tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23781677359416109302012-01-29T21:54:52.640+11:00a forum for swapping yarns and boasting amongst ocean swimmers...os.chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00297851922614890368noreply@blogger.comBlogger1551100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2378167735941610930.post-70504280351381521392012-01-29T18:42:00.000+11:002012-01-29T18:42:06.589+11:00

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?

os.chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00297851922614890368noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2378167735941610930.post-40040231873918359452012-01-26T15:54:00.002+11:002012-01-26T15:54:42.899+11:00

Lotsa swims all over the place on Stra'a Day. Much better way to mark the day than draping oneself in a flag and getting off your face. We arrived at Circular Quay railway station at 5:45am for the Sydney Harbour swim this morning, and already there were three youths, two boofheads and a young lady, blocking the stairway, topless -- the girl was clothed -- reeking of grog and wrapping the flag

os.chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00297851922614890368noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2378167735941610930.post-41665454858836961662012-01-22T17:09:00.001+11:002012-01-22T17:09:46.861+11:00

They loved the journey swim at Portsea again this year, and for the second week in a row there was a bump on along Sydney's northern beaches, this time from Warriewood to Mona Vale. But at Tathra, somewhere between the two on the NSW Far South Coast, we hear everything was just hunky dory. Portsea used its journey course for the second year, after what is suspected to be the bay dredging of Port

os.chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00297851922614890368noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2378167735941610930.post-85147383243700167152012-01-16T16:30:00.001+11:002012-01-17T10:31:57.989+11:00

We witnessed a distressing sight at Avalon -- a small boy, who missed his wave, trying to catch up but being knocked around by the shorebreak, and in tears because "I don't know the course". How old should kids be before they're allowed to take part in ocean swims? There are no rules. What do you think? See our event report on oceanswims.com for more on this. And tell us about Torquay on

os.chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00297851922614890368noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2378167735941610930.post-83258974454920537072012-01-08T16:32:00.001+11:002012-01-08T16:32:42.070+11:00

It was the biggest of swims; it was the smallest of swims... etc. Sat'dee saw a start contrast between the world's biggest ocean swim in terms of numbers, the Pier to Pub at Lorne in Victoria, and one of the smallest, the new Fingal Mile at Fingal Bay, north of Newcastle in NSW. One of the oldest of swims; and the youngest of swims... Then today, another classic, the Roughwater at North Bondi,

os.chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00297851922614890368noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2378167735941610930.post-10371429272579663552012-01-03T16:39:00.000+11:002012-01-03T16:41:26.746+11:00

2 January 2012By KAOSVICOur annual short break on the coast has been timed around the Point Lonsdale swim for the past few years. We leave the big boys at home to mind the pets and the house and check ourselves into the historic Vue Grand hotel in nearby Queenscliff for a couple of days of ocean swimming, eating, walking and book buying.Point Lonsdale always seems to put on perfect conditions for

KAOSVIChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07797710336585379382noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2378167735941610930.post-26741462726343438292012-01-02T21:53:00.003+11:002012-01-02T21:53:57.740+11:00

We had swims all over the place on the New Year's Day public holiday, and all of them adhered to a theme: it's summer at last. First time in three outings that we've had a glorious day at Black Head (see HRH Michael Fox dolphining out for the start of the 700m event, above, after which he said to us: "If you ever see us dolphining out at the start again, stop us. We got out the back and we had

os.chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00297851922614890368noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2378167735941610930.post-25106086152301050362011-12-18T14:45:00.004+11:002011-12-18T14:45:37.159+11:00

Last chance for swims before Xmas at Brighton in Melbourne, Manly in Sydney, and Nobbys-Newcastle in, er, Newcastle... We were at Manly, where plenty of people were stung, although nowhere near as many or as badly as we'd feared. Tell us what you thought about those swims...

os.chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00297851922614890368noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2378167735941610930.post-29792311813920368922011-12-13T11:12:00.001+11:002011-12-13T11:12:18.695+11:00

An ocean swimmer has sent us an exchange of correspondence he had with the folk at Fairfax Meeja, operators of the Cole Classic. This punter wanted to enter both swims at the Cole at Manly on February 5, but when he tried to do so, he found there was no option for this. So he emailed them asking whether there was some way of doing it. A chap named Will emailed back. We quote... You can only

os.chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00297851922614890368noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2378167735941610930.post-73160710306650928762011-12-11T22:37:00.001+11:002011-12-11T22:42:23.656+11:00

The saddest moment of the ocean swimming season, we reckon, is the moment we leave Bilgola. Each year, it's an enormous build up towards this beautiful boutique swim, but then it's over in such a rush, the swim, the post-swim drink, the fruit, the barbie, the preso, and our traditional quiet little drink with Billie swim organiser Cap'n Graham Foran. Billie proves the maxim that the swim is the

os.chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00297851922614890368noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2378167735941610930.post-19119799459201253822011-12-04T15:30:00.001+11:002011-12-04T15:30:59.551+11:00

Lovely day at North Curly... grey and cold at Mornington... glorious fading to blowy and miserable and even dangerous at Bondi-Bronte... You couldn't get  more contrasting conditions... We'll have something more to say on our report page, but tell us what you think... click the comments link below...

os.chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00297851922614890368noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2378167735941610930.post-1071770937170578932011-11-27T15:33:00.000+11:002011-11-27T15:33:36.604+11:00

Coogee is a glorious swim, made better when you get to see at close-up the bottom around Wedding Cake Island. In recent years, we haven't seen that much of that beautiful bottom -- all Devil's Marbles boulders on the beach side, and wavey, weedy reef on the ocean side -- because the booees have been set for safety and kept us wide. This time, however, through some quirk of booee laying, the first

os.chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00297851922614890368noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2378167735941610930.post-31714282071926735632011-11-20T18:51:00.001+11:002011-11-20T18:52:06.520+11:00

