Still and ‘steely’, smooth and silky…the ocean was magnificent today and under the water were fish wherever you looked…We had to walk almost to The Point with a really low tide so maybe the fish were all pushed together in a smaller space. It was magical!
I was a bit late to capture ‘The Drinks Express’ heading out at 6.30am but just got them as they swam off in a group from The Point.
A darker, broodier sky today but very dramatic…
It’s the birthday of Miles, our friendly, flirty, regular swimmer today who is training for a swim of the English Channel in July. Happy Birthday Miles!
So it’s quite a walk before we start swimming but a shorter swim of course! Cathie will be pleased she hasn’t got a 50km Coastrek walk again tomorrow. Once again thank you so much to all of you who donated, baked or supported. We raised over $4000 for the Fred Hollows Foundation.
The 3 wise men enter the water, Bruce, Simon and Stephen.
So many fish to see straight away! These are fish we don’t often see, hope Jane can identify them (or anyone else?) (Goatfish at bottom.)
Some swim on and some linger to look at the marine life…
A huge crimson morwong…
There were old wives everywhere today, (the fish variety 😉
This sergeant baker was a lighter shade than the ones we usually see.
A dark and dramatic sky but the sun lights up the buildings…
Love these shots of you all at Shelly.
A few clowns, ahummm I mean swimmers…
John nearly got away with us not singing to him but we found out it was his 50th birthday in the nick of time. Another rowdy chorus to wake up our Bower Street residents!
Away they go, the speedy swimmers!
Mary chasing the luderick…
It’s always exciting to spot a fish we don’t usually see in CTB. Jane thinks this is a Herring Kale with his sleek body and bright blue streak on his cordal fin. And below it there was a tiny purple fish that might be a juvenile damsel!
I’m trying to find the giant cuttlefish a few of us saw on Monday, no sign…but I do see a family of squid.
Below is Monday’s cuttlefish. I swear that is the colour he changed in to at one stage with no colour enhancing whatsoever!
Having trouble loading photos now so had better sign off… Have a great Thursday everyone! keep swimming especially while the water is still warm and conditions so beautiful!
Bottom of blog – with updates and changes so please read!
2014 Summer Badge Ceremony
You’ve done the 6km and / or 10km swims, now come and collect your badges with all the pomp and ceremony the B&B can muster. Venue is the Royal Far West on Sunday 9th March straight after the regular swim!
To cover the cost of the sausage sizzle breakfast, a $5 donation will be payable at the gate. Bookings are essential to ensure there are enough sausages. Book here for Badge Breakfast
Badges are $10 each so if you could bring the correct money that will help the morning run smoothly, thank you.
The Badge Ceremony Breakfast will be shared with launch of an inaugural event for the Royal Far West. Sydney law firm, Wotton + Kearney and FDC Construction & Fitout have joined forces to help raise awareness of the great work RFW does with the children of rural NSW, by doing a three day cycle from Dubbo to Wagga Wagga.
Teams from each organisation, along with former professional cyclist and Royal Far West’s ambassador, Scott Sunderland, will cover the 490km travelling a route from Dubbo – Trundle – Forbes – West Wyalong – Temora – and finishing in Wagga Wagga.
For further information on the bike ride: http://ridingforcountrykids2013.gofundraise.com.au/cms/home
Monthly Dinner at Bluewater – Tuesday 11th March at 6.30 pm
It’s Movie Night!! And the stars are the B&B swimmers. Don’t know if there will be a red carpet (maybe pink), but come and see Dr Salt. The movie was written and shot by Naomi Fryer late last year will be screened on the night.
With a limit on the numbers, bookings are essential. The cost is only $20 a head which includes shared entrees, a selection of mains to choose (including a vegetarian option) and corkage (for byo wine only) and a little thank you for the staff. All beers, glasses of wine and deserts are an optional extra at the special price of only $5 each!
Do mark this must attend event in your diary, follow the link B&B Movie Night Dinner to book.
If you are in Byron Bay on the 9th March you can see the Bold and Beautiful movie there as well as that is where it will DEBUT!! It’s called Dr Salt and here’s a link to details:http://www.bbff.com.au/programme-2014/?venue=360
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 (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:
128 ticked and i-logged swimmers! (waiting on numbers so a guess!)
Newbies: 2
Temp: 22.2!!
Signing off Lainey Loo aka Elaine
18 comments
Lesbubbles
06/03/2014 at 1:26 pm
wow love the herring kale!! Great pic of the cuttlefish LL – even tho it is me saying it! 😀
Soooo amazing out there at the moment!
