This is Lips reporting from the 2016 Badge Ceremony. What a morning! Lots of photos.. fasten your seat-belts:
Big turnout for the 7am swim – as you would expect on Badge Ceremony Sunday. The morning started with a short speech by the Prime Minister followed by live performances from Cold Play, U2, and The Wiggles.
Management very happy with the proceedings:
Andrew had a lot of time on his hands this summer: “I was bored out of my mind, so I started doing 6km swims. Great way to kill some time.”
Compulsive badge collector – Elizabeth. Up for both the 6km and 10km badge this morning:
Concerning: Shaun conducting fake ‘newbie registrations’:
Gullible newbie Emily posing for a photo with Shaun:
Sterling sucking it in:
NEW: John Bond’s Twisted Flea Circus!
To entertain the crowds while waiting for the 7am start, John decided to bring down a Wolf Spider:
Things got interesting when John dropped the container..
To everyone’s relief, he managed to recapture the spider by performing what is locally known as ‘the spider dance’..
Blissfully unaware of the spider situation unfolding behind them, Nicky and Guy:
Tim endorsing reusable coffee cups: “That’s what Jesus would have done!”
A mostly dignified procession down the ramp at 7am:
Low tide..
The ‘making-of’ version of the previous photo:
..provided by my assistant photographer Mary..
Mary kindly provided the underwater photos for today’s blog:
A short while later at Shelly:
Ava was in top form this morning.. Capless Dave being an easy target:
Jen and Max:
Let’s Go!!!
Leftover tarts:
Now, before we move on the the Badge Ceremony, here’s an interesting compilation of Shelley K eating things:
There are many more. And the more I look at them, the more intriguing they become. I’m planning an exhibition later this year, titled ‘Shelley K Eating Things’ – stay tuned for more details shortly!
Back to the Ceremony..
THE 2016 SUMMER BADGE AWARDS:
Our hosts for the morning, Shaun, Anne, and Ian, looked impeccable.
Shaun was wearing a washed-out black t-shirt by Target. Anne skillfully accessorized with a vinyl-leather pink clipboard. And Ian, in a playful nod to last years awards show, recycled his pink polo shirt (untucked) with grey board shorts. He accessorized with a Fitbit bracelet:
The merchandise stand was managed by charming Marije:
Anne also supported Lyndall in counting money: “I really like Lyndall, but she can’t be trusted with money.”:
The BBQ Team:
Professional photography will be available from Mike:
Always a highlight – the 45 minutes of handing out badges to the John’s:
Elaine and Gayle..
Gillian double-badged it:
Michael in celebratory limbo-pose:
There was a lot of talk about ethnic diversity in the run up to this years 2016 summer badge awards ceremony. The hashtag #BadgesSoAussie started trending on Twitter.
John St even threatened to boycott the ceremony due to the blatant under-representation of Austrian-Australians in recent years. Needless to say, he didn’t follow through with his boycott:
Bill and his charming grand-daughter. Charlotte entered the raffle and won a case of wine!!!
No badge this year but still a good bloke – Ian:
Meanwhile, at the benches.. let’s quickly recap:
It was Cynthia’s birthday..
..Helen waltzed past with yet another semi-nude man..
..Bill managed to get a free coffee..
..Jules and Ian dropped by for a surprise visit..
..and the A-Team took their shirts off:
That’s all. I’m exhausted. Have a great Sunday!
Signing off:
Lips and his charming assistant photographer Mary xxx
The Stats
Regulars: 167 (and counting!)
Newbies: A few (incl. Emily)
Water: 20.5 degrees
PINK WEDNESDAYS AT WHITEWATER RESTAURANT
From 2nd March, each and every Wednesday will be “PINK WEDNESDAY” at WHITEWATER RESTAURANT. B&B swimmers will receive a massive 50% discount on all food items when they present their “PINK WEDNESDAY” CARD.
In order to get your “PINK WEDNESDAY” CARD, which is only available for B&B members, send an E-mail to Rebeka Zubac, Functions & Event Coordinator at Whitewater Restaurant to info@whitewaterrestaurant.com.
SUBJECT: PINK WEDNESDAY
First Name:
Last Name:
E-mail:
Mobile:
Gender:
Date of Birth:
19 comments
Lisa B
13/03/2016 at 2:05 pm
Rainer! You deserve to put your feet up! That was a brilliant blog full of the excitement of the morning! Great badge ceremony- thank you to everyone who helped make it a fun event. Wonderful happy photos of so many swimmers. Love the action shots of Shelley enjoying her healthy snacks.
Simon
13/03/2016 at 2:31 pm
Lips you’ve set the record today with a massive “75” photos in one blog!
Top of the text was your push for a place as a commentator for Paris Fashion Week for photo #44.
Ava of cause takes the best picture.
Shelly
13/03/2016 at 2:43 pm
Wow ! hold onto your hats was right !! glad I had my seat belt on.
What a great blog or was it two or Three blogs !!
Well done, hard act to follow.
Well done to all who got badges I’m jealous 😉 next year !
Love you all
Shelly
xoxoxo
jenny
13/03/2016 at 2:45 pm
Great blog Lips, must have taken a long time to upload all of those great Pics.
Shelley K
13/03/2016 at 3:46 pm
I am without speech
Shelley K
13/03/2016 at 4:02 pm
That is, speechless with admiration for your talent. (But it helps to have such superb material to work with)
Kerry
13/03/2016 at 7:19 pm
Tops blog Rainer 😉👍🏽
Nicky Poggi
13/03/2016 at 7:25 pm
As usual very funny blog Rainer 😜 and very sorry I missed John’s pet spider, also, was very impressed with Shelly’s diverse eating styles, I think you have nailed the genre.I am sure there will be a lot of copy cat eaters next week trying to photo bomb the blog…..
DWSS
13/03/2016 at 7:37 pm
True Nicky
I have been watching Shelly eating for years now.
She is very talented. It is the no 1 reason I turn up daily.
Nice blog Lippy
Elizabeth
13/03/2016 at 7:39 pm
That was magnificent ! Badge ceremony incl the Johns, the swim, underwater, the spider incident, topless a team and the fabulous Shelley K. So excellent I am going to read it again. Thank you.
The assistant photographer
13/03/2016 at 8:18 pm
Such a busy day – action on the benches, at the beaches and with the badges! It’s a lot for an intrepid Sunday blogger, but Lips, you nailed it 🙂
Love that sign off pick.
roger
13/03/2016 at 9:53 pm
What a classic!!!
Lesbubs
13/03/2016 at 10:32 pm
Worst blog eva
LSA aka HKTQ
13/03/2016 at 11:06 pm
Great blog and looks like a lot of fun!
Looking forward to picking up my badges on return:) xxxx
Lips
14/03/2016 at 9:24 am
Got your badges Triad Queen!!
Lips
14/03/2016 at 9:25 am
What eva
Rusty
14/03/2016 at 9:48 am
Great blog R. Funny as always. I picked up a 10k and a whale badge on ebay later Sunday afternoon. Only $10. Such a bargain.
Bill McCaffeine
16/03/2016 at 10:42 pm
Great Blog congratulations to Mary and to Rainer such great photographs capturing the whole morning
Maybe the only reason Shelley K was “speechless” (for once in her life ? I will check with the Guinness Book of Records) was that she’d scoffed all the food. I arrived a nano second after the start and the barbecue team were still reeling at the whirlwind of a woman who snaffled all the snags.
Shelley K
17/03/2016 at 10:55 am
And I thought you were such a kindly, harmless old duffer…guess looks can be deceiving