What a big weekend for swims all over the place... In NSW, Woy Woy Swimming Club had their first swim at Umina on Saturday, then two swims on Sundee, at Balmain -- the Dawny swim -- and at Cronulla, the Cook Classic. We were at Hamilton Island for the Whitehaven Beach Swim. Luvverly day out, glorious weather all 'round, and some very noice water. We saw some triffic tweets from mug swimmers at

os.chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00297851922614890368noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2378167735941610930.post-47969681356753448442011-11-13T14:39:00.000+11:002011-11-13T14:39:45.304+11:00

Lovely day at Collaroy, and what a revelation was "the bottom". Sure, there were some very noice bottoms that we passed, and which passed us, but particularly the one way down below. Looking out from the beach, Collaroy -- "the 'roy", as Judy Playfair refers to it, a beach where her family was instrumental in setting up the surf club 100 years ago -- looked a bland swim. A champagne glass course,

os.chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00297851922614890368noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2378167735941610930.post-37997332132238470212011-11-13T13:20:00.004+11:002011-11-13T14:33:13.492+11:00

Folks… this is a tale of a little swimming interaction I had at a pool in Brissy. I’m telling this tale because I think it is food for thought for swim organisers, when designing a swim course of any kind, to spend some time thinking about collision.So, back in May, I was up in Qld for work. As usual, I pack the swim gear to get a swim in where ever. I normally venture to the Centennial Pool

Bambihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12100413175293521129noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2378167735941610930.post-56793526009174034012011-11-07T17:22:00.000+11:002011-11-07T17:22:38.646+11:00

Here’s an unusual double - from the Noosa Triathlon on October 30 to the Killer Swim in Murwillumbah on November 27. Noosa is  huge with 7500 punters. That would be like the whole population of Murwillumbah turning up at the rowing club to have a dip in the Tweed River. Here’s another bit of trivia. When you come over the hill at Noosa and down towards Hastings Street, the whole of Lions Park off

os.chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00297851922614890368noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2378167735941610930.post-85058260694149360722011-10-25T01:53:00.002+11:002011-10-25T01:53:59.473+11:00

Ours is a participant sport and you don’t like to focus on the elite stars but Ky Hurst’s effort in the Dash for Cash at Burleigh on Sunday October 23 was outstanding – real old-time, surf club wading skills stuff. The four-time Australian ironman champion looked well beaten as the field hit the shallows. The Grimsey boys seemed to have put too big a gap on him. But from there everything went

os.chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00297851922614890368noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2378167735941610930.post-13423014970067750292011-10-24T07:01:00.000+11:002011-10-24T07:01:17.301+11:00

Two swims over the weekend -- Forresters Beach on the NSW Central Coast, and Burleigh Heads, on the Gold Coast. How did you like those swims? We've seen some tweets (from Trent Grimsey) and we've had an email about the long run out of the surf at Burleigh, which didn't please everybody. What did you think? Leave your response below... Above, two of the legends of ocean swimming around Sydney,

os.chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00297851922614890368noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2378167735941610930.post-76807453094738808202011-09-11T12:55:00.000+10:002011-09-11T12:55:23.821+10:00

Sharks and Speedboats - Maui Channel Swim 2011  The morning of Saturday September 3rd started as other years when the Aussie Ticker brethren gathered on Kaanapali Beach in Maui for the boat trip to Lanai. However, the wind was up and there were a few grumbles about how choppy it might be for the annual relay swim back. We fielded 2 Aussie Ticker teams this year, a powerful new Open Mixed team (

os.chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00297851922614890368noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2378167735941610930.post-4111512866761186252011-07-01T11:32:00.002+10:002011-07-01T11:32:44.993+10:00

Car pool pick up Doctor Nuclear, fix all the world's problems before we arrive. Swim in the ocean with no concrete walls. Try a bit of hypoxic swimming around the course. Car pool on way home, fill the car with a lot of IF ONLY I HAD Epiphany this is the sport for the carbon free years. The Peach FarmerTa Mona Vale surf club for a great day. Glistenrr how was I to know you were lurking in the

os.chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00297851922614890368noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2378167735941610930.post-54159346560573013032011-06-06T18:09:00.004+10:002011-06-06T20:47:08.461+10:00

By KAOSVIC - ocean swimmer by preference, pool swimmer by necessity My local pool opened up today after a month off for a facelift. More accurately it had a bottom lift. It got a shiny new bottom, some new tiles and that's about it. It's still the same daggy pool it's been since it opened in 1964. I've been a regular at Prahran pool since before I could swim.  There were no lanes in those days.

KAOSVIChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07797710336585379382noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2378167735941610930.post-46571355296595278802011-05-27T17:45:00.020+10:002011-06-17T21:52:37.914+10:00

 2010-2011 Another year of swimming tragic   .. But I'm not the only one  WoJo YOU WIN Eight Ball Bondi Beach, Australia Ocean swimmers are an independent bunch While the rest of the world follows calendar years, or summer and winter seasons I love it that we've decided that the Australian ocean

Richardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12160211640817882984noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2378167735941610930.post-67503848888581427442011-05-22T16:15:00.005+10:002011-05-23T13:03:22.760+10:00

Two different swims over two days -- Sat'dee, the Noosa swim, then Sundee, the 2nd Inaugural Bondi Bluewater Challenge. Smooth water with slight offshore breezes at both, but very different in setting and water. Noosa's water was muddy. Indeed, when we swam on the Fridee, literally you couldn't see the hand in front of your face. It was slightly clearer on race day, but not by much. They've had

os.chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00297851922614890368noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2378167735941610930.post-40740811457628079482011-05-02T19:42:00.002+10:002011-05-04T18:28:52.350+10:00

I wasn’t there for the Blues festival, but I had the blues after the Byron Bay swim this year. My third time and worst result. I did an awful 14 minutes slower than last year . I barely beat five other women in my age group. Why why why? It has been two months since my last event – the Pier to Perignon from Sorrento to Portsea. But I swam that event faster than Byron, despite the course being

KAOSVIChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07797710336585379382noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2378167735941610930.post-14226210330257853402011-05-01T17:40:00.000+10:002011-05-01T17:40:52.827+10:00

