We use so many different adjectives to describe the ocean we swim in. Stephen Coulter’s favourite saying of late has been, ‘It’s a bit nipply!’. (This word actually exists in the Urban Dictionary.) It has been cold, really cold… especially if you are brave enough to resist putting on a wetsuit. Nevertheless 103 brave swimmers ventured in to the ocean today. John Bond’s thermometre recorded 15.5 at the shallows.There has been some talk of a more accurate recording system as my first cartoon illustrates…
A few ‘Frosty Nuts’ swam to Queenscliff this morning at 6am on this beautiful Thursday morning when pink and blue hues filled the sky at first light before the sun rose… The sky was spectacular!
A few mulicoloured clouds make the whole view even more incredible. Below is the ripple of the 25 Drinks Expressers at 6.30am. What a turn out!
John Bond hunts around with his thermometre trying to get a better reading than 15.5!
There are plenty of shrieks and squeals as we step in (and that’s only from the men 😉
Now we are embracing the challenge!
**Hi, Lesley here hijacking Elaine’s blog! If you zoom in on above photo what do you see? 😀
Visibility is great again but looking underwater probably stopped most of us from seeing the pod of dolphins that Geoff and Jill saw as we set off from The Point.
Lovely Terry loves his Winter swimming!
Blog tarting at Shelly!
Reiner is back from Germany and Jane is back from visiting her daughter in the States. Welcome back guys!
Great to have Annie back with us too. She just loves her new wetsuit! Rusty is enjoying swimming in just his budgies. Good on ya Rusty!
I’ve done a liitle feature on cuttlefish today so was desperate to see one. Here he is waving his arms at us. The cuttlefish paparazzi surround him. (He loved it Lesbubs!)
Beautiful blue groper and leatherjacket at The Point.
Love the way the schools of mullet swim so close to the surface at our level…
There was a lot of that salp around today but I’m hoping that will encourage more marine creatures to come along to eat it!
Just thought I’d share some of my photos of the past couple of weeks showing how the cuttlefish we see really are masters of disguise. They don’t just change colour to blend in with their background their texture changes too! See below how their appearance changes as they swim over weed, sand and rock!
And a bit of info from the internet:
Cuttlefish are cephalopods, relatives of octopuses and squid, and are found in all marine habitats worldwide; they are particularly abundant around coral reefs and temperate rock reefs in which the visual habitat is richly varied. Cephalopods can change their appearance with a speed and diversity unparalleled in the animal kingdom. Some squids, octopuses, and cuttlefish can show 30-50 different appearances. Their sophisticated neural control of the skin make cuttlefish an excellent model for studying camouflage.
Whilst we’ve been swimming with cuttlefish and Port Jacksons, Julie Isbill and Michael swam with a Great White shark yesterday in WA. Here is what she had to say on Facebook.
‘We had a tagged Great White join us at swimming yesterday morning. He set the alarm off whilst we were swimming. It’s a silent alarm (on the beach at least) so we weren’t aware of it until the Fisheries arrived in their boat. Apparently the same shark joined the swimmers at North Cottesloe this morning… Friendly shark’.
For the Diary!
Bold and Beautiful Monthly Dinner – Special Event – Guest Speaker
The next Monthly Dinner on Tuesday 3rd September at 6.30pm at Bluewater Cafe will feature a special guest speaker. Sarah Ann Evans, our official Pacific Jules swimming coach, will give a presentation on open water swimming and tips on how to swim faster with less effort. We will also be launching the B&B swim school. Come along to find out more.
At $20 for two courses, with $5 drinks, $5 desserts and no corkage for BYO wine the dinner is great value. Bluewater also offers a $25 special meal in addition to our standard $20 deal. Bookings are essential, and numbers are limited to 100 people, so Click here to book NOW. This event will sell out so make sure you book early and avoid disappointment. Don’t forget, the next batch of 500 km badges will also be presented on the night.
Charity Events:
One of our swimmers Tim Giovanelli is involved with a charity called Halve Poverty and on the 31st August they are hoping to get 1000 people with the help of Bold and Beautiful to spell out the letter L as part of advocating for the millennium development goals in the federal election! If you are interested in being part of it or want more information please contact Tim on 0404076504 or email Tim.giovanelli@manlylife.org Website: http://halvepoverty.org.au/whats-it-all-about/
Today’s Stats
Swimmers 105 Newbies 4 Drinks Express 25 Doublers 1 (Renae, you go girl!)
