What’s in a Name? “Miles” is a measure of distance. They are coming to hear from the man who crossed the channel! Cass and Midge can’t believe how slow I am in catching their names …
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Libby and Attracta don’t trust me either …
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There he is – and what a great speaker!
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“The worst part was those first three hours in the dark. No warming sun. I had to convince my (warm and dry) handler that I wasn’t going to make it without her …”
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Cafe Bluewater is an electric blue at night. You can drink beer here. And sit with strangers … who welcome you. Nicola, Miles and Clair …
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Well, that was winter. I joined the club this July, and the hardest thing I encountered was that barefoot walk down to Halfway Point on my very first swim. Couldn’t feel my feet by the time we reached stairs.
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Johnny Cashin’ it: I realised that I could walk the line. Look how thick that white paint is – it’s eatin’ those nasty little jaggers up
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Then one cold morning I met a ferry woman who told me about the Bottle of Hot Water. “I wrap it up in my towel – and it warms the towel too,” Jennifer had revealed, knowingly. I tell Rob about this today … and he says, with a wicked gleam: “Wanna know my secret? I put my jocks in there with the hot water bottle too, and then wrap it up with the towel!” (His towel; not Jennifer’s)
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Full lighting on Booty Camp these days. Ian sneaks a rest, as Storchy’s gone Troppo
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I ask to photograph the tractor driver. “You don’t want to photograph me, mate,” he says, with half a glare.
What’s the strangest thing he’s seen on the beach? “Two very, very large Islanders going for it, on the sand. My headlights hit ’em – and she got the fright of her life. But they couldn’t get up. His pants around his ankles …” He lets me photograph the tractor’s capture skip. “You should’ve got a photo on a bad day. There’s not much in there now.”
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Done swimming already! The Fantastic Four increase their superpowers by absorbing brand-new horizontal sunlight, untainted by the burn of Manly’s still-warming 273 coffee machines …
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Meanwhile, Ian’s half an hour early as usual …
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Miles enjoyed his 6.30 slingshot this morning …
An Orca is about to beach it ….
… and join the pod of others queueing to try some fresh water from land-based faucet. Although documented killer swimmers, they apparently will not harm humans. But don’t swim too close to them …
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Needlework Surge in Manly District: Come and get your WINTER BADGES this Sunday, after the swim. Bring your 5 and ten-dollar notes. Pacific Jules had them made up, and Ian got them in the mail last week. By rights, she should be ‘Indian Jewels’ now – what with the desert crossing.
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So – when do we stop wearing wetsuits? Well, I reckon it’s when you go for that warming coffee, and everyone at the cafe is wearing thongs. Here, Sabine is helping with a wetsuit. (Not really. She’s doing a hammy re-enactment of the job.)
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Ian the Brazilian is skyping live to his brother Bruno in London, who can’t believe he is going for a swim when it’s 9 degrees. “There are many others here too,” Ian tells him. Is this called ‘Skyping Skiting’?
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Tell those badges there’s a newcomer; just around the corner.
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Warren’s tattoo is a Caribbean motif, which he got when visiting family there. He’s originally from Oxford, UK … but lives in Manly by the sea now. This particular tattoo is waterproof
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Laura has been involved with the Bolds for three years now …
There was a very big crowd of swimmers this morning.
Temp: 17.1
Newbies: 4
Swimmers: 130
14 comments
Mary
19/09/2014 at 10:02 am
Love your work Doggy Digger.
Elizabeth X
19/09/2014 at 11:05 am
What a great blog, love it Doggy Digger. Though the image of what got caught in the tractors headlights might haunt my imagination all day !!
Elizabeth X
19/09/2014 at 11:13 am
The photos need special commendation as well, some really good shots, especially Laura & Mark and the McKnights who may be so happy because Josh’s turn in charge of boot-camp is over.
The cartoon of the wettie wrestle is spot on even down to the humungous gps on the wrist ha ha. Well done
Lips
19/09/2014 at 11:32 am
Haha! Love it. Possibly the best blog post ever without me in it!
Welcome back Elaine!
lesbubbles
19/09/2014 at 11:43 am
haha love the cartoon!!! i realised you must have done it yourself Doggy Digger??
And year poor Tractor driver having to see THAT!!
Roger
19/09/2014 at 12:00 pm
Yep – It’s half an old strip for a scuba mag … thanks for comments everyone. Being in your group has been life-changing for me. Sincerely. Because I work from home. Being down there in the mornings has been such a tonic! I am very very grateful to everyone.
Anna McBold
19/09/2014 at 1:13 pm
Roger, this is brilliant! Thank you for your terrific bloggage. So many stories captured in one blogging sesh.
Dancing Roz
19/09/2014 at 1:53 pm
Great work Roger. Did I miss the explanation of your “Doggy Digger” pseudonym?
Bootycampbuffman
19/09/2014 at 1:55 pm
Great blog doggy Digger ! hope you have many more in the pipe line.
Its been life changing for a lot of people ! myself included.
its like this……https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=s9BSsIX2j7M#t=19
Nick Dawkins
19/09/2014 at 2:08 pm
Glad someone finally got a pic of Ian doing what he does best at Booty Camp – slacking off!
Great blog Roger 🙂
Elizabeth
19/09/2014 at 2:10 pm
WOW! A fantastic blog. I really loved it all. Great photos, text, perspectives (thank goodness for the tractor guy!) and drawings. Great to see Jim and Howard back today. And lovely to see Jen Lyle on a Friday – yay school holidays
Bootycampbuffman
19/09/2014 at 3:27 pm
Not the only one….
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g28HFu24RAo&feature=player_detailpage#t=48
Elaine de Jager
19/09/2014 at 8:39 pm
Interesting blog Doggy. Wish I’d thought about interviewing the tractor driver! Love that story. Oh and Lesbubbs likes the look of Warren. Is he single and does he want to go to The Boatshed? 😉
Fifi
20/09/2014 at 10:26 am
What a great blog! Love the pics and the text.
(Trying hard to erase mental image of What The Tractor Man Saw)