Sunday, January 29, 2012

Weekend of big swims...

Yes, it was a weekend of big swims, indeed - on Sat'dee in Port Phillip Bay, The Bloody Big Swim, and today in Sydney, on the northern beaches, The Big Swim. And yesterday, on the western side of the heads, the Queenscliff Bluewater Challenge. Not so much a big swim but what looks like a lovely swim.

Which swim(s) did you do? And what did you think of them?

9 comments:

  1. The Big Swim - Palmie to Whalie. Great swim! A little choppy in the ocean, but it was a very well organised event. Though...coulda done with a few more markers/cans/buoys/kids on boards.
    A huge thank you to all the organisers and the surf clubs. Seeya next year!
    BJA

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  2. it was a challenge to know where to head to for a first timer but lucky had plenty of pink hats to follow until i reached whale. got a bit lost and couldnt see buoys ... but some kinds surfies kept me on track. thanks ... good fun ... plus raised $1000 for Kids Help Line.

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  3. Good that we have the chance to swim past the world’s longest boat (with the green flags) and the moveable headland. It seemed to take an age to pass that bloody boat and as for the headland, it does it every year, the harder I swim the more determined it is not to let me by.
    What a great swim this is, I first swam it 30 years ago and it is always well organised, great atmosphere and lovely people there to help us old swimmers.

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  4. Once again the Palm to Whale was a fantastic swim, and with 1700 swimmers, very well run.
    Just to be controversial, I will mention the fact that a few people don't read the race rules pertaining to swimming costumes. This is one of the races on the calendar in which men are only able to wear BRIEFS - ie nothing above the hips or on the legs. This is a well-worn subject, but as I am usually on the receiving end of it, I am going to bring it up again. It was painly written in the race rules what was allowed. I always wear whatever is allowed on the day be it a wetsuit, jammers, blue seventy or briefs. Quite frankly I don't care who wears what, but if you are going to be competitive for a place in your age or overall, just read the rules and abide by them. For everyone else, wear whatever you want, and enjoy your swim!

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  5. Hi, Palm to whale again, but to change the subject, I used to swim every weekend and I even found a "how far did I swim" entry for 2010. However the cost of ocean swims is becoming too high and therefore restricting funding to surf lifesaving and how far I can swim. I believe that a charitable donation is tax deductable - so can we get a "proper receipt" once we enter?
    Back to the swim, best organised, best sportsmanship (swimming - non contact sport), and to the 2 swimmers who came in during the dash for cash - brilliant finish - well done! You made it great - oh and the dash for cash winners - awesome.

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  6. P2W -- a quality swim with a quality cap to boot. that one's a keeper for a follically challenged 40something .... some good insulation for when the temp drops later in the season.

    a couple of extra buoys would have been nice --- anyone like to design an oceanswims periscope --- would have saved me a lot of meerkating for those markers

    can we have a coffee van at the start nxt year ?? its the first thing i look for once i've done the rego bit. might make some xtra coins for the SLSC

    overall great job !

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  7. My first Palmy to Whaley, and thank you to the organizers for another great Sydney day and experience. Learnt a few lessons, one being don't swim too close to the headland and deal with all the reflection and chop! The nectarines at the finish were the best I've devoured! Thanks again for the excellent website. Simon Newport

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  8. Well done to the volunteers who ensured a smooth and enjoyable event. Loved the swim as always and as Simon says, the nectarines too.
    I may me in a minority but for me a highlight of the swim was the minimum use of buoys. There is always congestion around buoys and everyone should know where they are going - the clue is in the title. How you get there is up to you. Thanks for a great day.

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  9. Loved the Palmy to Whaley as I always do. I must have done about 20 of them now and its always the swim I look forward to, but every year its the same feeling of dread about 30 mins before the start. I just know that monster headland and the current that makes it so hard to push round it is coming. But once I'm swimming I enjoy every tiring minute of it. And its always fun playing spot the famous person too. Saw Tony Abbott and Chris Fydler this year.

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