It really is magical witnessing these sunrises we’ve been getting lately, but to swim below them across an Aquatic Reserve is even more breathtaking…
So 112 lucky swimmers took the plunge in sensational conditions this morning…
The morning kicked off with some ‘Frosty Nutters’ going off to Queensie at 6.15am and then a group at 6.30am to Shelly. How brave is Laura, going off on the paddleboard with her Dad in the nippy air in the dark. She is only 7!
The sunrises have been amazing all week and today’s was pretty good too.It is the Autumn Equinox, the perfect balance of night and day.
Here we are waiting for 7am and the best start to the day anyone could possibly have! (You made it on the blog again Ros!) A bit of eye candy in there too ladeez…
There is something so special about entering the ocean and swimming as the sky is glowing with such friendly company. We even have swimmers picking up rubbish as they swim, as does, Leswee below!
Bella, Renae and Kara are ecstatic at The Point!
At Shelly we find out it is our lovely swimmer/triathlete, Retha’s birthday. Hope you have a great day Retha. The ‘Let’s Go’ had an international flavour. What is it in Japanese again John Kelly?
One of our newish swimmers, Ros, is loving starting her day with these swims!
The fish are back and although not as clear as the last 2 days I did manage to capture some good shots by swimming close to the rocks back from Shelly. Infact lots of swimmers reported swimming through schools of yellowtail!
I’m practising my ‘free diving’ skills. Mauricio can remain underwater for about 4 minutes, I can manage a few seconds…but long enough to capture fish swimming above and below me. Magic!
The sexy snorkellers were out again today but whenever I saw them they were chatting above the water rather than searching below it!
O.K. I admit it, the fish photos below I took on Tuesday. These fish were there today though, just a bit harder to see as the water was a bit soupy in places. So hope you like my groper,leatherjacket, crimson banded wrasse and crimson morwong. (Hope I got my identification correct??)
Still feeling lucky I left Birmingham to come and live in a place where you can start your day off like this!
This little white stingray was playing around the rocks as we came in to shore.
And a lovely shot of our sexy snorkellers to round up today’s blog!
Oh and just one more of Triad Queen Little Sarah boasting about being on top of Drinky on The Pacific Challenge!
Keep swimming guys. It’s really not the time of year to be having lie-ins and conditions sound good for the next few days!
You must watch Mauricio’s latest video on Click Here
Stats
4 Frosty Nuts. 6 swimmers enjoyed an early lap into Shelly. 112 swimmers. 4 Newbies.Happy birthday to Retha today !Water Temperature 23.2Air Temperature 20.0Sunrise 6.59amSunset 7.05pmHigh Tide: 10.55amLow Tide: 4.58pmSigning off Lainey- Loo aka Elaine xx
Summer badges
The Summer Badge Ceremony will be held at Whitewater Restaurant at 8 am, after our regular swim on Sunday 24th March, when the 6 km and 10 km badges will be awarded. All swimmers are welcome but bookings are essential. If you want breakfast, the cost for coffee and breakfast is $15, payable on the day. Please book by following the link Summer Badge Ceremony
Badges are $10 each. To assist with the smooth running of the event, you can please pay in advance if possible – see Ian, John K. or Lesley before or after the swim any day. You must pay on the day if you don’t pay beforehand.
For the diary . . .
Tuesday 2nd April is the next Bluewater dinner. You’ve seen the photos, so come along and make merry. Great value at just $20 for two courses with $5 drinks. To register your attendance follow the link Bluewater Monthly Dinner
Relay For Life
Last year the B&B had a team in very successful Relay For Life event. The staggering $209,000 raised by the event will go towards research, support, prevention, education, information and advocacy program.
To celebrate the success the organisers want to thank all the 2012 teams by inviting them to an action packed afternoon of Barefoot Bowls hosted by Rock ‘n Bowl.
