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?
Sunday, January 29, 2012
Thursday, January 26, 2012
National day for ocean swimming...
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 around their shoulders. Such a pity that the national day has to be hijacked and corrupted by this mob.
But we had a lovely swim in the harbour, the final of the four swims in the Great Stra'an Swim Series. Mind you, after all that rain, we came straight home, showered long and hard, gargled with Listerine, and we're about to flood our ears with Ear Clear, such was the state of the harbour.
Swims, too, in Newcastle Harbour, Hervey Bay, Lake Glenbawn, Mt Martha, Wollongong, Scarborough, Kingston Beach, Henley-Grange, Brighton and Williamstown. Burleigh Heads was cancelled. Or, the swim-run was, anyway.
Tell us about your Stra'a Day experiences... Don't restrict it to swimming, although it would be good if swimming was involved there somewhere.
But we had a lovely swim in the harbour, the final of the four swims in the Great Stra'an Swim Series. Mind you, after all that rain, we came straight home, showered long and hard, gargled with Listerine, and we're about to flood our ears with Ear Clear, such was the state of the harbour.
Swims, too, in Newcastle Harbour, Hervey Bay, Lake Glenbawn, Mt Martha, Wollongong, Scarborough, Kingston Beach, Henley-Grange, Brighton and Williamstown. Burleigh Heads was cancelled. Or, the swim-run was, anyway.
Tell us about your Stra'a Day experiences... Don't restrict it to swimming, although it would be good if swimming was involved there somewhere.
Sunday, January 22, 2012
Rushing to Portsea and bumping at Mona Vale...
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 Phillip Bay robbed the town of its bay beach, eroded mysteriously to nothingness. But punters love the replacement course, this year extended to 1.5km, along the short of the Pt Nepean national park.
There was a bump on at Warriewood-Mona Vale, with many an inexperienced punter standing ashen on the beach as they watched the sets roll in. We reckon it was smaller than at Avalon the week before, but it was an ugly break, as it is so often at Warriewood. Uglier, certainly, than it was nasty. But that's not to discount the difficulty that many punters encountered as they attempted to get out either over the bank to the south, or through the slightly deeper water to the north.
The wind this year was from just south of east, the swell from the sou'-east, but the water was glorious - warm, clear, and no nasties. As you schlepped from south to north, every now and again you'd feel a following swell pick you up and thrust you forward amongst the bumps.
We heard only good reports from Tathra.
But tell us where you swam, what you experienced, and what you reckon about it all...
Portsea used its journey course for the second year, after what is suspected to be the bay dredging of Port Phillip Bay robbed the town of its bay beach, eroded mysteriously to nothingness. But punters love the replacement course, this year extended to 1.5km, along the short of the Pt Nepean national park.
There was a bump on at Warriewood-Mona Vale, with many an inexperienced punter standing ashen on the beach as they watched the sets roll in. We reckon it was smaller than at Avalon the week before, but it was an ugly break, as it is so often at Warriewood. Uglier, certainly, than it was nasty. But that's not to discount the difficulty that many punters encountered as they attempted to get out either over the bank to the south, or through the slightly deeper water to the north.
The wind this year was from just south of east, the swell from the sou'-east, but the water was glorious - warm, clear, and no nasties. As you schlepped from south to north, every now and again you'd feel a following swell pick you up and thrust you forward amongst the bumps.
We heard only good reports from Tathra.
But tell us where you swam, what you experienced, and what you reckon about it all...
Monday, January 16, 2012
A little boy in a turbulent sea at Avalon...
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 Sat'dee, Sorrento and West Beach on Sundee...
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 Sat'dee, Sorrento and West Beach on Sundee...
Sunday, January 8, 2012
A tale of three swims...
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, which offered swimming through half-set jelly, given the swarm of non-stinging jelly blubbers in the sea off Bondi. A lovely day, though, with all the colour and pageantry that Bondi does so well.
But what did you think?
Then today, another classic, the Roughwater at North Bondi, which offered swimming through half-set jelly, given the swarm of non-stinging jelly blubbers in the sea off Bondi. A lovely day, though, with all the colour and pageantry that Bondi does so well.
But what did you think?
