A short saunter down to the water surrounded by cheerful banter, the marching tide of lycra, latex and laughter moves into the splashes. A calm camaraderie of squinting smiles watches the sun slip from its slumber, leaving the arms of the horizon.
This mood carries a subtle but infectious inertia, the sanctity of the here and now. Then gone as a “Let’s go” sounds across the surface. Down into the water again, feel the flow and start toward that same horizon – different strokes all swimming to a shared destination.
Consider that although the ocean floor shapes the waves, conversely the individual waves are constantly sculpting the shape of the ocean floor. Every little ripple has a part in creating the paradise that we enjoyed this morning.
Your brain is built on neural connections, more connections than there are stars in the milky way. The shape of these connections, the ‘connectome’ map of the brain, influences your individual thoughts. Like the waves of the ocean, those individual thoughts are never still and just as the waves shape the ocean floor, so too your ceaseless thoughts shape the connections that build the brain. Neuroplasticity, the process of changing your world by changing your thoughts- impermanence.
Your fleeting thoughts shape the map that can lead you to paradise. Every morning the ripples allow new connections and another part of the picture beckons, a new world born somewhere between the breakers and the beach. Paradise is here and now, all you need do is wake up, peel off what is unnecessary… Then dive in and feel the flow.
Errol Abbott, ready to create his day…
Mermaids in waiting.
LSA with Alison Jackson, the mother of one of our too-famous Drs.
Lesbubbles wondering if her thoughts are indeed creating her brain or if they are actually creating Rusty’s bum. Well, you get what you focus on…
Pink cap at The Point… What is the point? Does anyone really get the point?
Feeling the flow – in warm, smooth, clear conditions. A few sea lice, weren’t enough to reduce the enjoyment of this mornings conditions.
Celebrations for ‘Sparkles’ 39th birthday… Wow, all you girls are 39, what a coincidence.
Two of the BnB regulars making a connection and sharing the swim back to Manly.
…And Manly’s up-to-the-minute style police ensuring the beachfront is always ‘here and now’.
Enjoy!
Andrew ‘Magichands’ Maher.
http://lighttouchchiropractic.com.au/bold-beautiful-swim-squad-manly/
B&B i-Log
Almost 50% of swimmers are now using the B&B i-Log. Log your swim ANYTIME of day using this really efficient and easy way to ensure your swim is recorded in the daily attendance and on the Pacific Challenge. To get started, send an email to Ian Forster – his email address is: (PLEASE COPY AND PASTE THIS EMAIL INTO YOUR EMAIL, DO NOT CLICK on it)
ugoboyo@gmail.com
He will check that your email address is activated on the attendance register then send you info on how to get started.
Staying safe
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.
Stats
Swimmers: 82
Newbies: 2
Water Temp: 22.5
Sunrise 7:08am.
19 comments
Elizabeth
31/03/2014 at 1:09 pm
A feel good blog. John Bond is swimmer of the day and how apt – he had great conditions for the double to be enjoyed. Lovely mermaids and lovely photo of John and Helen. Fabulous boost to the day in the office to see the blog. Thanks!
LSA aka HKTQ
31/03/2014 at 1:29 pm
Yup, super feely friendly flow this morning…. very fishy too!
Alison – congratulations! Pink cap, Shelly and Blog:-)
Michelle, enjoy the rest of your day. Very glad to meet Matt! First step is brekkie, 2nd step is pink cap!
John.S
31/03/2014 at 1:40 pm
Great blog Andrew.
SimonC has competition for the most considered blog approach.
Michelle, Happy Birthday pumpkin! xx
Lesbubbles
31/03/2014 at 1:48 pm
Kerist that’s it I’m buying a new cozzie!!
Jane
31/03/2014 at 1:48 pm
More magic words from Magic hands……..
Lesbubbles
31/03/2014 at 1:50 pm
Oh and Andrew you duped me! That photo-setup was supposed to be “sick of the sight of Rustys bum on the blog”!!!
Jane
31/03/2014 at 1:53 pm
Have a look at what Mandy Reid (Cephalopod expert at the OzMus) has put on the Museum Website!
http://australianmuseum.net.au/blogpost/Science/The-Bold-and-the-Beautiful
LSA aka HKTQ
31/03/2014 at 2:50 pm
Beautiful! Hope she can find a way to join us on the swims as well.
Lesbubbles
31/03/2014 at 2:53 pm
Yeah Nick’s photos are ALL over it!!
So I have a new nickname for him “cephalo-blogger”
Jane
31/03/2014 at 3:14 pm
I’ll try and twist her arm.
Jane
31/03/2014 at 3:16 pm
Mandy is even putting some of Nick’s photos in her latest book! Yes, that Nick-name has a certain ring of authenticity to it…
Elaine de Jager
31/03/2014 at 3:18 pm
Beautiful blog Andrew, love the words and the photos…What a stunning swim today underneath that colourful sky. Love your pink cap at The Point photo especially. Lovely swimming with LSA and Alison, as charming as her son Dr John! So many sea lice itches but worth every scratch!
Renae Fowler
31/03/2014 at 3:32 pm
Great blog Andrew. Love the novel at the start. You use your words very well with alot of thought. It’s a great way to start the week.
Rusty
31/03/2014 at 3:32 pm
Ha. Foiled! I see a ‘ban the bum’ campaign on the horizon.
Lips
31/03/2014 at 3:33 pm
Not surprised. I heard many of our female swimmers have Nick photos on their bedside tables..
Lips
31/03/2014 at 3:46 pm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bikini
MagicHands
31/03/2014 at 4:42 pm
Thanks Renae,
If I took better photos I could write a few thousands words less… 🙂
slower Ian N
31/03/2014 at 9:14 pm
What a great swim today!!
– and a very good blog too.
After the Nth Steyne swim yesterday, I was going to have an easy day, just cruise at easy pace. It turned out very differently.
My swim out to the start was fishier than usual (mostly schools of yellowtail); that’s always nice.
The first lap was solid not easy pace as planned, as was the return lap after some vigorous birthday splashing of Sparkles for the big 39.
Little non-sea lice stingers and the unplanned extra effort made me not want to do a double with John et al. but …
it looked so good I decided to go again.
Lap 3 was one of the best ever for me: John in front of about eight equal speed swimmers. I felt like I was in a dolphin pod, magical and heaps of fish to cruise with in super clear water at the perfect temperature.
The lady from Colorado loved it too. (I didn’t get her name). How could you not love it! She will return to Colorado tomorrow to her pool swimming and said she hopes to come back next year.
The sunrise was great too. It popped up in a minute or two just like in the photos.
Now Shelly and Manly are voted by travellers as better beaches than Bondi. We know why but we don’t want the whole world coming here. How can we keep it a secret?
Simon
01/04/2014 at 4:32 am
“>>Like” (from the Manly Pacific)