South Curl Curl, Byron Bay... they herald the start of winter swimming season. All around the coast, clubs with names like Icebergs, Splashers, Mackerals, Frigid Frogs got going this weekend in the winter swimming season, many of them at beach pools on beaches which, until now, have been the scene of ocean swims. The Byron Bay swim has been held on the first Sunday in May because, traditionally,

os.chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00297851922614890368noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2378167735941610930.post-12604981883818299812011-04-26T19:01:00.000+10:002011-04-26T19:01:41.819+10:00

Wildly diverse swims over Easter... Tilbury Classic at Nowra Culburra, then a glorious day at Pacific Palms, near Forster, then almost a wash-out at Coogee-Bondi, which went ahead as a truncated swim inside the bay at Coogee... Tell us about your weekend of swimming...

os.chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00297851922614890368noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2378167735941610930.post-72386312300597569672011-04-16T16:28:00.000+10:002011-04-16T16:28:38.973+10:00

The start of the season's 2nd Super Sat'dee-Sundee... eight swims this weekend, that we know of, one postponed before the weekend got under way... two Sat'dee, six Sundee, two Queensland, six NSW... New start to it, with a new swim, The Swim for Saxon, at Queenscliff, at the northern end of Steyne beach, named for Saxon Bird, the 19-year-old Queenscliff iron man who was killed at the Stra'an

os.chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00297851922614890368noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2378167735941610930.post-84299763070433823072011-04-03T14:35:00.000+10:002011-04-03T14:35:02.941+10:00

Lovely day, typical of the autumn ocean swimming season, at Stanwell Park. Water clean and reasonably clear, equable temperature, bright, sunny day with a clear blue sky, and a gentle offshore breeze to smoothe out the water and keep those pesky blueys out to sea. Gee, it was noice. But tell us what you thought... What was your swim like...

os.chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00297851922614890368noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2378167735941610930.post-64259062679732160862011-03-27T18:45:00.001+11:002011-03-27T18:48:40.519+11:00

Lucky swimmers! In NSW, anyway, where the seas subsided to allow the North Steyne and Shark Island swims to go ahead, while their direction probably meant they would not have affected South West Rocks, one of Stra'a's most glorious beaches, facing north away from turbulence from the South. Coogee (the other Coogee) ran in the West. From our eyrie here in Paris, it all looked noice. While we've

os.chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00297851922614890368noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2378167735941610930.post-66789823572629882772011-03-13T19:01:00.002+11:002011-03-15T20:02:29.216+11:00

... it was such a perfect day at Sydney Harbour. It seems this swim just strikes some of the best days of the season. We recall one of the earlier swims at which it rained very heavily after the swim, but all the rest, pretty well, have been like this. The water was the best we've tasted it, for the harbour, there was a gentle chop, just a little breeze from the nor'-east to take the edge of the

os.chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00297851922614890368noreply@blogger.com21tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2378167735941610930.post-54463085891631350452011-03-07T17:46:00.000+11:002011-03-07T17:46:15.377+11:00

It was Super Sundee in NSW, Super Weekend, really, with five swims on offer with 11 events in all. Don't know which way to look. We arrived at Freshwater to see the Manly course laid out past the headland with our marker booees. Some people turned up and were heard to gasp in wonder, "gee, it's a long swim!" But, no, the Freshie people didn't require us to swim all the way down to Manly and back.

os.chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00297851922614890368noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2378167735941610930.post-35648839532642113122011-02-27T17:34:00.000+11:002011-02-27T17:34:46.343+11:00

We hear everyone had fun at the Pier to Perignon, particularly in the vanilla slice shop at Sorrento afterwards. Rotto was hot, glorious, but slow. People so far are positive about Long Reef, except for @_Perama who turned up first at Freshwater and wondered why there was no swim in evidence. Tell us what you thought... your experiences... Use the comments button below...

os.chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00297851922614890368noreply@blogger.com21tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2378167735941610930.post-53489012041323833892011-02-27T17:05:00.005+11:002011-02-27T17:45:28.976+11:00

Swimming in the Pier to Perignon event is a season highlight for many reasons.It's a great swim - 4.5 km from Sorrento front beach along the coast til you hit Portsea front beach.It's hard to get into - only 700 spots which filled up within a day of entries opening.It is an extremely beautiful part of the world. Gorgeous coast, clear water.This year has been a bad season for ocean swimming down

KAOSVIChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07797710336585379382noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2378167735941610930.post-48586163345609387212011-02-25T13:03:00.000+11:002011-02-25T13:03:46.362+11:00

I just noticed that one G Greer (Germaine?) posted a message criticising OsC and his friends' trans-Heads swim, saying the chances of being eaten are greater over the depths of the channel and that a shark-induced fatality would set back the cause of ocean swimming. He/she suggested this was a vainglorious and selfish stunt. I'm not one to jump thoughtlessly to OsC's defence, particularly after

Steve Hall, Sales & Marketing Consultanthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00478265281612655019noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2378167735941610930.post-71068397338937974552011-02-23T08:18:00.002+11:002011-02-23T14:51:11.541+11:00

Sri Chinmoy Lake Swim Canberra 5k 20th February Looking for Nirvana from the muddy banks of the Molonglo ... Sri Chinmoy spent his life practising sport to express his philosophy of self-transcendence. Being an old sceptic, I usually don't have much faith in this philosophy. Still, I do try to go to keep an open mind when I go to these kinds of events that are organised by people

Richardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12160211640817882984noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2378167735941610930.post-10740381532156715982011-02-20T16:40:00.001+11:002011-02-20T16:56:43.499+11:00

Just back from Malabar, which is a pretty cove, also known as Long Bay, in Sydney's south-eastern suburbs. Water was glorious, perfect even, apart from the fact that there were no waves at all. At all. It was a pool swimmers' swim. Flat, even, little current, clear, clean water, not even stingers -- ah, yes, one punter was stung by a bluey at the outer reaches of the 2.37km course. But that's not

os.chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00297851922614890368noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2378167735941610930.post-77166493241341236152011-02-19T17:27:00.003+11:002011-02-19T18:29:42.345+11:00