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
Ocean beats the bay at Point Lonsdale
2 January 2012
By KAOSVIC
Our 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 its swim. This was their 24th swim, and my 7th and it was hot and sunny with clear water and a very favourable tide.
It was 40 degrees in Melbourne on the day of the swim.
That’s one reason to be pleased not to be there. Another is that my local beach, Brighton bathing box beach, has been unswimmable lately. We had a massive thunder storm on Christmas night and it washed large amounts of the Yarra into the bay. The turbid silt has been making its way down the bay and has now reached Brighton, Hampton and Sandringham. The EPA has rated water quality as only “fair” and advised against swimming there. You’d have to be mad or desperate as the water is all churned up and silt coloured.
So I was pretty keen to swim in water where I could see my toes. Both Queenscliff and Point Lonsdale hit that mark.
It was so hot I decided to abandon my wetsuit. That wetsuit is like a security blanket to me. As a later-in-life ocean swimming adopter, I cling to my wetties promise of buoyancy and warmth like a drowning woman.
I planned to take the swim easy as my shoulder is still recovering from bursitis. It tends to ache a bit after squad, but doesn’t seem to mind ocean swims.
Husband Alan and I strolled down to the starting line in just our bathers feeling cool, calm and collected.
You know how it is when you enter the water and you can tell everything is going to be all right? The course is an easy follow – one big red buoy then large yellow ones all the way home in a gentle curve. The current was great. The water was clear and cool. This is why I ocean swim.
I loved every minute of it. No shoulder pain (though it is making me pay a little the day after).
When you pass the last buoy, helpfully numbered no 1, you swim through a line of junior lifesavers warning you of rocks, telling you not to stand up yet, and cheering you on. It’s good for the ego to come home through a line of clapping kids.
Time? Slower than last year by almost 90 seconds ... but it doesn’t matter. It was a swim I will stick in my memory bank of all time favourites.
By KAOSVIC
Our 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 its swim. This was their 24th swim, and my 7th and it was hot and sunny with clear water and a very favourable tide.
It was 40 degrees in Melbourne on the day of the swim.
That’s one reason to be pleased not to be there. Another is that my local beach, Brighton bathing box beach, has been unswimmable lately. We had a massive thunder storm on Christmas night and it washed large amounts of the Yarra into the bay. The turbid silt has been making its way down the bay and has now reached Brighton, Hampton and Sandringham. The EPA has rated water quality as only “fair” and advised against swimming there. You’d have to be mad or desperate as the water is all churned up and silt coloured.
So I was pretty keen to swim in water where I could see my toes. Both Queenscliff and Point Lonsdale hit that mark.
It was so hot I decided to abandon my wetsuit. That wetsuit is like a security blanket to me. As a later-in-life ocean swimming adopter, I cling to my wetties promise of buoyancy and warmth like a drowning woman.
I planned to take the swim easy as my shoulder is still recovering from bursitis. It tends to ache a bit after squad, but doesn’t seem to mind ocean swims.
Husband Alan and I strolled down to the starting line in just our bathers feeling cool, calm and collected.
You know how it is when you enter the water and you can tell everything is going to be all right? The course is an easy follow – one big red buoy then large yellow ones all the way home in a gentle curve. The current was great. The water was clear and cool. This is why I ocean swim.
I loved every minute of it. No shoulder pain (though it is making me pay a little the day after).
When you pass the last buoy, helpfully numbered no 1, you swim through a line of junior lifesavers warning you of rocks, telling you not to stand up yet, and cheering you on. It’s good for the ego to come home through a line of clapping kids.
Time? Slower than last year by almost 90 seconds ... but it doesn’t matter. It was a swim I will stick in my memory bank of all time favourites.
Monday, January 2, 2012
Summer at last...
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 nothing left". Ah, the joys of ageing.)
Newport, too, had its best day in three years. Yamba was a stark turnaround from last year, when the weather heralded floods. Point Lonsdale was a cracker, Aquagirl says. And Dicky Beach, whilst overcast, was loved by all, it seems.
We were at Black Head, fast becoming one of our favourite days out, since it's a day tour from Sydney, a glorious, largely untouched beach on the Lower North Coast of NSW. And we come back, because of holiday traffic, through Gloucester and over the Col du Dungog and through Dungog, Clarence Town (calling in our our brother), and down the back roads back to Sydney.
