Friday 3rd: We’ve cracked the 18º …

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.  “It’s gonna be beautiful!”

 

Beach yoga‘s final few minutes is rest time: Sharnie yesterday, holding Jenn’s Thursday group while she’s over in USA

 

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Jelly in the Cleavage
She’s only been swimming with Bolds for about six weeks, but Kiwi Sydney Seymour has met – and wrestled – her first jimble already.  It went down the front of her one-piece bathers, and she had to reach up from the leg and pull it out.

 

Syd went to a Manly pharmacy later, as one whole side of her body had gone numb.  At this stage, she started having difficulty breathing too.  The pharmacist assessed her, then promptly and personally drove her up to Manly hospital.  They took one look at her, and she was whisked past the waiting room – and straight into a shower.  They then started administering drugs.  Syd survived, and the medical advice was to stay away from the ocean for the next week.  That her body already had its full quota of jelly toxins.  Two weeks later, Syd’s front torso looks like she’s crawled over barbed-wire during a WWII beach landing.

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Oops.  Don’t mention the War.  Meanwhile, Rainer‘s still on holiday … (This is the original photo)

 

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Hello – Miles has popped down from Queensland for a dip!

 

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Newbie Ryan …

 

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All these Friday recipes: It was only a matter of time before the Warringah Triathlon Club released its first commercially-baked kitchen creation …

 

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Danny-doubler and Mark swam Shelly twice this morning.  Mark missed 6.30 kick-off, and so walked to Shelly to start his doubles from other end.  And walked back.  And now can’t feel his toes.

 

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No – Not a giant octopus attack: Lesley‘s recent massage included maximum cuppage …

 

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Jill looking absolutely fab, being completely kitted in shades of red; right down to the weave of her basket.  I love it!  Paul is another one of those triathlete-type folk …

 

 

The nearby Manly Booty Camp was started about two-and-a-half years ago by Jenny Atkins, Shaun Denton and John Storch.  The usual reasons: watching weight, getting fit, starting the day right, etc.  It’s now synonymous with the iconic Chesty Storch, who years ago was involved in heavy weights-training, and had himself used a personal trainer in the past.

 

Storchy is a creative, and office-based with his landscape design business.  Always keen to distance himself from corporate attire, he’ll usually wear one less item of clothing than the rest of us.  (Just a tee shirt in winter, or topless out front of breakfast cafes in summer)   John cautions though: repeated exposure to the elements can lead to drying of the skin …

 

He also likes to dress up.

 

Booty Camp adds to the colour and friendship abounding in the early mornings at Manly beach’s southern end.  Thank you Storchy; and good on all you dedicated Booty Campers!

Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays: 6 a.m. and finished for swim at seven

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Meanwhile, a bunch of hoodies gather about the Channel-crossing Tollan machine …

 

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Whose scoot is this?

 

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Bolds swimmer Michael Sheehan was in Hobart for a weekend, to experience Mona with friend Bronwyn – when they heard three women in a bar talking about some big nude solstice swim.  “Oh, Michael’s doing that too,” Bronwyn piped in.
And so he did.  (While she stayed in bed)

 

Statistics
•    Part of Dark Mofo Festival
•    Long Beach, Sandy Bay (a little east of the Casino)
•    7.40 a.m. start
•    Water temp: 10º
•    Air temp:     – 6º (with windchill factor)
•    50 metre swim (To buoys in photo)
•    1,100 entries
•    750 starters  (350 piked on the day, as it was coldest for three years in Hobart)
•    Police support boat – plus three defibrillators on standby
•    Six swimmers needed medical attention

Would he do it again?  “Absolutely,” says Michael.  “It really was a lot of fun!”

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Soon-to-be a newbie Tony.  He’s getting ever-so close to swimming with us.  Signed the sheet yesterday.  This is his first year of swimming in ocean, and he needs our encouragement please  🙂

 

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Bulletin update: Yes, Ian has paid his $20 bet from early June challenge …

 

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Bottles-o-hot.  India, James and Lainey warming up.  India’s off for Thailand, to wrap up a three-month holiday abroad … before heading back to Uni in Wiltshire.

 

British couple Rory and Kate are staying with friends in Balgowlah and, until yesterday, knew nothing of Bolds.  They are avid cold-water challenge swimmers, and are happily impressed after a swim with our group today.

 

They’ve just now been whisked off to Bluewater for a communal-table grilling about stuff like circumnavigating Isle of Wight, and racing in Russia etc …

 

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Whose shadow on the right?  Clue: just check the position of hands!

 

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Englishman Tony is the one who dragged Rory in for wintry newbie swim today …

 

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A spontaneous cluster of knowledge appears at the Point Cafe.  Bob (left) and Pete (right) stand out in the horizontal yellow of new sun, but Wilf opts to deploy his cuttlefish-chameleon camo trick.  Wilf is close to graduating as a counselor, and will be volunteering on the Lifeline phones before too long.

 

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John Kelly takes this kit into lost bag today.  The cap is silicone, and it was all left at foot of Drinkwater roll-a-door.  If anyone picked up a black scarf today, it’s Meagan’s – thanks …

 

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If you want your cap ‘n’ goggs back, see this guy … near this table.  Today we witnessed the moment when too much shock hits a G-Shock.

 

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There’s a lot of beachfront-exiting movement around 8 a.m, and the air temp may have something to do with it.  The pro lifesaver wades into shallows to post his flags …

 

Nude Challenge
Enthusiastic response to last month’s annual Solstice skinny-dip has pressed Andrew Drinkwater to go further.  He is adding this naked triple-header to the Bolds calendar.  It’s now officially three nude swims over three months – and I guess the challenge would be to keep turning up naked, with the ever-increasing available daylight over eight weeks.
Three-Leg Schedule
•  22nd June
•  25th  July
•  29th  August
Start time is fixed at 6.20 a.m.

 

Head to Head: The accidental Patron Saint of Nudity for this winter challenge just has to be Jim Stackpool, after he copped a jimble tingle on tip of his privates during nude Solstice swim.  How did it feel, Jim?

Like this:

 

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Subnote: Refer to Lainey’s shrivel gauge for further advice about swimming nude into this the winter of our glory days   🙂