The purifying properties of the ocean

Did you know that when you immerse yourself in the ocean you are performing an ancient ritual of purification?

Rituals featuring water are practiced by many faiths. Water has a central place in the practices and beliefs of many religions for two main reasons. Firstly, water cleanses. Water washes away impurities and pollutants; secondly it can make an object look as good as new and wipe away any signs of previous defilement.

Here are but a few…

Almost all Christian churches or sects have an initiation ritual involving the use of water. Baptism has its origins in the symbolism of the Israelites being led by Moses out of slavery in Egypt through the Red Sea and from the baptism of Jesus by John the Baptist in the Jordan. The baptism of Jesus  at the beginning of his ministry is a significant event in the Gospel records.

Water in Hinduism has a special place because it is believed to have spiritually cleansing powers.  To Hindus all water is sacred, especially rivers, and even more so the seven seven sacred rivers.  

In Islam water is important for cleansing and purifying. Muslims must be ritually pure before approaching God in prayer. Some mosques have a courtyard with a pool of clear water in the centre, but in most mosques the ablutions are found outside the walls. Fountains symbolising purity are also sometimes found in mosques. In Islam ritual purity (called tahara) is required before carrying out religious duties especially salat (worship).

In Judaism ritual washing is intended to restore or maintain a state of ritual purity and its origins can be found in the Torah. These ablutions can be washing the hands, the hands and the feet, or total immersion which must done in ‘living water’, i.e. the sea, a river, a spring or in a mikveh which is a ritual bath.

This morning, 395 swimmers (including 36 newbies) performed this ritual of purification in the bracing 16 degree ocean. And you thought it was endorphins that made you feel good!

The 6:30 early swimmers were getting down to business

The crowd on the path above was swelling in anticipation of the main event.

The obligatory dog. This is the very friendly Stevie. I know the followers of some faiths will disagree vehemently but I can’t see dogs being anything but spiritually pure, with their loyalty and unconditional love. 

Wow, it’s the WoWs!!

This is Emily (who is a really good photographer) with her children. We follow each other on Instagram but today is the first time we met in person. That was pretty cool.

Getting ready for the transformation

Welcome back, Gillian and Jonathan

Making our way to the Point.

Something extra special was going to happen today so there was no time to look for fish, but I did manage to spot this lot.

Fiona and Alison at Shelley – 2 happy WoWs

The extra special something was the mega-arch to celebrate Ian of Upper Management hitting the rare 3,000km milestone. Congrats Ian, and thanks always for the work you do in organising this motley bunch. And thanks for letting us celebrate you – we know you wanted this to pass quietly (as if that was going to happen)

Management notices:

B&B SWIMMING MERCHANDISE CHRISTMAS UPDATE:

Looking for a gift for your loved ones for Christmas?? Why not order some B&B merchandise? We have everything from B&B Budgy Smugglers to shirts, jackets and caps. Visit the store HERE to order. Shipping usually takes up to two weeks, so avoid disappointment and don’t leave it until the last minute. We also have the very distinctive B&B towels which are available from the Budgy Smuggler store at 1A/22 Darley Rd, Manly or ONLINE.

B&B Fundraising Christmas Party

Please book early for the B & B Christmas Party, which will be held on Tuesday 11^th December at 6.30 pm in the Moonshine Bar (2^nd Floor) at the Steyne Hotel. All swimmers and partners/friends are welcome (no under 18s unfortunately). The theme is simply “Christmas”, so come dressed in your finest Christmas paraphernalia. The music this year will again be provided by the band, “Gluteus Maximus”, who play two types of music, Rock and Roll! The cost is $15 per head, with all proceeds going to the running costs of the B&B. Book now! Don’t miss out on this fun event, as numbers are limited. Book HERE now!

On the night, Royal Far West will be running a monster raffle and auction. Last year, this raised over $4000 for their important programs for disadvantaged kids. There will be fantastic items up for grabs, so be prepared to bid hard. Royal Far West have requested if you have any valuable items to donate for the auction or raffle, that you contact Desiree (desireec@royalfarwest.org.au), who will be co-ordinating the event for RFW.

What am I listening to? It’s the 50th anniversary of 2 wonderful British albums – The White Album by the Beatles ( for the young people, if you don’t know who this is, your mother (or grandmother) should know, so ask her) and Village Green Preservation Society by the Kinks, so I’m immersed in Brit classics. This Kinks song preceded Village Green, and the audio quality is not great but it’s special for another reason.