We love it.
But tell us what you thought... And don't forget to fill in our ocean swimmer feedback form for the swim which you attended... Links on the oceanswims.com home page.
Add your comments through the comments link below.
Sunday, December 18, 2011
Ante-Xmas swims...
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...
Tell us what you thought about those swims...
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
It's Xmas... Time for the Cole Classic...
You can only register for 1 swim at a time, if you would like to swim both 1km and 2km, you therefore have to register twice. Please note (as each name can only be in the system once) that if you would like to register for both events you enter your last name first as (Bloggs) and the second registration as Bloggs. (with a dot at the end). There is no combined swim pricing unfortunately.
Got that? (No mention of what happens to Bill Bloggs's entry if another Bill Bloggs has entered already -- and there are quite a few punters of common names who take part in ocean swims in Sydney.)
It means that, to do both swims at the Cole Classic, you're up for $94 ($42 for the 1km and $52 for the 2km), if you enter by today (Friday, December 9).
After today, you're up for $114 ($52 and $62).
So what does your money get you?
Will wrote:
In return for your entry fee into The Sydney Morning Herald Cole Classic, you will receive: a finishers medal, a race pack (including one timing tag and one swimming cap), a finishing certificate (that can be downloaded from the website), water, Gatorade and fruit at the completion of the race along with a copy of The Sun-Herald newspaper. An event as large as The Sydney Morning Herald Cole Classic, is hugely expensive to organise and execute each year. Without the support of its sponsors and hundreds of volunteers, it would not be possible to run such a large community event. Representatives from Manly LSC help out on the day and they are given a donation in appreciation for their assistance.
... somewhat understating the value of the role of members of Manly LSC who "help out on the day", we'd have thought. We know that the Manly club contributes many hours of conscientious preparation to "help out on the day".
But let's do some quick maths. If the Cole gets 5,000 punters, and each pays $50 on average (the real amount will be much higher), then Fairfax Meeja makes $250,000 in entry revenue alone, not accounting for sponsorship funds and in-kind contributions. Out of that, they give around $25,000 to Manly Life Saving Club for putting the events on. As far as we can see, Fairfax gives no other money out of this event to charity, although they make a lot of noise about how much the event raises for charity (it's all money from you and your friends, not from Fairfax Meeja). They would pay Council and Waterways event fees, insurance, and to erect marquees, etc, and they would pay for various other services. But they make a killing out of the Cole.
Where does the money go? You all have a right to ask. The Cole family did all this -- and with much noicer style, too -- charging $35 for the main event, and while still covering all their costs including the donation to Manly LSC.
Add the Cole revenue to parallel takes from the fun run the day before the Cole, the City to Surf, the Half Marathon and Marathon, etc, etc, and it all adds up to a noice little earner for Fairfax Meeja. (We checked Fairfax's annual report two years back looking for some acquittal of all this, but couldn't find a mention. If it is there, perhaps someone could direct us to it.)
Certainly, you'd think Fairfax would be able to afford concessional entry for doing both swims...
When we included this comment in a recent emailout, we received immediate responses. One said,
I found the Fairfax staff equally rude last year – I tried to register from my work computer several times and every time it failed - after accessing the site and entering all of my details.We're not in a position to organise protests ourselves. We seek to provide a platform from which matters such as these can be raised and discussed. We hope to raise punters' awareness of issues overall. We would also like the many, many new ocean swimmers whom Fairfax is drawing into our sport that not all swims -- indeed, most swims -- are not run like this and cost significantly less to enter.
I tried a colleague’s computer with the same result and in desperation I rang Fairfax Events and after the customary time on hold I was told that I needed to have the latest version of some software and there was no other way of registering – that particular bit of software is not compatible with the filing system which we use here and at that point in time I did not have a home email running – so I gave up.
I suggest that Fairfax is ripping off the ocean swimming community and probably other communities for the other events they run.
I know that insurance is a significant cost but if Bilgola can run their swim for $25 and late entry fee $30 (only applicable after the eve of the event) – and make a profit for the SLSC then Fairfax with a comparable entry fee of $52/$62 – and from now on everyone is charged a late entry fee must be ripping us off. Fairfax is charging more than double the Bilgola fee.
