What do you after a bruising night of watching the idiot box? Wounds to lick, frustrations to be exercised out, competitive energies to be channeled! Get down to the Bold and Beautiful of course…   It was a chilly morning. Sophie who was an expert Girl Guide consulted her survival guide and decided to...

Roger here – blogging for ‘Shelly Beach’, who is away all week doing Coxwain’s course.  Sketchy rain overnight, but the clouds didn’t warm the ambient air.  Still 4º this morning.  Water still crystal.  Someone left the fridge door open at Shelly Beach again.  No sun to warm the bodies after exit.   Amazing drone footage...

      Yes, for the few of us that were on the beach at 6.30am we had a lovely Dolphin visit. Sorry, no photo’s ~ you had to be there to see it.   The Yoga was amazing, you needed a few layers to combat the chilly temperature.   The water temperature has dropped...

6.20am – First sight of the beach     Sisters Ali & Clair swam at 6am   6.28am pre drinks trio Nan, Lee & Midge before and apres swim shots   6:31am Drinkless Express for 14 swimmers led by Jill yelling, “it’s 6.30”   Rusty 6.32am   simultaneously at 6.32 –  from roving B&B reporter Texan...

Picture yourself in the northern hemisphere, sun beating down, you are actually in France, probably sipping champagne, and contemplating shopping.     It’s 1946 and on this day in history the bikini goes on sale after debuting during an outdoor fashion show at the Molitor Pool in Paris, France.     Today back at B&B...

Think about this for a moment. It’s 3 degrees outside,   the water temperature has dropped to 17.1 degrees,   and still there are over 120 people turning up to swim.  Why? Apart from doing the blog, I am there because you are.  Is that your reason? Because we are doing this together?     Together we...

That air is travelling to us via these Manly streets.  Ashburner blows its frosty breath east at 6.28 a.m.   No blood-red sky today.  Crystal water yet again.  Zero waves.  Entry temp is COLD, as the shallows have absorbed some of the overnight breeze.  “All right, Six-Thirties – let’s get in the water,” says AD. ...

What a morning! But were we in Fiji or Antarctica? Looks like Fiji!   But 4 degrees? Felt like Antarctica!   Good to see Keith back. I texted him at 6:45am ‘Swim time!’ He felt the lack of swimming on the way over and back…   It was a cracker of a swim back from...

As you swim back from Shelly Beach under an amazing sky, high on endorphins… do you ever start singing a song to yourself? I do, and I know I’m not the only one! Brian told us yesterday it was a Joni Mitchell song for him. I often sing along to Louis Armstrong’s ‘What a Wonderful...

With a 2-3 foot 10 second direct southerly swell, you would have been excused for thinking you were in paradise today. With a 2 knot Westerly barely making it through the Manly skyscape, it was almost still. For those interested we are expecting a gradual increase to 4.5ft Southerly swell by the end of the week...