Wednesday 3rd April – the calmness before dawn…

Wednesday 3rd April – the calmness in the dark, before dawn breaks. Early swimmers brave the black water, the flickering lights on their goggles twinkling like fireflies in the dark…

The DPI contractor checks the shark nets,

the Manly Life Saving Club athletes warm up on the sand in front of the club, boards lined up ready for first light (6:45am today), training for the Aussie titles in a few weeks….  the “thud” of runners in the pre dawn darkness along the promenade, and booty camp participants wait in anticipation, procrastinating before the pain they are about to inflict upon themselves on the sand… and the “manly sand dancers” (including me however I am more a sand elephant) practice relay baton changes for the beach sprint events at the Aussies…

Guy ‘s temperature drawing tells a story about an interview with one young John McEnroe, who wasnt his first choice that day, a stand in to fill an interview time slot as Guy’s first choice (the number one at the time) had not shown up for his interview…. was this the start of John McEnroe’s fame?  Perhaps it was….

Water temperature:  20.2 degrees, a full 2 degrees colder, and a little autumn bite in the pre dawn air

air temperature at 7am: 12.9 degrees!  brrrrr!

Conditions: calm, sublime…. mother natures gift

Vibe: Happy, an in Andre the baker’s case, grateful his inadvertent run in with a wobby in shallow waters only required a few bandaids!

Early swimmers brave the dark waters, swimming north…

Drinks Express commence their swim before “first light”

7am swimmers infusing liquid gold

Post swim glow for Simone and Susie with Walter, Monty and Boris who received treats

Napoleon was lucky – whilst Merrilee was dancing on the sand, he was spoiled by Hels and Rick

and also spoiled by Cath, hels, Amanda and Claire

Molly the little dog was spoiled by Jesse, James, Sheree and Lou

DC – our local hero raising gazillions for Tour De Cure – we are all hopeful that one day, Cancer has a cure…

These two showed what love is .. awwwww

The pre dawn is one of the calmest parts of the day – worth throwing off the doona and making your way down to the beach to watch the sun rise… we are in fact in “sunrise season” with painted skies and liquid golden light, diamonds in the water.

stay safe, stay kind, look out for and after each other and have a wonderful Wednesday!

Jocelyn