Narrafun at Narrabeen...

Nice new swim at Narrabeen this am... Water was good, not as cool as we expected, brisk nor'-easter and nor'-easterly swell pushed the water southwards along the beach. Not a big swell, but it had some power crashing onto those banks. Long run out at the end, though, up the beach, across the beach, and up the race to the surf club's front lawn had us wondering whether this was a swim or a run.

The Narrabeen club ran the swim very well, particularly for a first time swim. Results available on the beach and preso done, it seemed, within minutes of last mug finishing. Good effort for this club. We weren't sure of the circuit off the wide open beach, but all in all it was noice. Lots of banks, gutters, rips, holes, dumps to contend with. Lots of fun.

Brickbats, however, to the swimmer on the tail end of the leading pack in the blue-caps wave (over 40s) who deliberately cut the booee by five metres. Can't believe people do that. But we got you on video, sport... we just hope your friends can identify you from the footage. Watch for our report coming soon.

But what did you think...

Burleigh Forresters get season moving...

We went to Forresters on Sat'dee... a luvverly, low key way to get into the ocean swimming season... water cool (c. 18C), a feisty nor'-east breeze and chop.. I's a swim hidden away from the world, down steep stairs set into the sand hills... if you didn't know it was there, you'd miss it. But what a pretty swim! The entire distance over reef, often very shallow, including behind the island that forms this swim's heart. Very noice, too, to meet new ocean swimming cobbers with whom we've exchanged emails over the years, Liz and Col amongst you... Thanks for talking to us. No-one else does...

On Sundee, mugs on the Gold Coast turned out at Burleigh Heads for the annual Battle of Burleigh which, when we were young boaties, back in the 70s, was a reference to a drunken brawl that some of our boatie friends had after the Stray'an surf life saving champeenships at Burleigh in 1973. Zipper and Mad Eyes still talk of the Battle of Burleigh with reverence. Different reference now, of course...

We'll have a more complete report up soon re Forresters, and our good friend and reformed water poloist, Roger Muspratt, has promised us some words on Burleigh later on Mondee. "As the sun rose slowly in the east  (take in wire services)..,." Roger wrote on Sundee evening, to our daytime, weekday email address, so we didn't get it until arriving at work at 5am (4am Qld time). "Revived that one from 1973," he said. "More to come. Monday. Honest. Beautiful day though. Burleigh at its best."

We hadn't realised Roger had been part of the '73 action. We wonder whether he knows Zipper and Mad Eyes...?

Results are online now from both Burleigh and Palm Beach, in Sydney last weekend, Sat'dee, October 16. Check the Stop Press box on the os.c home page...

And tell us what you thought....

Blowing blueys to sea at Palm Beach...

It was on at Palm Beach... a new season under way... Glistening Dave was there (check out his pics on OceanSwims.com)... But tell us what you thought...