There’s something about summer that invites you to rise — not just early, but inwardly.
This morning, fresh out of the water, I found myself reflecting on the Bold and the Beautiful Summer Challenge – the 30 swims across the season, the long swims woven through it, and those 3 or 6km aspirational swims that quietly call you forward. It’s not about ticking boxes. It’s about having something to aspire to. Something that gently stretches you.
Over the past week, I’ve been leaning into longer swims, and with each one, something has shifted. A few days ago, I was especially grateful to share a long swim with my girlfriend Lisha.
There was a shared motivation between us – the encouragement that comes from knowing you’re not alone (virtual high fives across the bay), and the extra spark that comes from realising, yes, I can do this, and yes, those kilometres count.
This week marked a personal milestone too -my first ever 5km swim. And today, 3.8km, as part of my training for the Cole Classic. Distances I once filed away as “one day” are now part of my lived experience. And that feels quietly powerful.
What I love most about these mornings is how they begin. You jump in at 7am with the Bold and the Beautiful crew- a shared sense of community, sport, ritual, and togetherness. Familiar faces, familiar shores, bonded by a love of the same swim, in the same place.
Then, after the 1.5km swimmers finish and head back to shore, something changes.
I continue on alone.
And in that moment, it becomes my own adventure.
The ocean softens. The noise fades. All I hear are my bubbles and my breath. The sand ripples beneath me. Fish glide past. It’s just me — moving steadily forward, stroke by stroke.
I’ve realised I’m really starting to enjoy these long swims. I relax into them. I drop into a meditative state. They ground me in a way few things do.
And perhaps that’s why they feel so fitting at this time of year.
Because as this year draws to a close, I can honestly say it has been one of the most challenging years of my life – and also one of the most rewarding. I’ve been stretched mentally, emotionally, spiritually. There were moments that were hard, decisions I wish I didn’t have to make, times when the weight of it all felt heavy.
But in facing those challenges, I’ve learned so much. I’ve grown personally.
I’ve developed professionally. I’ve clarified my values. I’ve found a deeper sense of purpose. And somehow, despite – or maybe because of – everything, I’m ending the year stronger.
The ocean has a way of mirroring life.
Sometimes you have to endure the swell.
Sometimes you get dumped by a wave.
Sometimes you find yourself swimming in murky water, unsure of what’s ahead.
But if you keep going – if you stay steady, keep breathing, trust your stroke – eventually you arrive.
Into the calm.
Into the clarity.
Into that still, aquarium-like beauty of Cabbage Tree Bay, where everything suddenly makes sense.
That’s how this year feels to me now.
A year that knocked me around at times, but also brought me home to myself.
And as I look ahead to 2026, I feel excited. Grounded. Ready. Grateful for the lessons, the resilience, and the quiet strength that came from swimming through it all.
Some challenges build fitness.
Some build clarity.
The best ones do both.
And that, to me, is what Bold and the Beautiful is really about.
💙 Deb x