As part of the afternoon festivities the B&B team’s efforts will be recognised with a special presentation, followed by many laughs, a delicious barbeque and some barefoot bowls. The Manly Relay For Life Rock n Bowl is free to attend. Please RSVP by Wednesday 27th March, 2013 by calling 9334 1600 or email: northernsydneyevent@nswcc.org.au
And because it was so much fun last year, there is an exclusive Early Bird Special for the B&B of only $10pp to register for the 2013 Manly Relay For Life. Jules Mackin is the team captain and chief organiser. Give her a call on 0430 156 170 if you want to join the team.
Staying safe
NEW water safety tips!!! Michael’s tips remain valid but this updated guide is courtesy of champion Ironman Craig ‘Riddo’ Riddington. He has put this RIP/ Surf swim education document together for the B&B and it’s a good read. To read and even download click here.
And B&B on Tour…Here is our lovely Annie Yay at Ankor Wat in Cambodia. Enjoy your adventures Annie, we miss you!
33 comments
Toni Mizerek
21/03/2013 at 12:52 pm
I left my cap and goggles on a chair at the end of the swim… Did anyone happen to see them or pick them up? if so, please let me know, thanks 🙂
Little Sarah Abbott aka Hong Kong Triad Queen
21/03/2013 at 1:22 pm
Great swim, great blog! Beautiful sunrise from the point! Thx for the lovely fish pics and cartoons too:-))
Little Laura, you were catching some great waves with your Dad!
As for the “integrity Police” – one’s down with Anna flu and the other down with Man flu, so it’l take them a while to catch up on the PC!
Maki Aruga
21/03/2013 at 1:27 pm
“Ikuzo!” is “Let’s Go!” in Japanese. No one (except my Japanese friend) understood me anyway 😉
mauricio
21/03/2013 at 2:01 pm
Great blog Elaine! Love the photos, as for the 4 minutes, we better half it.. This is a video from yesterday: http://youtu.be/oV2IOUhtxtE hope you enjoy.
lesley
21/03/2013 at 2:08 pm
Even 2 minutes is impressive Mauricio!! I can hold for 20 seconds !!!
FANTASTIC Video! I fixed the link that Elaine posted – it should click straight through now! 😀
DWSS
21/03/2013 at 2:49 pm
I’m looking forward to being back on top of you Sarah.
I am interested as to why you use ” ” every time you mention integrity police???
I detect a feeling of sarcasm with the term integrity???
Can some one please tell that fish that the integrity police DOES NOT tick for people that are not there. That would be a swimless tick!!! – the enemy of the integrity police.
I will be watching while you are away Mrs Triad Queen.
(Can you bring some thing back from Hong Kong? I wont tell any one.)
Little Sarah Abbott aka Hong Kong Triad Queen
21/03/2013 at 3:15 pm
Oh, Shady Shauny, you’re beginning to sound like yourself once more – must be on the road to recovery:)
When you and Storchy start using or those phoney aliases again, we’ll know that you’re both through with licking your war wounds after losing the summer race – just not enough paid up front as Lips tried to warn you!
Little Sarah Abbott aka Hong Kong Triad Queen
21/03/2013 at 3:17 pm
We all understood you perfectly, Maki! Welcome to the blog:)
Mauricio, great clip!
Ros
21/03/2013 at 3:41 pm
Thanks Elaine – great blog! I’m officially now addicted to my 7am swim to Shelly … thanks to all of you 🙂
Georgi Howard aka Retha
21/03/2013 at 4:41 pm
Thanks for the birthday wishes and I LOVE the talking fish Elaine!
Lainey Loo aka E-laine
21/03/2013 at 4:49 pm
Thanks Maki! It sounded great!
Little Tiger
21/03/2013 at 4:50 pm
Lovely photos. Well done, daily bloggers.
Happy Birthday Retha, have a lovely day.
So disappointed I won’t be around for Mr Kelly’s birthday bash or the North Steyne Ocean swim.
