10/08/2014 – Should have gone to City2Surf!

What a week!!!

We had everything.. grey nurse sharks, dugongs, JP holding a baby, pirate stories, amazing accounts of channel crossings, birthday parties galore. You name it!

So today’s blog could, no, SHOULD have been the journalistic climax we were all looking for – tying up loose ends, making sense of the week that was, and concluding a fantastic 7-part blog that would have gone down in B&B history for ever.

Alas, it wasn’t meant to be.

This is Lips, reluctantly standing in for Lesbubblebutt who pulled out of blogging duty due to a cracked fingernail. I’m not kidding..

 

So this will be a short blog.

I had neither a camera nor much motivation to cover this morning’s swim.

At Shelly, Simon was the only swimmer with camera. He kindly offered to take a few photos. Unfortunately, Simon has been at war with technology as long as I know him.

So while we are waiting for Simon’s photos to make their way from his SD card to e-mail attachment and into my inbox, let’s use what we have.

BnB on Tour

LSA and Jon caught frolicking on some beach – most likely HK:

 

Mariah and Snorkels hitting Bali:

 

 

 

 

 

 

And here are some photos from Manly this morning. Captured on my mobile phone.

Shaun reenacting Hugh Jackman’s famous shower scene (‘Australia’, 2008)

 

Simon, who still owes me photos from Shelly, and a scantily clad Ted..

 

And in absence of real swim photos, even Bill makes the blog today..

 

As you can see, we’re scraping the bottom of the barrel for today’s blog.

In the midst of all this chaos, I caught myself thinking (more than once) – I should have gone to City2Surf instead.

This finisher photo just in from a bunch of B&B regulars, rehydrating with mineral water after successfully completing the 14km track:

 

It is 12:30 and I’m still waiting for Simon’s Shelly photos. I will update the blog later today if and when those pictures arrive. Dont hold your breath.

Signing off,
Lips (with cake and my favourite girls)

 

The Stats

Regulars:  130

Newbie:  zero

Dugongs: zero

Temp:    16.6 degrees

Sunrise:  6.38 am

Sunset:  5.21 pm

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2:52pm – JUST IN FROM GILLIAN:

Actual photos from today’s swim!!

 

Actual swimmers walking down the ramp..

 

 

Actual swimmers waiting at Shelly..

 

Actual dugongs at the bottom of the bay..

 

 

And an actual blog photographer who figured out how to send photos via email.. (Thanks Gillian!!!)

 

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Special Event – Guest Speaker!Tuesday 12th August at 6.30pm at Bluewater Restaurant. This month’s special presenter is Ruth Hollows, the youngest daughter of Fred Hollows.  Her presentation is on how she is helping fulfil her father’s legacy through her role as Ambassador for Wild Women On Top Sydney Coastrek. The cost of the dinner is only $20 a head which includes shared entrees, a selection of mains to choose (incl a vegetarian option), corkage (for byo wine only) and a little thank you for the staff. Glasses of beer or wine and desserts are also available at the special price of only $5 each. Numbers are limited, so bookings are essential.  Avoid disappointment and Book Now!

Fred Hollows is a modern legend, and was many things to many people – a husband, a father, a friend, a skilled ophthalmologist and for a few politicians and bureaucrats, an irritating thorn in their side. Above all else he was a humanitarian. This explains why he was so passionate about improving the health of indigenous Australians. In 80% of cases blindness is unnecessary, it can either be avoided or it can be overcome through a simple operation. Since Fred died The Fred Hollows Foundation has restored sight to well over one million people in the developing world.

Winter Badge season – only 4 weeks to go.

There are 14 weeks in the winter season.  To qualify for the prized Cold & Bold Badge you simply need to swim 20 times within the season ensuring you have swum in aminimum of 7 different weeks.  So, attempting to do it all in the first few weeks does not count!!  Make sure you use the i-Log to register your without wetsuit for the WWW badge.  The badge ceremony is being held straight after the swim on 21 September at the Royal Far West.

B&B i-Log

Log your swim ANYTIME of day using the B&B i-Log.  This is the best and easiest way to ensure your swims are recorded in the daily attendance and on the Pacific Challenge. To get started, send an email to Ian Forster ugoboyo@gmail.com (This is not a link so please copy and paste into your email).   He will check that your email address is activated on the attendance register then send you info on how to use the log in.

Staying safe

Are you prepared for the return of the surf? Remember that there are no badges for scaring yourself silly!  While it is great to extend your boundaries, it is important to know your limits.  Do read these excellent tips on staying safe in the surf.  To read, or even download, click here.