An Ode to the Goggle

Millenia of evolution has gifted us mere humans with the ability of sight – our eyes are our windows into the outside world to enjoy the rich variety of shapes of colours that surround us day to day. But what of the window into the vast underwater world that we all enjoy from sunrise to sunrise? This short blog is an ode to the goggle – one of our simplest and most understated pieces of equipment, but our outstanding favourite amongst a quick straw poll of eight Bold swimmers this morning.

 

The goggle is what keeps bringing us back to our beloved bay. It’s a navigation aid, letting us sight Shelly form the Point to guide our swims as reliably as the Southern Cross (or if you’re brave, sighting using Long Reef the whole way across). It’s a biological instrument, letting us observe the vast array of underwater life that we share the swim with. It’s a tool of wonder when a turtle drifts into view. But best of all it lets us see the smiles of our friends, the underwater shakkas, and the tangible feeling of Ubuntu in the water.

 

There’s something to be said about the evolution of the goggle. From prescription pairs to lenses with digital heads up displays, some say the goggle has gone too far; it’s strayed too much from its roots as a simple seeing device. But each to their own, we all have our unique relationships with our goggles for them to do what we want and need them to do. From cheap to expensive, spit to baby shampoo for clear lenses, from clear to polarised, blue to black to orange to white; the goggle’s variety is mind boggling and refreshing in equal measure. To paraphrase Harry potter, “the goggle chooses the swimmer”, and we know that without them we would be mere mortals with no understanding of the wonder of the depths below us.

 

To the goggle, we salute you.