it!
We gather together at The Point quite well this morning and wait for the last pink hat to get through the surf before the ‘Let’s Go.’ There’s a feeling of achievement after all that ducking and diving. Cam, Sam and Jam (Jules) are happy to be swimming!
And it’s a bumpy, lumpy swim to Shelly!
I come across a strange, crazy looking creature as I cross the bay…To some he could be far more scary than a shark… with those glinting eyes, bulging jimble-eaten lips and weird accent. It’s Rainer or ‘Lips’ waiting to accost the day’s blogger and get his photo taken!
Another photo of you all at Shelly. Dave Thomas from Eco Divers is taking some too. Check out the website:
Sparkles and Lesbubbles share a morning hug before the swim back.
Liz and Anita loved coming back in through the surf! The waves weren’t dumping so there was lots of wave catching and frolicking in the whitewater!
Attracta and Jenny also love these conditions! (Not sure who the lovely ladies are in the photo inbetween!)
And Chris Taylor loves ANY conditions! He is loving living in Manly and swimming with the B&B and we love having him here!
Post swim cuddles with babies…
and dogs! (Storchy said, ‘Don’t say anything about his ar*#e and my face!’)
And a couple of photos of some of the sharks we love and often swim with at Cabbage Tree Bay. Port Jacksons I caught in a loving embrace…
Amazing wobbegong sharks who regularly swim below us…
And the graceful dusky whalers who we haven’t seen around so much this Summer but who do swim regularly in harmony with us …
Bottom of Blog..
Red Cap Swim!
Bold & Beautiful – turning red for Feb!
February is Heart Research Month, which is a great cause for us to support! So as a team we are going to attempt to swim 6,000 kilometres during February and aim to raise one dollar per kilometre swum for the RedFeb Relay. Now because we have signed on as the first community partner and pledged so many kilometres the Heart Research Australia team have managed to get our ugly mugs on Breakfast TV! We have tentatively scheduled the TV crew (with Dr Andrew Rochford) to follow our swim on Monday 3rd February (at the start of Heart Research Month), so please try to be there on that day. We will have new RED caps to wear just for the day BUT we all need to share this link (here) and get our friends and family to pledge some money towards heart research before then otherwise when asked the question on live TV of how much money we have raised we won’t be embarrassed!
P.S. If any of you have any connection with heart disease and would like to share your story I can put you in touch with the Communications Manager at Heart Research Australia, she would love to hear from you.
B&B Monthly Dinner is back! – WITH SPECIAL GUEST SPEAKER!
Our regular monthly dinner is held at Bluewater Restaurant Manly every second Tuesday – This month’s dinner will be on Tuesday 11th February at 6.30 pm. The cost is only $20 a head and includes shared entrees, a selection of mains to choose (incl a vegetarian option), corkage (for byo wine only) and a little thank you for the staff. 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 secure your spot please BOOK HERE NOW,
This event will sell out, so please book ASAP to avoid disappointment.
GUEST SPEAKER will be Belinda Curley, a Marine Ecologist based at the Sydney Institute of Marine Science at Chowder Bay. Much of Belinda’s research has been concentrated in our very own Cabbage Tree Bay. Belinda will present a short talk at the dinner about the importance of marine reserves for conservation, and will highlight the ‘four seasons of marine organisms in Cabbage Tree Bay’ – what we know about the creatures that live there, including dusky whalers, tropical and temperate fish recruits, jellyfish, port jackson sharks, giant cuttlefish and more.
B&B i-log
Now that the new work year has kicked in, save time and be ever so efficient, by using the B&B i-log. It’s a smart phone friendly website so no need to download, just bookmark it. There are so many good reasons to use the B&B Login – like no queues, no need for glasses to find your name, never missing the 7am call, and you can do it on the bus or ferry on the way to work.
Log your swim ANYTIME that day for an easy way to ensure your swim is recorded in the daily attendance and on the Pacific Challenge. To get started, send an email to Ian Forster (ugoboyo@gmail.com). He will check that your email address is activated on the attendance register then send you info on how to get started
Summer badge swims
Every Saturday during summer there will be a 6km swim – usual route is to Freshwater and back; then once a month there is a 10km swim – this is to South Curl Curl and back. However, the final route depends on conditions that day so it is a good idea to arrive a little early to have a briefing from the designated swim leader. Both swims kick off at 7am.
The proposed date for the next 10km swim is 15 February depending on conditions. This date will depend on final confirmation of local surf carnivals so keep checking the blog for updates.
Bolderdash
This daily swim to Queenscliff and back DEPARTS the surf club at 5.50am. As these are generally intimate groups, please WAIT for everyone in the water before heading off. Do buddy up with someone – great to be with someone who has the same pace – that way everyone is ‘accounted for’ at Queenscliff.
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.
The Stats
Regulars: 146
Newbies: 6
Water Temp: 20.8
Signing off
Lainey Loo aka Elaine (with Slim Dusky)
17 comments
Bill McCaffeine
30/01/2014 at 11:57 am
Great blog Elaine, as always.
And Storchy’s face is better looking than any dog’s a*se …
Love the fact we are talking sense about sharks, the Ocean needs them and we need the Ocean.
Lindsay
30/01/2014 at 12:58 pm
Hooray for sharks, although wouldn’t be keen to come face to face with a great white…. Hopefully those in WA will see sense.
Great blog as usual Lainey.
Lips
30/01/2014 at 12:59 pm
Great blog Lainey.
On shark attacks.. let’s put this in perspective. Statistically, you’re more likely to be attacked by a cougar around the Manly Boatshed on a Saturday night. Fact.
Cougar nets along the Corso have proven rather ineffective, and yet, no-one in his right mind would propose culling cougars to protect single young men on the northern beaches.
Ocean Cougar
30/01/2014 at 1:14 pm
Lips, get your facts straight buddy. Cougars do NOT discriminate on the basis of marital status: cougars hunt both single AND married men. Neither offers much resistance when attacked.
Lips
30/01/2014 at 1:40 pm
Wow. I honestly didn’t know that. Thanks for correction.
lesbubbles
30/01/2014 at 2:11 pm
LOL
Anne E
30/01/2014 at 2:16 pm
I saw NO DUSKY WHALERS this morning. Aside from the land shark, please blog if you saw any today.
Fifi
30/01/2014 at 2:58 pm
I saw a dusky yesterday at the point.
Simon
30/01/2014 at 3:22 pm
“Like”
Elizabeth
30/01/2014 at 3:52 pm
What a fabulous blog. The pictures are magnificent and show the sea in all its foaminess. I really like the shark pictures. I say cull plastic and not sharks!
Jane
30/01/2014 at 6:21 pm
I saw NO DUSKY WHALERS this morning. Probably because I was at work and didn’t swim…….
Peter Anthony
30/01/2014 at 6:54 pm
Lainey, thanks for a great blog and for getting us to support the Noahs
john.S
30/01/2014 at 7:28 pm
Thank you Bill, you’re a gentleman.
xx
john.S
30/01/2014 at 7:30 pm
I saw Fifi this morning!
john.S
30/01/2014 at 7:31 pm
I saw Fifi this morning
Chriss Quinn
30/01/2014 at 9:21 pm
Hey didn’t see any dusky whalers (and just as well) as I became a blubbering jelly fish through the power of the mind out in the middle of the bay and through the great support of another Bold and Beautiful swimmer came back in at Fairy Bower. A huge thank you to the gentleman who talked me into shore 🙂
Quiet Jim
31/01/2014 at 12:09 am
Beautiful day!