THE CERBERUS SWIM CLASSIC PROCEEDS AGAINST ALL ODDSBy KAOSVICAll week the signs have been bad for today's Cerberus swim at Half Moon Bay. The EPA said water quality was poor, the weather forecast worse. And then it rained heavily overnight. Let's face it, the water in Port Phillip Bay is filthy.I ummed and ahhed about whether to line up, particularly as it's the big season highlight next

KAOSVIChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07797710336585379382noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2378167735941610930.post-55222479415885537622011-02-13T17:51:00.002+11:002011-02-13T18:39:14.185+11:00

Not much swimming to be had the the Bay this weekend, with the EPA forecasting dire consequences if you dared to take on flood affected, Yarra infused local beaches.Lucky there was an alternative, even if it was only for the invited few.I travelled about 90 minutes out of town to Daylesford for the second annual Lake Daylesford Swim Classic.An old school friend lives there, and her brother and a

KAOSVIChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07797710336585379382noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2378167735941610930.post-48599531279403959582011-02-13T16:14:00.000+11:002011-02-13T16:14:34.231+11:00

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

os.chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00297851922614890368noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2378167735941610930.post-92219975143795312002011-01-31T17:30:00.001+11:002011-01-31T17:57:00.998+11:00

The Cole Classic is this weekend, the third outing of this event under the ownership of Fairfax Meeja. And we expect to be welcoming a whole lot of new ocean swimmers as a result, and that's terrific. But every year, we have a whinge about how we believe Fairfax Meeja diss the ocean swimming community, and every year, we get the odd few people whingeing back at us for our whingeing in the first

os.chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00297851922614890368noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2378167735941610930.post-36270936917734021242011-01-29T20:05:00.002+11:002011-01-29T20:05:38.938+11:00

It's the season's peak... Aquagirl and DolphinJo snagged 1st by 16 minutes in the Bloody Big Swim in Melbourne, Kaosvic bought books then lunch after swimming by Queenscliff pier, and on Sundee, a few hours into the future, over 1,700 swimmers will swim Palm-Whale. It is the season's peak. Tell us about it... what was good about the swims, and what was bad about them... what happened to you?

os.chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00297851922614890368noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2378167735941610930.post-29192657927452653182011-01-26T14:21:00.000+11:002011-01-26T14:21:36.043+11:00

Where to start -- when we alighted from the 6:38 from Meadowbank at Circular Quay (changed at Central), the harbour was shrouded in fog. You could barely see the Opera House, you couldn't see the bridge, and ferries came and went, emerging from the fog and disappearing back into it... But then it lifted to a scorcher of a glorious day, in some truly pristine water (all things are relative - we

os.chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00297851922614890368noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2378167735941610930.post-18766441084310881912011-01-23T15:26:00.002+11:002011-01-23T15:26:53.640+11:00

Third week in a row, there've been blueys all the way up and down the Sydney coast, yet we swam without injury. North Bondi, Avalon, and now Mona Vale. Thought we were lucky. About to decide to start going to church. Even sat off the last booee taking pitchers in water that was clear and the warmest it's been all season. And no stings. But then we got into the beach and saw the carnage of

os.chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00297851922614890368noreply@blogger.com23tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2378167735941610930.post-66051251820778182011-01-15T10:31:00.002+11:002011-01-19T13:59:05.177+11:00

We count 11 swims on 'round Stra'a this weekend, starting with a biggie, Portsea, down on the tip of the péninsula, over a journey course in the national park, today, Sat'dee. Also Torquay today, Cape Patterson Sundee. Scarborough, in the West, today, Albany Sundee. In NSW, Avalon, Penrith, and a Swim we heard of only yestee, Fingal Beach, just outside Port Stephens (South side of the Heads)

os.chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00297851922614890368noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2378167735941610930.post-64004552098882057982011-01-08T18:06:00.003+11:002011-01-09T21:15:58.973+11:00

Lorne was a big day, as we saw on the telly, although we were mightily disappointed to see Victorian Premier, Ted "Death to the Wettie" Baillieu, sporting a wettie for the second year in a row. Even worse, it was on the telly! For all the world to see! Is there no shame? So we sms-ed Ted seeking his explanation, and we tweeted. And within minutes, the Premier of Victoria was on the phone seeking

os.chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00297851922614890368noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2378167735941610930.post-66802583022772588032011-01-02T16:01:00.003+11:002011-01-02T16:27:19.212+11:00

As we write, we're on Stroud Rd Between Gloucester and Dungog, en route from Black Head to Sydney. This road is not conducive to typing, so we'll say only this: tell us about your New Year swims. Let the discussion begin... Lovely day at Black Head: barely a cloud -- just passing Ram Station, perhaps one of those wife-swapping, group sex party ressorts -- water c. 22C, bit of a wave, and very

os.chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00297851922614890368noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2378167735941610930.post-68286541785915619752010-12-19T18:14:00.003+11:002010-12-20T16:40:28.139+11:00

 Just a quick note - Cooks Hills was a return to the ocean swimming conditions that we know and love... water c. 20C, clear, very clear, gentle, reassuring swell, light offshore breeze... cloudy, but oh, so lovely... and the hot showers! Rigged up on the beach through a fire hose run through a gas heater on the promenade... certainly a treat, and one of the idiosyncracies of this swim that marks

os.chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00297851922614890368noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2378167735941610930.post-83666837952088658002010-12-12T18:07:00.003+11:002010-12-12T18:09:37.105+11:00

Gosh, we're tired. Always are after Billie. Reason being that we always have a quiet little drink with the Billie organiser, Cap'n Graham Foran, after Billie, in their Bilgola Berger Bar, which is half a surfboat cut down the middle. It's the best bar on the circuit, capping off the best day on the circuit. Billie is, without doubt, the best boutique ocean swim of the season. We love going there

os.chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00297851922614890368noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2378167735941610930.post-29720316110595321502010-12-05T14:14:00.001+11:002010-12-05T21:36:04.083+11:00

There are a lot of things one could talk about regarding the Bondi to Bronte swim, but the most contentious point concerns wetties: whether they should be worn? Should they be allowed below a certain temperature? And if they are allowed, should wettie wearers compete with newd swimmers, ie in open company? What happened to the old Back of the Pack division, in which punters could use whatever

os.chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00297851922614890368noreply@blogger.com48tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2378167735941610930.post-55560083114726999582010-12-05T00:33:00.002+11:002010-12-05T00:33:49.089+11:00

