Good morning from Manly Beach.
One thing I’ve learnt about swimming here is that no two days are ever the same, and yet somehow, the magic always is.
The Northern Beaches coastline is extraordinary because every beach brings its own personality. Some beaches are wilder than others, some have gorgeous ocean pools, some offer fun and/or peace. But here in Cabbage Tree Bay, there is always something waiting for you if you’re willing to get up, get in, and go looking.
Today, I entered from the Bower, swam across to Manly to enjoy the swell, then made my way over to Shelly before swimming back to the Bower – it was absolutely gorgeous.
There actually weren’t many people in for the 7 a.m. swim today, which surprised me. The Drinks Express group had around 20 swimmers, but overall, the bay felt unusually quiet. And I found myself wondering why, because this time of year is actually such a beautiful time to swim.
You don’t have the intensity of summer crowds, and you don’t really have to worry about the heat either. Even with overcast skies or a little rain, the water temperatures are still hovering around 20 degrees, which makes the swim feel invigorating without being uncomfortable. You come out feeling refreshed, energised, and somehow lighter.
I didn’t get the privilege of seeing the turtle this morning – Drinksy told me it came up for the 6:30 group, but honestly, I still felt incredibly lucky.
I spent the swim completely immersed in huge schools of fish, surrounded by movement, colour, and that unmistakable underwater calm that this place brings. And the visibility today was just stunning. The kind of visibility that makes you slow down and take it all in properly.
That’s what keeps surprising me about this place. No matter the swell, the waves, the currents, the rips, the rain, or the overcast skies, the underwater world here always offers something special.
Sometimes it’s turtles, sometimes wobbegongs, sometimes giant blue groupers or rays and sometimes it’s simply the joy of being completely enveloped by marine life and feeling part of it for a little while.
You never quite know what you’ll find in Manly, and maybe that’s the real magic of it.
Every swim feels like an invitation to wonder.
Until next Tuesday, have a great swimming week!
Deb 💙