Wednesday 5 September 2018 : L- Plate blogger

Salps – Life in the fast lane

The salps have gone but what are these little critters? The species that we have been swimming with is Thalia democratica, which is found in all the worlds oceans and forms enormous swarms at the sea surface.

Salps are planktonic animals which have three different life stages – a ‘tadpole-like’ larva, and two different adult phases. Adult salps have both a solitary stage and and aggregated stage. Imagine a 1 cm barrel floating through the water, pumping water in one end and out the other, sieving phytoplankton from the seawater as it passes. This is the solitary stage of the salp. It is asexual and produces chains, or aggregations, of the sexual form of the salp. The aggregated animals feed and swim while attached to each other. They mature first as females, which are then fertilised by males which are the older zooids on the chain. The swarms we have been swimming through comprise both the solitary and the aggregated forms. They grow very quickly, some with a life span of only 48 hours, while feeding voraciously on phytoplankton.

Aggregated or chain phase of salps

Solitary phase of Thalia democratica

Good morning Manly, rain out at sea

6.30 swimmers Maxine and Madge

Chris, Sue, Christophe and Matt

Sarah and Annie on the wall

Brian contemplating a dry morning

Steve visiting from San Francisco

Booty camp

Maja and Rufus

Stats : Swimmers – not many at Shelly today

Newbies – a few

Water temp 16.3 deg C

Penny (first time blogger)

Monthly Dinner – 11^th September 2018 – Guest Speaker

The next B&B monthly dinner for the year will be held on Tuesday 11th September at 6.30 pm at Bluewater Restaurant. The guest speaker on the night will be one of our swimmers, Jennifer Mulveny, who will share the benefits of mindfulness during our swims and in our daily lives. Jennifer is a certified yoga instructor and passionate student of mindfulness. She leads the beach yoga sessions on Manly Beach before our swims every Thursday morning, constantly reminding students that mindfulness can be done on and off the yoga mat, before a beautiful sunrise, or just as well sitting in traffic or standing in a queue. The presentation will include some mindfulness practice that can be used during swims or as part of a regular home practice.

The cost of the dinner is great value at only $25 a head, which includes shared entrees, and a selection of mains to choose from (including a vegetarian option). Glasses of beer or wine and desserts are also available at the special price of only $5 each. Numbers are limited, so bookings are essential:  To avoid disappointment and secure your spot please book HERE

2018 Winter Badge Ceremony – Sunday 16^th September

You’ve done the hard yards and got your Summer Badge(s), now come and collect your badges with all the pomp and ceremony the B&B can muster.  Bring along $10 for each badge you have earned (correct money appreciated). The venue is the Royal Far West Children’s Home (opposite the beach) on Sunday 16^th September, straight after the regular swim! Everyone is welcome, family, friends and swimmers alike.

A $5 donation will be payable to the RFW at the gate for hosting this event, and …. RFW will provide a FREE breakfast (sausage sandwich and a coffee/tea). Bookings are essential to ensure there is enough food.  Book here for Badge Ceremony.

All 2018 winter badge qualifiers will be presented with their well-earned badge(s), so whether you are getting one personally or you want to enjoy the celebrations of your fellow swimmers, a great morning is guaranteed, so come along, soak up the atmosphere and get inspired for the upcoming summer badges.

In conjunction with the badge ceremony, Royal Far West will be holding a raffle with great prizes, so don’t forget to bring along extra money for the raffle.