I just went to register for the Bondi to Bronte swim. Haven’t done it for a while but I’m now fit enough to have ago now. What’s with the pricing ??? $40 normal and $50 on the day ?? I was waiting until today because cold water and me aren’t the best of friends or my low level asthma. Is it just me or as a few swims start to get professional organisers the price doubles? I would mind a lot less

os.chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00297851922614890368noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2378167735941610930.post-51249051618441232792010-11-28T22:58:00.000+11:002010-11-28T22:58:13.960+11:00

Aquagirl is back, and she's set herself a new task: swimming newd throughout the Victorian ocean swimming season. In Victoria, newd means sans wettie. She did her first newd swim from Aspendale to Edithvale on Sat'dee. Check out her report on oceanswims.com then come back here to tell us what you reckon... In Sydney, it was cold... the Coogee people were saying 16C on race day, but we reckon it

os.chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00297851922614890368noreply@blogger.com38tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2378167735941610930.post-30554210372297178712010-11-21T18:41:00.003+11:002010-11-21T21:50:48.709+11:00

Well, what a glorious day it was at Balmain for the Dawny swim around Cockatoo Island... Balmain at its best, with a gentle but spirited nor'-easter blowing through the jacarandas, whipping up a few little whitecaps on the harbour, lifting the skirts of the glitterati in Darling Street, and an anti-clockwise swim around the island (see background above) for the first time... It truly was a

os.chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00297851922614890368noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2378167735941610930.post-52775980545102756222010-11-17T23:25:00.003+11:002010-11-21T14:55:11.104+11:00

Pan Pacific Masters Games Open Water SwimSunday 14th NovemberLake Hugh Muntz, Mermaid Waters, freshwater lakeLaps around a 1.25k circuit1.25k, 2.5k and 5k eventsWas well run by Queensland Masters Swimmingwith some improvisations, like the finish line was a water-polo goal with the net cut outMentally, having to go around around the course 4 times was quite tough,tiring after 1 lap and still 3

Richardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12160211640817882984noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2378167735941610930.post-78302735131406341602010-10-30T17:48:00.000+11:002010-10-30T17:48:04.001+11:00

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.

os.chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00297851922614890368noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2378167735941610930.post-19621561656252002402010-10-25T07:52:00.000+11:002010-10-25T07:52:33.333+11:00

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

os.chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00297851922614890368noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2378167735941610930.post-48403959872000726372010-10-16T16:44:00.000+11:002010-10-16T16:44:10.593+11:00

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...

os.chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00297851922614890368noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2378167735941610930.post-73299890926451982682010-09-28T14:01:00.000+10:002010-09-28T14:01:57.839+10:00

I started ocean swims many years ago, at the time may be less than 10 swims per year available. I am now 65 and retiring soon. When I became 60 I recall in one race I was 2nd oldest. Now swims cost $40 minimum and no class for those over 60 or younger ones in some races. Ten swims per year $400? The number over 65 is very minimum and if they consider a discount for those over 65 the loss to

os.chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00297851922614890368noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2378167735941610930.post-18336431526469455762010-08-08T17:22:00.001+10:002010-08-08T17:27:31.311+10:00

We had our first swim in the ocean in six weeks today... just a dinky little one along Mona Vale beach to the cliffs, then we walked back along the sand. Felt good. We don't get enough exercise in winter, but this gave us a 1.6km swim and about an 800 metre walk back. We spend too much time sitting at a desk as a rule. Anyway, we had our new old GPS in a rubber bag sticky-taped onto our noggins,

os.chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00297851922614890368noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2378167735941610930.post-22237343819516840122010-08-05T08:21:00.001+10:002010-08-05T09:42:41.639+10:00

An interesting question from Chicago Sandy on this blog ... "I know that salt water = high buoyancy = faster time, but wondering if anybody has done both and would like to comment." Comment: I would say anything that improves a swimmers buoyancy will result in faster times, as less energy is wasted maintaining the swimmers body position on top of the water Swimmers in salt water, or wearing

Richardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12160211640817882984noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2378167735941610930.post-16114927276304362492010-07-26T07:44:00.000+10:002010-07-26T10:55:54.029+10:00

Picnic Bay Start. Photo: Karen Uhlmann This was a good challenge An 8k swim across Cleveland Bay from Magnetic Island to Townsville Conditions were tough, with a big wind swell, although the tide and wind direction were in our favour A few nervous swimmers at the start, some attempting their longest ocean swim The timing of this swim in July was perfect - A trip away to Tropical North

Richardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12160211640817882984noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2378167735941610930.post-89811433252847340342010-06-20T16:10:00.001+10:002010-06-20T16:11:58.579+10:00

Who did Mona Vale "Cold"? What did you think? Water was brisk for the first 20 metres or so, but after that there was this lovely sensation of warmth washed over us, and stayed with us all the way around the "1.2km" course, out around the pool-topped rock shelf. We felt a little cool only when we'd stopped for a bit to take video. In the break coming in, we ran into Doug Lucas, preso and chief

os.chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00297851922614890368noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2378167735941610930.post-72590466815171758192010-06-14T16:22:00.000+10:002010-06-14T16:22:59.807+10:00

To cut a story short ... I made it!! But what a tough swim. This may be my toughest yet and I am not doing any that have a remote chance of being as hard. Didn't travel well. Landed in NYC with a flu. Decided to see a doctor on Madison Ave who prescribed some antibiotics. During the course of Friday I completely lost my appetite and anything I forced down wouldn't stay, antibiotics!? Not great

os.chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00297851922614890368noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2378167735941610930.post-141552335442668552010-06-09T08:13:00.001+10:002010-06-09T16:39:50.847+10:00

12 months of swimming tragic Distance Tallies 2009/10 That's amusing, if not a little ironic Given that I usually finish worse than midfield in every race And did actually finish lucky last in my first attempt at a longer swim last year Anyway thanks to os.c and the Statsman for keeping track and publishing the distances It keeps it interesting for us slower swimmers

Richardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12160211640817882984noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2378167735941610930.post-88479520847065220732010-06-03T09:04:00.000+10:002010-06-03T09:04:01.612+10:00

The 1st inaugural Caloundra Kings of the Coast swim last Sundee was a nice one, by all accounts. Check out our report (on oceanswims.com), then come back here and tell us what you thought...

os.chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00297851922614890368noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2378167735941610930.post-15140780489412968922010-05-24T07:45:00.002+10:002010-05-24T07:47:14.660+10:00

Obviously everyone will be waiting to read what new levels of nuttiness were reached at the Noosa Blue Water swim on Saturday. This year's nuttiness was the cap on the number of swimmers. It meant a number of people missed out on swimming altogether or were forced to switch from the 2km main swim to the 800m event. This is the first time in the seven-year history of the swim that the 700-

os.chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00297851922614890368noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2378167735941610930.post-12352582553197420262010-05-16T18:03:00.000+10:002010-05-16T18:03:44.973+10:00

Lovely day at Watsons Bay today, watching the peloton dribble in from South Head. Check out our video reports... www.qik.com/oceanswims Leave us your thoughts...

os.chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00297851922614890368noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2378167735941610930.post-55436453333493859632010-05-11T13:46:00.000+10:002010-05-11T13:46:37.059+10:00

1. Can the sport of oceanswims settle on the one colour cap for age groups as I do not want to go home and throw out 20 to 30 caps a year. For us tragics I would rather buy my own to fit my big melon? 2. Can there be a Family entry fee and a pensioners or over 65 year entry fee? 2. Can the oceanswims lose their purple cone buoys? Swimming around looking for purple buoys is a time waster?

os.chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00297851922614890368noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2378167735941610930.post-46597352976405289612010-05-03T15:37:00.000+10:002010-05-03T15:37:00.660+10:00

 We couldn't be at Byron Bay this year, and we are very sorry we missed the 200th anniversary of Byron (Lord) swimming the Hellespont, which fell today (Monday, May 2). We would loved to have celebrated it with a Mondee morning swim from The Pass back to main beach. To our mind, the Fridee, Sat'dee and Mondee swims of Byron weekend are the highlights of the weekend, followed by a cuppa and

os.chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00297851922614890368noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2378167735941610930.post-16622354844478459562010-04-26T07:42:00.000+10:002010-04-26T07:42:48.891+10:00

Coogee-Bondi conditions seemed Yrpean lake-like, judging by reports and pics we've received so far, but a lovely day was had by all, albeit cool. Except for some punters wondering whether it really was 5km. We'll wheel out our Goggle Earth later to see for ourselves. Conditions at Bondee on swim am seem very different: looks like an onshore breeze breaking up the surface, swell's up (one website

os.chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00297851922614890368noreply@blogger.com30tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2378167735941610930.post-51565805360263368202010-04-17T18:04:00.000+10:002010-04-17T18:04:02.960+10:00

It's Sat'dee, but already it's started... Glorious swim at South Curly to Freshie this am, we're told. A wonderful speech by Luane Rowe, 1st laydee, challenging Darrin Jones, 1st boofhead, to make it a "proper" race next year and "leave the skins behind". Darrin swam in a fastskin. Yuck!! Has he no self-respect? Good girl yourself, Luane! Let's see whether he's game to take you up on it. And

os.chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00297851922614890368noreply@blogger.com38tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2378167735941610930.post-83495590450408178482010-04-12T08:27:00.000+10:002010-04-12T08:27:37.755+10:00

What a cracker of a weekend for autumn ocean swimming... on the South Coast of NSW, you could have a weekend ocean swim fest with Shellharbour on Sat'dee, Mollymook on Sundee... Can't or won't leave Sydney? Then Long Reef's re-run was Sundee. And in Qld, there was Hervey Bay and the new privately organised swim at Coolangatta... We had a long day driving down to Mollymook and return, up at 4am,

os.chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00297851922614890368noreply@blogger.com25tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2378167735941610930.post-68855257360041427552010-04-10T00:08:00.005+10:002010-04-10T07:30:23.726+10:00

Ploughing through the sea en route to Shark Point, one became aware, as one rolled to breathe to the left, of a helicopter remote, high in the distance. As one stroked, breathing right, then breathing back left again, the helicopter homed in, closing in on one, until it got to the point where it seemed almost right above our heels. As we watched it, we thought, That’s what helicopters do when

os.chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00297851922614890368noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2378167735941610930.post-36044785669708088082010-04-05T18:32:00.000+10:002010-04-05T18:32:19.133+10:00

Say what? Tell that to the apparently 500 or more who did the swim, although the wisdom of setting this swim through the break at Tamarama might be the subject of debate. We were amongst those who did it, and we wondered why that helicopter was hovering on our heels along the Waverley cemetery cliff. Well, it is called Shark Point. But tell us what you thought... We had a big weekend -- the

os.chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00297851922614890368noreply@blogger.com121tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2378167735941610930.post-8074193540294503852010-03-28T15:30:00.000+11:002010-03-28T15:30:27.681+11:00

This weekend, Stanwell Park, North Steyne, Port Macquarie... We did Stanwell Park, and a finer example of ocean swimming you would not get... water was c 23 deg C, which is perfect; air was warm without the oppression of summer, which is perfect; breeze was from the nor'-east, but so light as to hardly ruffly your hair, which is perfect; water was clear, although not quite as good as we've seen

os.chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00297851922614890368noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2378167735941610930.post-35381318772213302962010-03-21T21:31:00.000+11:002010-03-21T21:31:52.073+11:00

Sensational day at South West Rocks, when the 1st and 2nd placegetters were penalised 3 mins 30 secs each for "missing" a couple of guide booees along the course. Both did the course by respecting the key booees, but a vociferous protest from 3rd brought the penalties after they swam outside guide booees laid in between. Rough? Tell us what you think... Balmoral had 1,000 we're told, although at

os.chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00297851922614890368noreply@blogger.com22tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2378167735941610930.post-65998343587768299572010-03-20T13:44:00.000+11:002010-03-20T13:44:19.048+11:00

