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 awginisah at Long Reef, and we suggested to him that about now would be a good time to run a swim around Long Reef headland. We're hoping...
Tell us what you think...
I did Mona Vale this morning - a lovely swim! Wouldn't it be good to have a few more before enext season?
ReplyDeleteGreat swim! Loved the soup to help the recovery. So was this officially the first swim of the 10/11 season?
ReplyDeleteAs a Tama 'TOSSer' I'm always looking for an excuse to get out into the big blue and have a splash with mates... Today's Swim certainly met and exceeded my expectations - Cool, clear water, a course that was actually EASY to follow and a promise of hot home-made soup at the finish made the mornings sprint up to the North side well worth the time.
ReplyDeleteSwimming as a 'naked' male, I was pleased there was no pfaffing about at the start and that we were the first wave off the beach - the run out to the first bouy was over in an instant. It was a testament to the experience of the blokes setting the cans that they kept the angles of the turns at a minimum so there was very little bunching and biffing 'round the marks. Once we got to the half-way mark someone kicked on the sou'westerly generator and what had originally looked like a pool swim became a bit more of a push into the beach - plus it flattened out the swell a bit, so it became an more of an issue of timing and luck to catch a wave into the finish.
Then just as I was warmed up and got on my pace, my hands hit the sand and the race was over... I feel the course was more so about 1.4k rather then the 1.2k but that's just some value added swimming, surely the intention of the organisers.
All in all I was very pleased with this particular swim, well organised, quick and to the point and some great home-made soup at the finish!
Fantastic swim and great organisation on the day, the hot soup and bread roll, sports drink and free hot showers, couldn't ask for more. Conditions were awesome as well, was almost worried about sunburn waiting for the start!!!
ReplyDeleteAnd agree that the name is slightly incongruous, perhaps the mona vale cool would be a more accurate name.
Look forward to next year and hope some other clubs pluck up the courage to give a June (or even later) swim a go.
Yes excellent stuff after a lot of very boring Sunday mornings since April - thanks to the organisers for putting this on.
ReplyDeleteWater temp was perfectly serviceable, and turnout was good at 250 - as others have said it's a shame that there are 20 weeks till the next swim in Sydney :)
As a local I might be biased but what a jewel of a morning.
ReplyDeleteEverything was kept simple for the 250 enthusiasts - simple registration, simple course (but you could use tactics of straight line back through outwards rip or longer curved trek home to avoid same and maybe catch a wave), buoys the right shape and different colours to swim caps, simple finish, simple home-made soup and best of all a simple presentation - all done and dusted in 1 HOUR.
So you could take off for an urgent whatever or hang around and chat and admire the colours of the day - the green of the underwater garden on the way out, the white breaking rollers on the brilliant yellow of the Hawkesbury sand-stone origin beach or the blue of the lips of water safety Frank who sat diligently on his board in the building south-wester in not much more than his wet life-saving footy jumper.
So well done Mona Vale boys on this unique (why?) event in the calendar.
a really lovely swim, nice folk, good organisation, terrific hot soup, equally terrific hot shower and a lovely chug through the not-so-cold water. Thank you Mona Valians and fellow swimmers. Annie
ReplyDeleteWell Done Mona Vale for hosting this great swim again this year. I look forward to next years run. I would love to see more clubs put on swims in the cooler months of the year.
ReplyDeleteThe option of naked or wettie gives all of us a choice and judging by the turn out and discussions at the start yesterday it seems as though most of the die hard tragic ocean swimmers are all owners of wetties so there shouldnt be a problem if we are given a choice.
I know I dont care about prizes - I just want to get out there amongst it and get wet!
I really enjoyed the Mona vale winter swim to make these races more enjoyable to those who feel the cold let the wetsuit brigade continue to feel welcome only in winter no excuses in the summer series.
ReplyDeleteI suggest that if a winter series was run even if it was only a three race series it would be a great success. A one cost entry to all three races would be great. Keeping the races at Mona Vale because it is an idea location.
Thanks for all the kind comments about our swim. The aim of the swim is to make the running of it easy for us and to make the event more a fun morning in the winter sun,( weather depending)than a highly competitive race. The YOUTUBE clip of the race confirms this is the case with a lot of swimmers meandering into the water at the start and probably enjoying the view of the fish and sea grasses on the bottom as they swam out.
ReplyDeleteI will also pass on your kind words about my Mother soup recipe. I might even get Paul to post the recipe some where on his web site
see you all in summer
jon Dibbs
race organisor
Just wanted to comment on David's photos (and not because Paul got all sooky about the attention he receives)but to say that the photo of Mr Oceanswims is a spectacular portrait. Great job. No, really, I mean it...great photo! Lovely swim too.
ReplyDelete.......and well done Mona Vale girls as well (whoops)
ReplyDeleteWell done Mona Vale Cold Classic organisers - another well-organised fun swim. I loved it. It was friendly and the course was well set out. Thank you to all the volunteers, especially the water safety people who must have been very cold by the time they came into shore. Really appreciated the tasty hot soup afterwards - would have had seconds except I was going out for lunch and did not want to be greedy.
ReplyDeleteLooking forward to the next swim ...
Thank you
Fantastic swim, and really well-organised while remaining low-key. Just the way an oceanswim should be. Thanks MVSLSC!
ReplyDelete