I am writing this from a remote location. It is something that we all learned about during covid – school from home, work from home and now blog from work. But you will note that while you can swim anywhere instead of Manly, you cannot tick the swim if you do. So it is not the same.
The lifesavers are looking after us with information about any visitors to our area before we swim so one way or another, the routine we have all been following is disrupted. The sharks have been here for longer than us but we all want to return to swimming without lifting up to sight but also look up to listen for the shark alarm.
The photos are from before to illustrate the joy that swimming bring.
On Saturday join BB in a swim out to remember Michael Christie. Partner of Pacific Jules and remarkable swim/beach person. My connection: I was pool swimming for decades then I read an article about ocean swimming. As part of a mid life crisis I swam in the Cole Classic (at Shelly) in a hilarious swim. Then through the emails that went out about ocean swimming, I found out about a movie called Buoys and Gals at the Orpheum in Cremorne. A great film about the rise in popularity of ocean swimming. There in all her generous glory was Pacific Jules talking about Bold and Beautiful which was every day not just annual. In that film, she and Michael swam to Rottnest Island. After some time, I went to Manly and joined BB and have not looked back. A wholly unlikely swimmer, I love it. Then, when a 100 years ago I turned 50, I decided I would swim a double. Go me – this was when management did not permit ticking a double for a double swim. I was at Shelly having landed a second time and there was Michael – he asked me what I was up to. He and his swim friend were doing multiple laps. I explained that I was nervous about returning to the beach through the waves. In a flash he and his friends swam with me and gave me pointers and encouragement – in a funny way. A godsend. Rest in peace Michael and to all your family and friends, it is a very sad loss to have a person die that touched so many
lives in a good way.
