Sunday, February 13, 2011

Bumpy and breezy at North Bondi...

Overcast, windy, weather from the sou'-east blowing straight into Bondi today, but it still was a good day. The water was a bit sandy close in, but crystalline once you got out past the rocks a bit. The Express was running full on today: see how everyone hugged the rocks to get out, and the farther out they went, the closer in they hugged. That was the rocks drawing them in in embrace.

We took video today and will post it a bit later in the evening, we plan.

What did you think of today's swims?

11 comments:

  1. Good fun at North Bondi today, bit of chop on the southward leg - best part of ocean swimming though, that, and beat the blueys on the return. Otherwise a good fun 1.8km - with the demise of the Bondi 'M' course I think they're in danger of getting used to setting things a bit short.

    And for pic of the week, for anyone who hasnt seen the shot of the B+B swimmers crossing the heads, it's fanstastic: http://twitpic.com/3yx467

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  2. Oh damn, was it only 1.8km? I did a good time and assumed it was because I was finally getting the hang of this ocean swimming - took the Express to the first buoy and it might have been my imagination but it felt like we had some help with currents swimming down to Mackenzies Point. Despite the chop, it didn't seem all that hard. Got stung by blueys at Bondi on Sat. so I was relieved they didn't hang around. Water temp was perfect, very comfortable and although I could have done without the cold wind while waiting to start, I love swimming on those grey, wild days. Thanks North Bondi SLSC for yet another great swim. J.

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  3. Thanks to North Bondi for putting on yet another great swim.

    The organisation is seemless - happy smiling faces at the rego tent, experienced water safety, more happy smiling faces at the finish line, plenty of refreshments & fruit.

    Fairfax Meeja take note, you CAN run an ocean swim with a complete absence of rigmarole, North Bondi proves it every time!

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  4. Let's all collectively just pretend that it was 2km. Good for our esteem.

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  5. I aint the sharpest tool in the packing shed, but everyone did swim 2k plus as I have yet to meet anyone who swims in straight line.
    The peach farmer.
    Can someone explain to me how the Bondi mob run swims cheaper than the Cole/Fairfax mob.

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  6. why did all the over 40t leave with all the over 40t blokes...made for a difficult first few mins...negotiating aroung and over the more rougher swimmers...cant understand why we cant leave seperately ...females and males seperate...much equal playing field.... eliz

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  7. Elizabeth - agree - either that or slower guys shouldn't push to the front of the start line thinking they're a lot better than they actually are. Sure they might be a bit faster down to the water but they're useless getting through the break which results in me just getting kicked in the face. And there is certainly no chivalry out there, particularly as you start to overtake them in the 'swim', I seem to get battered as I pass these guys - what embarassed about being beaten by a girl? I've taken to just swimming over the top of these idiots now - if they think they're good enough to stand at the front of the start line then they gotta be prepared to take the heat in the swim. Its perplexing, but this never seems to happen in an all female start. I think women are more realistic about their ability and choose a spot on the start line that makes sense.

    Also, whats with all this random swimming in angles when someone is trying to pass you. If I've started in the wave behind and I've caught you and am passing you, don't you think theres a good chance I know where I'm going? So why continue to swim sideways into me?

    However - LOVED the swims at Bondi this weekend. Well run, great commentary, big thanks to the water safety as always.

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  8. Paul
    Congratulations on your seamless transition from photographer to cinematographer. A lot of your underwater work reminded me of early Cousteau.
    Reg

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  9. Great swim at Bondi and well organised except the waves (people) were too big. I think I was in the same wave as Elizabeth (40-49 males & females) and swimming out to the first buoy was like trying to swim through a sea of legs. Once I rounded the first buoy I headed out to sea to try to steer clear of everyone and then went wide around the rest of the buoys. It was a good fun swim though and I'm sure if you take into consideration the extra distance travelled going up and down in the swell it would have been close to 2km.

    Ps. Anyone doing the Malabar swim on Sunday watch out for redbacks on toilet seats!

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  10. I agree with Elizabeth, there were a few too many folk in our start for a comfortable swim out to the first buoy. But overall experience of the race was tremendous. Clean, clear, warm water, challenging chop and excellent organisation, especially thanks to the kind woman upstairs at the club who helped me change distances so easily when I realised I actually could make the longer race! But brickbats to those people who continue to swim alongside then straight into others, as if we weren't there!

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  11. While interesting and somewhat inspirational, the story of those journeying across the heads last weekend struck a slightly sour note. After os.c and others have spent so long pushing the cause of ocean swimming (how many friends have you had to convince that there are no sharks out there?), swimming across the deepest channel in Sydney is probably not the way to further promote it.

    Although it may seem racy and tittilating to the individuals involved, if one of those flailing swimmers excites the interest of a passing shark, the resulting news puts the cause -read paying swim attendance- back five years. And even if nothing happens, the example is set for all the other idiots, who start to think that it is ok to go and hang out in the deeper waters.

    Most data shows that some scary stuff goes through the middle of the channel, all the way through the harbour, and especially at the main entry point. And as we don't usually swim through in the depths, we have fairly distorted views of the relative safety of our individual swimming endeavours. So I'm not entirely sure that the recent attempt deserves to be viewed as anything more than selfish vainglory for a small group of swimmers to go and tempt fate in what is nothing but a fun stunt, with limited benefit, and plenty of potential consequences.

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