Air Temp 8. Water Temp 15.5
Sunrise 6.25am Sunset 5.30pm
Have a fantastic day everyone!
Lainey Loo aka E-laine (with Jane Stevenson came back today from the USA!)
22 comments
Stephen C
22/08/2013 at 10:51 am
Great blog and cartoon Lainey – record time too!
fifi
22/08/2013 at 11:22 am
ha ha! Fabulous post! What a great read and such fun with cartoons and everything.
There was a Nat Geo programme the other night about cuttlefish, and I actually watched it, it was fascinating, but made me think I really should get out more…
Renae Fowler
22/08/2013 at 11:42 am
Great Blog Lainey Loo. It gave me a good laugh and had some great educational tips also. x
lesley
22/08/2013 at 11:53 am
Lainey Loo your photos are amazing – from your new camera??
OOh speaking of great photos – check out these from Today’s Saltmotion website! Does anyone recognise themselves??
http://www.saltmotion.com/2013/08/22/ocean-swimmers-world.html?utm_source=saltmotion&utm_campaign=ef79c31cc7-2013_08_228_22_2013&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_e5e7139210-ef79c31cc7-388499141
Rusty
22/08/2013 at 11:54 am
That first cartoon was hilarious!
Very good post and informative as well! I’m loving all the photos – wildlife and sunrises. Just stunning.
I can honestly say I wasn’t cold today – I was just pumped! Enjoyed every second – pity we missed the dolphins though.
lesley
22/08/2013 at 11:55 am
hehehehehe love the cartoon Elaine!!!!
ros
22/08/2013 at 1:44 pm
Always love the cartoons Elaine – very creative, and fun to read. It was indeed a beautiful pre-dawn sky today, with all those colours!
John.S
22/08/2013 at 1:48 pm
Hi Ifif
Maybe you could paint a panel series of them for the new pink caps clubhouse?
Great cartoons E-Laine.
Looking forward to catch up cuddles Jane S.
Lips
22/08/2013 at 2:08 pm
Great blog Lainey! And great to have the cartoons back!!!
Still a bit slow after returning from my holiday, so was great to buddy up with Jane who just returned from LA – the only one who’s even more jet lagged than me!
Jane and I spotted the saltmotion photographer on the way over. He took plenty of pictures from below. Don’t recognize us on his website though.. what a slap in the face!
Jeff Parsons
22/08/2013 at 2:20 pm
Hey Lainey! Funny, creative cartoons. I think your Water Temp indicator should be manufactured and sold. I loved your underwater photos. thanks so much for a fun blog.
lesley
22/08/2013 at 2:37 pm
yeah I figured the Saltmotion photos were from the more Elite Drinks Express NOT 7am’ers! 😉
Mauricio
22/08/2013 at 3:09 pm
Wow great white, I heard they can be quite friendly too…
http://youtu.be/RMMU6sJhnFM
Great blog Elaine, love the cuttlefish, amazing creatures.
ifif
22/08/2013 at 3:41 pm
of cuttlefish? For the Cuttlefish Club?
ifif
22/08/2013 at 3:42 pm
oh my god, I would kill for one of those shots to be of me. But sadly, not.
John
22/08/2013 at 4:32 pm
Great pics E-laine especially the sunrise and fish shots.
Do we refer to your suggestion as the Water Temperature –
“Degree of Shrinkage” – Indicator.
Elaine de Jager
22/08/2013 at 5:07 pm
I love your insertion Lesbubbs! He did look naked!
Elaine de Jager
22/08/2013 at 5:10 pm
Thanks for the comments guys. I hope everyone didn’t mind my rude/cheeky opening to the blog! Think Stephen would like a “Nipple Hardness” Indicator too 😉
Jane
22/08/2013 at 6:50 pm
Wonderful blog, Lainey-Loo. Sad to leave L.A. but lovely to be back, especially with all the “Cuddlefish”.
Lainey
22/08/2013 at 7:05 pm
Are you referring to Drinky and Storchy Jane, or the celaphods? 😉
Little Sarah aka LSA aka HK Triad Queen
22/08/2013 at 8:10 pm
Great blog – such fun….. :-))) Love Lesley’s contribution too…..!
Welcome back Jane! Glad you helped Lips get to Shelly:-)
John S
22/08/2013 at 9:40 pm
nuts!!!!!
Alyson
23/08/2013 at 8:12 am
Love it !!