There’s a shift happening down at Manly Surf Club, you can feel it the moment you arrive. Some of us are already on holidays, others are limping gently toward the finish line, but the collective energy is changing.
Swimmers linger longer after their dips, standing around with towels draped loosely over shoulders, conversations unhurried. There’s a shared tiredness in the air.. the kind that comes after a big, demanding year – but it’s softened now by relief, by sunshine, by the knowing that rest is close.
The sky feels brighter, the mornings lighter. Expectations ease. The frantic pace gives way to simple presence: being here, being salty, being part of something.
Summer stretches out in front of us with that familiar promise.. long days, blue horizons, and nowhere in particular we have to be.
I’m officially on holidays now, and so is Lisha, can you see our smiles beaming? radiating exactly what this moment feels like. Joy without urgency.
Around us, the beach is alive: bodies in motion everywhere. People body surfing, boogie boarding, paddling, swimming, skiing across the water.. laughter and colour in every direction.
The numbers swell, the energy lifts, and it feels, quite simply, like paradise.
And honestly, where else would you go? Where else can you stand on the sand and witness such a view and endure such a magnificent ocean swim, wrapped in such a warm, welcoming vibe?
It’s no wonder Manly Beach, and the Bold and the Beautiful Swim, have earned their place on the list of must-do experiences when visiting Australia.
This isn’t just a swim. It’s a feeling. A season. A celebration of finishing well and beginning again.
Merry Christmas everyone, thank you for making this place so special 💙 Deb x