"Snorkles"
21/03/2013 at 4:55 pm
Loving the blog Elaine – gorgeous colours in that sunries and loving the cartoons of course!
Lainey Loo aka E-laine
21/03/2013 at 4:56 pm
Absolutely amazing Mauricio.Was most of this filming done in the rocky crevasses by the tall palm tree? You are sooo clever!
Lainey Loo aka E-laine
21/03/2013 at 4:57 pm
Thanks Leswee. Still biding my time to get you back after that photo of me last week though!
john S
21/03/2013 at 5:06 pm
Happy birthday Retha!
Hope your’ve had a wonderful day….
;-))
Hi blog man Maki, welcome!
Great blog lady blogger. Love the photos you pulled from the internet!
john S
21/03/2013 at 5:07 pm
you’ve not your’ve
bad, bad, bad.
Little Sarah Abbott aka Hong Kong Triad Queen
21/03/2013 at 5:19 pm
…..all those phoney aliases, not or…..
mauricio
21/03/2013 at 5:34 pm
Elaine, Yes from the palm tree to half way, I remember the rocks where the cuttlefish use to hang around but its always a surprise like finding the catfish. Wish the water would stay clear though.
Julia Gillard
21/03/2013 at 6:14 pm
Great blog Elaine. I do enjoy reading your Thursday blog. I would love to come down and join you all for the swim but the pink cap does clash with my hair.
A special thank you to Little Sarah Triad Queen for her special help today.
Little Kev did not know who your henchmen were until your name was mentioned.
Please forward your banking details for that big payment I owe you!!!
Note – That Rough Diamond fellow is a hell of a sexy man, we must chat!!!
Elaine de Jager
21/03/2013 at 7:54 pm
Good try Rough Diamond fellow posing as Julia Guillard bahahaha…
Elaine de Jager
21/03/2013 at 7:56 pm
Rough Diamond aka Julia, I definitely DID NOT take those photos off the internet. They are all mine and I protest to that slur on my integrity!
Rough Diamond aka john S
21/03/2013 at 8:00 pm
Julia, can’t wait to hear more! The cap will cover up your’ve very pretty hair, so don’t worry about any clashes here!
I must tell you that local boy, Tony (who likes to join us in the surf), had already paid the Little Sarah Triad Queen big-time to make sure Little Kev didn’t contest you!
So seems like that smart, witty, beautiful lady has won big time, as well as being a Top 40 swimmer!
DWSS
21/03/2013 at 8:31 pm
You on to it Lainey Loo
I knew it was the Diamond.
Little Sarah Abbott aka Hong Kong Triad Queen
21/03/2013 at 8:31 pm
Lips, see you tomorrow! – 6.50 splinter group!!!!
Little Sarah Abbott aka Hong Kong Triad Queen
21/03/2013 at 8:32 pm
6.59 splinter group…
Alyson
21/03/2013 at 9:24 pm
Can you really free dive for 4 minutes Mauricio??
mauricio
21/03/2013 at 9:36 pm
No, but there is a french guy who can for 12 minutes and an aussie bloke who does 8. Amazing humans ha?
Slow Lips formerly known as Lips
21/03/2013 at 11:40 pm
Yes! I’ll be there.. promised!!
Neil Richardson
22/03/2013 at 9:40 am
Elaine, you will be even more pleased you left the UK given that we are still in the depths of winter in England. Snow is forecast for the Midlands tonight and tomorrow and it’s been sleeting here tonight. Temperature in our local open water swimming lake is less than 4 degrees C at the moment!
alyson
22/03/2013 at 2:54 pm
very amazing!
Elaine de Jager
22/03/2013 at 3:48 pm
Poor Pommies with that long, long Winter. Yes I am so happy to be here Neil!
Little Sarah Abbott aka Hong Kong Triad Queen
22/03/2013 at 4:20 pm
Neil, when are you moving to Manly?