Saxon Bird, the 19-year-old iron man who died at the Australian Surf Life Saving Championships on the Gold Coast on March 19, also was an ocean swimmer. While not at every swim, he took part in enough, regularly, to be classified as "one of us". Saxon was a member of Queenscliff SLSC and Epping Bullets Swimming Club. He always seemed to pop up at Northern Beaches swims, and on the lower and mid 

os.chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00297851922614890368noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2378167735941610930.post-2370797744805156782010-03-14T14:53:00.000+11:002010-03-14T14:53:15.130+11:00

The morning after, the night before... After the pelting rain in Sydney on Sat'dee night, multinational geologist John Bamberry was driving from Singleton, in the Hunter Valley, to Sydney for the harbour swim, but the rain was so heavy passing through Newcastle that he considered turning back. What a lucky boy! Had he turned back, John would have missed one of the most magnificent days on the

os.chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00297851922614890368noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2378167735941610930.post-77524655658932561942010-03-07T08:02:00.001+11:002010-03-07T08:28:35.077+11:00

A big weekend for swims... Saturdee at Lake Macquarie gave us glorious conditions, for those of you who managed to get there for the start, unlike os.c. We got there for the last swimmer home. Then dinner at the Gunyah, leading into Caves Beach on Sundee. There were six swims scheduled in NSW on Sundee. How silly is that. Some were spread out, but three were in spitting distance: Freshie, Manly

os.chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00297851922614890368noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2378167735941610930.post-43746881222367657052010-02-28T17:33:00.000+11:002010-02-28T17:33:47.167+11:00

Disappointment at Long Reef as the swim is postponed due to commands from greater authorities concerned to manage the risk associated with a potential tsunami (or not). But, hey! The Long Reef organisers got their act together real quick and we have a rescheduled date of April 11. We're re-opening online entries (please be patient, will happen as soon as can be). All entries will carry over.

os.chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00297851922614890368noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2378167735941610930.post-60893742908552679792010-02-21T17:46:00.000+11:002010-02-21T17:46:17.495+11:00

Every now and again, a swim comes along that deserves the description as a "classic". It's an appelation given out all too readily, and too often claimed by organisers without any justification whatsoever. Some even call themselves a "challenge", when they are not remotely that, either. Sometimes, but, it's deserved. the Malabar-Little Bay Challenge is one such swim. Yes, it's certainly a

os.chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00297851922614890368noreply@blogger.com24tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2378167735941610930.post-14721145900483317682010-02-20T21:37:00.000+11:002010-02-20T21:37:18.954+11:00

After completing the Avalon Swim, I was pondering whether seeded waves would work, where swimmers are sent off in times according to their 1km swim times. Being of the pointy-head variety, I had to satisfy my curiosity with some analysis of the results to see if seeded swims would work, and even out the flow of swimmers around the course. The chart below shows the numbers of swimmers in 2 minute

os.chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00297851922614890368noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2378167735941610930.post-80750564451685882192010-02-14T18:15:00.000+11:002010-02-14T18:15:01.704+11:00

What a surprising day at North Bondi! Storms, squalls, overcast, drizzly, lightning and thunder -- we had it all in the lead up. But the sun actually came out. And despite fears over the water quality, it actually wasn't bad. Reasonably clear, a few little stingers, a bit of flotsam, but really quite nice. Two swims: 2km and a very long 1km, which was more like 1.5km. Aquagirl was at Hampton.

os.chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00297851922614890368noreply@blogger.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2378167735941610930.post-51868900304062210212010-02-04T20:04:00.003+11:002010-02-05T10:13:12.762+11:00

We've had quite a response to our newsletter item today (Thursday) about the Cole Classic this Sundee. So much so that, it struck us that we really should open a blob thread to allow swimmers to have their say. We have asked those who have emailed us already whether we can place their comments on this blob. In the meantime, feel free to leave yours, too. oceanswims.com is an outlet for ocean

os.chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00297851922614890368noreply@blogger.com57tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2378167735941610930.post-89016412013569514272010-01-31T23:36:00.002+11:002010-02-04T12:36:30.784+11:00

It was a big weekend for big swims... 493 at Queenscliff, 96 at The Bloody Big Swim, and 1,831 at Palm-Whale in Sydney. Thanks to Debbie Racklyeft for pic above. Interesting to see how many punters "missed" or almost missed the last booee. But tell us what you thought...

os.chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00297851922614890368noreply@blogger.com29tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2378167735941610930.post-62238313379904719772010-01-26T20:42:00.000+11:002010-01-26T20:42:22.286+11:00

What a luvverly day in Newcastle, and on Port Phillip Bay... We had a lovely double-crossing of Newcastle Harbour, whilst Aquagirl had a half empty tank at Mt Martha, the corollary of a big week in Adelaide for the Tour Down Under. Check out our reports, then come back here and tell us about your Stray'a Day, and your comments on your swim...

os.chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00297851922614890368noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2378167735941610930.post-14155497695272913862010-01-24T18:22:00.000+11:002010-01-24T18:22:51.967+11:00

Grey day at Mona Vale... how was your swim? Click the comments button below to tell us...

os.chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00297851922614890368noreply@blogger.com24tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2378167735941610930.post-51206536901371338242010-01-17T17:45:00.003+11:002010-01-18T09:28:12.409+11:00

Swims all over the place... we did Avalon on Sunday. Record numbers at 1041, and a grey suited visitor during the swim... What was your swim like... Hit the "Comments" button below...

os.chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00297851922614890368noreply@blogger.com28tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2378167735941610930.post-46422076362851527262010-01-10T18:26:00.000+11:002010-01-10T18:26:55.016+11:00

Lovely day at Bondi today, but what a contrast between the two swims! The 1km was swimmng in a millpond, but the 2km was bumpy as all get out, once the seabreeze came in from the sou'-east. Alew Warwar tweeted, too, that the 1km had more starters than the 2km. We'll check that and let you know. V. interesting if that's the case. In Victoria, we saw the Lorne Pier to Pub on the TV news. Got a

os.chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00297851922614890368noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2378167735941610930.post-20316883188032728672010-01-03T21:15:00.002+11:002010-01-03T21:15:37.849+11:00

