Royal Far West Hospital sends sincere thanks and gratitude for the over $1100 raised with raffle at the Christmas party on Tuesday. Bless you lot! Below; Bad Santa meets some dark elves in upstairs Steyne‘s inner depths …
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While outside it’s a thronging mass of red …
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Lyndel’s shirt explains some Christmas wisdom …
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Storchy’s plumage attracts the feminine element …
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Wise Man Ed’s all-seeing Eltons cut through the crowd …
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That Christmas carrot eventually gets swallowed …
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And so this is Christmas …!
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Today Friday: and a smaller mob are all as one in talking-up the conditions. Lots of white foam, big rollers, sand broiling up through the Point’s rip … and the far bommie sheeting whitecaps into Freshy …
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Miles is today’s Best Example of what can go wrong. His mob score a perfect slingshot on the rip, and make it to the Waiting Point … safely around the corner. Then an oceanic wave smashes them from behind. “I re-learned to respect the ocean out there,” says Miles.
Miles and Rachel … his back hurting after that slap-down.
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Pink Caps were all over the place, trying to work out alternatives to the Halfway Option. The couple below spent several minutes in the water, but eventually withdrew … sans one set of goggles.
Please Note: If you need back-up goggles, Ian Forster always has a few spare sets available for borowing.
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Meanwhile, this well-inked trio left the water (opting for Halfway) – but then snuck along the pipe and sea wall instead of retreating back up the ramp.
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Don’t forget the Bolds Christmas Calendar is still available!
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Innocent young Newbies Lucy and Georgia get lured into Bluewater …
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Then this mafia bloke comes in, looking for protection money off management …
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Map for Newbies:
STATISTICS
Temp: 20.4 (By Bond. John Bond)
Swimmers: 75 (by you lot)
Newbies: 3 (Is that all?!)
26 comments
Elizabeth
12/12/2014 at 10:55 am
What a great day to swim- there was better swimming to watch than on you tube. A bit later Fiona, David and Ian swam through the waves both in and out!! It was also impressive to watch the powerful waves further up the coast. Great blog Roger. Sarah – good forecast. Does it mean a 10km badge cane be had for swimming a lot of times to Shelly tomorrow?
Anna McBold
12/12/2014 at 11:06 am
Great Explanatory Aerial Map, Roger.
It’s spot on. 10/10.
Shelly
12/12/2014 at 11:06 am
Nice Driftwood ! love the map ! with your permission I might re-use it, maybe it should be given out to newbies in their welcome pink cap kit….
Nice shot of Elton-Ed
That Mafia guy was trying his standover tactics on me yesterday, but he didn’t scare me (anyone want a used horses head ? somebody else got the Horses hoof)
10k no way for me tomoz if it’s like today & that’s what’s forecast ! wash my top off my rocks !
Jane
12/12/2014 at 11:19 am
Don’t forget Annie – another very bold and beautiful swimmer – who went out through the waves and back again with Fifi!
Annie Wannie Wu
12/12/2014 at 11:37 am
Thanks Jane, yes had a fun time swimming through the waves there and back. Poor FiFi thought I had got into a spot of trouble as couldn’t see me and swum back out. She had another man looking for me too. And there I was back at the surf club. Thanks FiFi for your concern and sorry to worry you. Shows how wonderful and supportive our group is of each other.
So possibly no 10K tmw Shelly? The Pacific Challenge God’s are on my side!
LSA aka HKTQ
12/12/2014 at 11:40 am
Beautiful waves to watch and beautiful swimming too….within one’s limits!
I heard of a few scary experiences this morning….if in doubt, take the SAFE option! SAFETY is always no 1!
As Miles found out, even at the Point, it was dangerous – when I swam back towards the Point with Jo & Claudia, we saw massive waves as some of the 6.30ers were attempting to go in.
LSA aka HKTQ
12/12/2014 at 11:54 am
I doubt it’ll be possible to swim to Queensie tomorrow and it was rough in the harbour this morning I hear, so I think 9.5 trips to Shelly may be the only option for the seriously dedicated badge seekers:) You can do it, Elizabeth!
