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 few mates organise this boutique swimming event - a good reason to catch up with old friends and try a different type of swimming event.
It's swim at your own risk, no liability, but two of the organisers are local doctors.
I was keen to give it a go, never having, to my memory, ever swum in a lake.
As close as I have been to Lake Daylesford is to walk around it building up an appetite for tea and scones at the tea house, or looking over it from the special occasion Lake House on its shores - which claims to be one of Australia's best restaurants.
It was a chilly start to the day in Daylesford. Could it have been 7 degrees in summer? Definately a wet suit event.
At 10 am 15 of us lined up - up from 12 entrants last year. We all got a number on our hand, and we were all to go off together in the 1.3 km course.
The race briefing was simple. Swim to the first red flag at the other end of the lake, turn right to the next marker with balloons, cross the lake, hug the shore past the tea rooms and home via the little beach (patch of sandy stuff. not really a beach)
Sounds easy, but local knowledge is a fine thing. Who knew you can't see a thing in the lake? All the locals took off at a good clip, leaving me to enjoy the scenic view in my own time. Don't believe I have ever swum past gum trees before.
Not a hard swim, nor a fast one for me. In fact everyone else was home and hosed by the time I did a few gentle breaststrokes to finish (never never breaststroke in ocean races, but was a little scared of what a freestyle stroke might strike on the bottom of the lake).
Lots of prizes for the participants. Winning guy - James Cooper - did it in 14.17; winning girl - Emily Gartland - did 18.28. I got the Esther Williams encouragment prize for my graceful stroke.
Peter O'Mara, Beth Quinn and Greg Stewart ran a fine convivial race. If you want an invitation for next year, let me know and I'll introduce you to the committee.
The swim co-incided with local producers gournet food day at the Lake House. Post event I started with samples of garlic paste; blueberries, honey, sourdough bread and oil and lunched on local wine, gourmet wood fired pizza and lemon tart. Happy drive home.
Good reporting on an unusual swim, KV.
ReplyDeleteI have to say the quality of reporting and blogging has improved this season, with great contributions from the 2 x VIC reporters and the youngster from NSW. I'm even liking the new format of the oceanswims website.
Nevertheless, I do appreciate the effort when Mr Os.c does apply himself from time to time and write a longer swim report. This week's report on The Strait of Sydney was not bad. That paragraph on the swimming experience "You just do it." almost brought a tear to my eye.