We had a lovely day, a lovely day at Black Head, on the lower north coast, for the first inaugural Head2Head Ocean Swim, and we hear many others had a terrific day, too, at Newport. We'll bet they did at Gerringong, as well, but we haven't heard from anyone there yet. Black Head had 210 on their first outing, with more than half fronting on the day. A great result in a wet, drizzly day. We're

os.chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00297851922614890368noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2378167735941610930.post-88752200420345239752009-12-20T18:16:00.003+11:002009-12-20T18:34:56.298+11:00

Baths2Bar Swim, Cooks Hill, Sunday, Dec 20, '09 Glistening Dave says: "Sure is crowded up there, if this is what it's like on a cloudy overcast day, what's it like on a hot sunny day? And the built environment, sure blends well with the landscape." It was a grey and bumpy day... no two strokes were the same, lungsful of ocean at every second stroke, swirling currents, booees you couldn't

os.chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00297851922614890368noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2378167735941610930.post-24888655158037494882009-12-14T21:25:00.003+11:002009-12-15T17:00:35.554+11:00

Gidday to our ocean swimming friends from the other side of the ditch (or "dutch" to use the correct Kiwi pronunciation) I did the Russell to Paihia swim in the Bay of Islands and met Paul and a few other folk there. Just before the swim began we were talking about why some people pass away during swims. This is a serious topic of conversation and, as a High School Science Teacher, I have a

os.chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00297851922614890368noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2378167735941610930.post-25822875856112517802009-12-14T11:21:00.001+11:002009-12-15T11:47:14.664+11:00

It was a big day at Bilgola, we hear, although we weren't there ourselves. We're told there were around 750 mugs there -- a big increase on last year. Well deserved, too, although as our antagonist, Glistening Dave, pointed out to us, "Billy is in danger of losing its status as a boutique swim." We did hear disturbing reports, from two sources., of argy bargy in the laydees elites The reports

os.chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00297851922614890368noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2378167735941610930.post-39151732613054972332009-12-09T08:16:00.004+11:002009-12-09T10:16:23.427+11:00

The Byron Bay / White Haven Swim Party 2009 touring group will be returning for next year's event, with extras, we all had so much fun. The Island staff and event coordinators were very helpful to all competitors. This is what the Island does, manage events and very successfully. Brunswick Heads' The Sportsmistress achieves a lifelong dream - being hugged by Peter "el Diablo" McCormick. Who's

os.chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00297851922614890368noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2378167735941610930.post-57157250955310472522009-12-06T19:18:00.000+11:002009-12-06T19:18:38.132+11:00

Almost perfect day to swim from Bondi to Bronte... a bit of swell at the start, easy but lively water, a brisk current running off Mackenzies Point, whisking us into Bronte, a very high tide to provide a cushion under those swells at the finish, the Bronte Express running apace, making the negotiation between the currents and the reef a mind game -- we've never seen so little sand at Bronte:

os.chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00297851922614890368noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2378167735941610930.post-60204976397188334482009-12-05T13:21:00.001+11:002009-12-05T13:24:00.968+11:00

The 3 Points Challenge at North Curl Curl is one of those rare events when two sports of different culchas meet -- ocean swimmers and triathletes, or, more correctly, aquathletes, since there are just swim and run legs. They are different culchas, one epitomised by paunchy bellies, budgies and swim caps, the other by bright, colourful uniforms with sponsors signage plastered all over their nether

os.chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00297851922614890368noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2378167735941610930.post-3901591575183623502009-12-04T16:44:00.002+11:002009-12-04T18:00:35.305+11:00

There's been a fair bit of comment of late on the subject of , how should we say; over enthusiastic swimming tactics such as scratching, grabbing, kicking and just plain swimming over the top of one another, particularly around the buoys.One point of view is that oceanswims are like some sort of marine love-in, and should be an aquatic stroll in the park. Of course there are those who are

Davohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06558367599418333780noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2378167735941610930.post-26359499823780680462009-11-30T08:10:00.002+11:002009-11-30T08:18:25.579+11:00

WA-based Brett McCarthy posted this list during the off-season, with a view to prompting debate. There were 9 responses at the time, but we reckon it's probably a debate better run now, as the season really gets moving. We figure, too, that the debate at the time may have confused "icon" swims with "favourite" swims. Easily done. Check the original debate below (you'll need to go into the stored

os.chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00297851922614890368noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2378167735941610930.post-81764957726742153242009-11-29T17:56:00.004+11:002009-11-30T12:37:15.516+11:00

We have fond memories of Coogee. At a surf carnival there in 1974, we saw the duty boat at the end of the day catch the wave of the day, with a crew all drunk, and a boat sweep steering them down the biggest wave of the day with one hand on the sweep oar, the other holding a can of beer. The boat did a magnificent bottom turn in front of the wave, which then rolled it over. When it came up again

os.chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00297851922614890368noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2378167735941610930.post-88535778814320357932009-11-27T14:30:00.003+11:002009-11-27T14:37:24.051+11:00

Wow, what an amazing swim. Who would have believed a fat old Pom could put in a month of solid training and zoom up the field from his usual finish in the bottom 20% to come 54th out of 270 and 5th in the old fart section.And as Dawny was the first in the Hahn series what a chance to get a head start on the field.If only it wasn't for my obviously faulty Timex.My official time of 37.20, give or

Steve Hall, Sales & Marketing Consultanthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00478265281612655019noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2378167735941610930.post-23339214990473742362009-11-25T11:12:00.005+11:002009-11-25T11:19:42.723+11:00

When I did my first ocean swim (at Shellharbour), I had done the required 2kms in a swimming pool - but that's a very different kettle of fish from swimming in the ocean. When we got to the starting line, I seriously considered pulling out. The gun went off and I watched the pack disappear out of the harbour and turn left to make their way up the coast. When I got to the edge of the sea-wall , I

os.chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00297851922614890368noreply@blogger.com9