Actually, some of us were forced with the same option 2 years ago (and in heavy rain) and I thought it was fun with Paige – lots of swell every time we got to the Point and a chance for a mini-rest at Shelly each round, being lapped by the fast swimmers, trying to avoid lots of canoes. surf and rain in the face, freezing cold ….but we got our badges and brekkie never tasted so good:)
Roger
12/12/2014 at 12:00 pm
Hi “Shelly” … the map has already been loaded to Anne, for an A4 printout … targeting the large numbers of newbies and swimmers over summer. It was her idea and request …
Shelly
12/12/2014 at 12:05 pm
Maybe……
“so I think 9.5 trips to Shelly may be the only option for the seriously dedicated badge seekers”
Don’t even think of going on holidays ! Wu.
Helen
12/12/2014 at 12:07 pm
Bye bye Leigh Singers thanks for swimming with me over the last year. Enjoy Being back home in New Zealand.
Shelly
12/12/2014 at 12:10 pm
Big congrats to the amazing Elizabeth Stewart… S.O.T.D
Swimmer of the Day: Elizabeth Stewart
Elizabeth has swum with B&B since 30th Jun 2012 recording 342 to Shelly, 11 Bolderdash, 4 6km and 100 giving a grand total of 820km swum.
Well deserved !
Bernhard
12/12/2014 at 12:43 pm
not to forget her achievement from last weekend – 6k, 1 regular Shelly, and 1 Bondi-Bronte swim. I’d like to add the SOTW title (Swimmer of the weekend). Well done Elizabeth!
Lips
12/12/2014 at 12:55 pm
Where can I buy the Driftwood Manly speedos?
Elizabeth
12/12/2014 at 1:14 pm
Today Javier wore his Bronte speedos to mark his fantastic swim last week Bondi to Bronte. Like Annette and David and Jeremy – lots of proper BB swimmers did it and it was a great swim.
Elizabeth
12/12/2014 at 1:14 pm
So what does management say about 9 laps of Shelly for a badge? Verified by a GPS of course
Shelly
12/12/2014 at 1:27 pm
Boring !
Simon
12/12/2014 at 2:45 pm
Nice blog Roger
Especially the atmospheric Christmas shots at the Steyne
Elizabeth
12/12/2014 at 3:15 pm
Thanks Jane. I am now also in awe of Annie’s swimming! And I later saw Richard – did he swim several bolderdashes today?
Elizabeth
12/12/2014 at 3:16 pm
For me to swim the course or -gasp -for management to be repeatedly asked?
Fifi
12/12/2014 at 3:56 pm
And don’t forget Sophie and Sterling, they slipped out on the rip with the Little Wu and myself…..
Fifi
12/12/2014 at 3:59 pm
Ha ah, I need my eyes checked. I saw a cap in the distance and thought it was you, silly me.
Fifi
12/12/2014 at 3:59 pm
I think Elizabeth Stewart deserves swimmer of the year, she is so determined!
LSA aka HKTQ
12/12/2014 at 4:08 pm
Agree and I think you do a great job looking out for everyone, Fi!
LSA aka HKTQ
12/12/2014 at 4:10 pm
Very best wishes to Vicki for her wedding today at Freshwater! Some pretty spectacular surf there in the background and a lovely sunny afternoon.
nicolif46@optusnet.com.au
12/12/2014 at 10:32 pm
yes Elizabeth,
it was a glorious swim this morning, about as good as it gets; some good sized waves and smooth water out the back with very little backwash and bounce along the way to Shelly.
The swim out was nice, mostly walked out then a smooth swim ducking under a couple of half-breaking 5 footers and coming back in with Dave was really quick after a big set had passed us, we swam in behind it and very quickly were in chest deep water where the broken waves were only 2 or 3 ft. – and some sun was a nice change.
There was a strong flow from the south this morning. My swim south took 5 minutes more than my swim north, an extremely large difference.
We don’t often see the Queensie bombie bigger than it was this morning.
Elizabeth X
12/12/2014 at 10:54 pm
Elizabeth you legend….for one with a healthy respect for waves you certainly conquered any hesitations today – brave! cudos!