Jane
06/03/2014 at 1:34 pm
Blog is just gorgeous, Lainey-Loo. I think the beautiful coloured one is a juvenile Girdled Parma (Parma unifasciata), a type of Damselfish. Most of the Damsel adults are black(ish), but their juveniles are SOOO spectacular.
I am sending this and the mystery fish (a bit like Trevallies or Rabbitfish) pics to Mark for ID.
John.S
06/03/2014 at 1:50 pm
Lovely blog Elainey. Some great photos.
Happy 46th Birthday to Miles and 50th to John Mac.
LSA aka HKTQ
06/03/2014 at 1:55 pm
No matter what time one swims – whether with the 5.30 Ninjas, the regular 7.00 ers or anything in between, condtions couldn’t be more perfect…. loving my early doubles at the moment! Thx for the company, Chris & Bob! Taking bookings for next week…!!
Great pic of Miles – best wishes for your Channel Training, Miles and Happy Birthday to you and John (?)….
Your cuttle-fish pic is unreal, Lainey! Great blog as always:-)
Jane
06/03/2014 at 1:56 pm
Elaine, Amanda (OzMus) thinks the mystery fish are probably these guys:
http://australianmuseum.net.au/image/Black-Rabbitfish-Siganus-fuscescens/
But ours are much prettier!
Bill McCaffeine
06/03/2014 at 2:06 pm
Super dooper Blog Elaine
After dawn the dark sky made the underwater scenes bright……..paradoxically !
NB…… for the record (actually for Lesley alone as it is she who is the Doubter in Chief)
I was at Manly Life Guards at 6am, Little Precious Sarah almost fainted, Big Todd emerged from the dark water having finished his swim (number of witnesses = 2).
I swam to the half way stairs, imitated an elephant seal beaching itself, got my breath and walked back …. too dark to see anything.
Back into the water and Greg McDonagh and John Lehmann swam with me back to the half way stairs.
(number of witnesses = 2 plus previous 2 = 4)
Did anyone see Lesley swim ?
Mary
06/03/2014 at 3:05 pm
I did indeed see Ms Lesley swim! In fact I have photos of her demonstrating her free diving technique at the point.
Mary
06/03/2014 at 3:08 pm
Fabulous conditions with such warm water, relatively few bity, stinging things, and so much marine life!
Lovely blog Elaine. That dark, moody sky over Manly is remarkable.
Jill Rankin
06/03/2014 at 3:14 pm
great pics Lainey! sensational Shelly shots…and a great blog! and ……
Hey Bill i definitely saw Lesley fly past me out there!!
LSA aka HKTQ
06/03/2014 at 4:58 pm
Yes, shock-o-shock…. the sight of Bill Mc entering the water soon after 6 a.m. – lost into the black abyss!
It’s unbelievable – by 6 a.m. the table outside the surf club is already covered with bags…. and yeh, Big Todd is the first out and Midge & Jim around the same time. You know the Ninjas (group D) are doing their thing because the flashing lights can be seen out to sea…. and Fifi is always amongst them…
Glad you made it home for the caffeine intake, Bill…. and glad Lesley is shaming group C into taking the odd dip:-))
LSA aka HKTQ
06/03/2014 at 4:59 pm
But was it our real Lesley or the fake super-styled model with b@@bs?
Lesbubbles
06/03/2014 at 5:09 pm
you mean the water wasn’t the only flat thing…
Jane
06/03/2014 at 5:28 pm
Lainey, Mark agrees the coloured baby is a juvenile Girdled Parma, now called a Girdled Scalyfin, same scientific name.
Anna McC
06/03/2014 at 6:41 pm
Jane, thanks for your investigations. Always fascinating to hear back from the expert/s.
Elizabeth
06/03/2014 at 6:49 pm
Will there be a 100 km winter badge this year ( following rumours of one last year)? I hope these conditions last and last. The photos of all the swimmers at Shelly beach with the brightly lit buildings in the distance are great. I like the morwong! I like yellow tail because I can see them in focus while swimming. For the other fish I just wait for the blog.
Bill McCoughUpTheReadies
06/03/2014 at 7:27 pm
Just how much is Lesley paying you guys ? Sarah is the only one who has ever defended my good name,
(brown paper bag in the usual place Sarah, thanks)
Alyson
06/03/2014 at 7:30 pm
Fabulous blog – as always!! And you even delivered such fine work after you and Ted ran around all morning helping me with furniture!! Thanks Lainey Loo xx
Lips
06/03/2014 at 8:44 pm
Great blog Lainey. And what beautiful conditions indeed. Inquisitive fish everywhere!
Having said that, your Herring Kale looks like a skinny Blue Groper to my untrained eye.
Love the squid family!!