Ocean swimming has done very well as an amateur sport utilising volunteers and supporting volunteer organisations. I cannot find any reason to support the introduction of “professionals” working for commercial organisations which are motivated by greed.
My personal protest is limited to not entering the event ever again but how about organising some sort of protest through your invaluable website which I have used extensively for many years?
Sunday, December 11, 2011
The saddest moment of the season...
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 catalyst for the culcha. The swim is lovely, noice. But the swim is the precursor to a wonderful afternoon on the Bilgola club's front lawn, a manicured, pleasant little verdant oasis overlooking one of Sydney's prettiest beaches. The bar is the best on the circuit, a surf club at last having found a good use for a surfboat: they've cut one in two, longitudinally, and mounted it as the club's bar. Buying a drink there is a culchural experience in itself. Then there's the yarning, the story-swapping, the boasting, the whingeing, the catching up with old friends, the catching up with friends you haven't seen since last week, or since squad last Fridee.
But the entire day happens in such a rush. Then, suddenly, it's over. The swim is done. Everyone's gone home, and we're going home, too. Done for another year.
It leaves us with a sense of loss, like finishing a good book. A blur, like our wedding day.
What did you think?
Billie proves the maxim that the swim is the catalyst for the culcha. The swim is lovely, noice. But the swim is the precursor to a wonderful afternoon on the Bilgola club's front lawn, a manicured, pleasant little verdant oasis overlooking one of Sydney's prettiest beaches. The bar is the best on the circuit, a surf club at last having found a good use for a surfboat: they've cut one in two, longitudinally, and mounted it as the club's bar. Buying a drink there is a culchural experience in itself. Then there's the yarning, the story-swapping, the boasting, the whingeing, the catching up with old friends, the catching up with friends you haven't seen since last week, or since squad last Fridee.
But the entire day happens in such a rush. Then, suddenly, it's over. The swim is done. Everyone's gone home, and we're going home, too. Done for another year.
It leaves us with a sense of loss, like finishing a good book. A blur, like our wedding day.
What did you think?
Sunday, December 4, 2011
Three ends of the spectrum...
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...
Sunday, November 27, 2011
'round the island and over the coral...
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 return reach, after rounding the outermost booee outside the island, had us almost crossing the corner of the island if you took a straight line booeee-to-booee. Watching from that outermost booee, where we did vox pops with our Olympus video camera, you could see the sets breaking on the island almost across the course. So swimming that leg wasn't just heading from booee to booee, but also keeping out of the way of the swell, heading a bit more to the south. The advantage, however, was that we got to see more reef close up. It is one of the most beautiful bottoms you will ever see. And we are so lucky to get to swim over it. Not many people get to do that...
Up in the Tweed River, by the way, we had reports of the water, which was brown, which meant you couldn't quite see the coral that Killer said was down there. They're developing the Killer brand, by the way, with the release this year of The Killer wine label, a pinot grigio was one we saw tweeted by our correspondent in locus, Roger Muspratt. Roger also was presented with a Golden Globe Award for his report on oceanswims.com of this swim last year. The Golden Globe was... er, a golden light globe. Well, perhaps all the Golden Globes from Hollywood have been taken. That corresponds with the Lucky Door Prize at the Tweed River Swim, which is a door...
And at Redliffe, near Brisbane, there was the 3rd leg of the Great Australian Swim Series, this leg won this year by Trent Grimsey and Melissa Gorman. Not a bad effort for Grimsey who, on Saturday, won the 5km and was second in the 10km events in the WA Swimming Open Water Swim Series in... PERTH! Grimsey flew back overnight on the red-eye. Perhaps he won today because he was still warmed up from Perth...
In Melbourne, the season kicked off with the Edithvale-Aspendale Club to Club swim. Can anyone tell us what happened there...
But tell us what you thought... comments below, if you please...
Up in the Tweed River, by the way, we had reports of the water, which was brown, which meant you couldn't quite see the coral that Killer said was down there. They're developing the Killer brand, by the way, with the release this year of The Killer wine label, a pinot grigio was one we saw tweeted by our correspondent in locus, Roger Muspratt. Roger also was presented with a Golden Globe Award for his report on oceanswims.com of this swim last year. The Golden Globe was... er, a golden light globe. Well, perhaps all the Golden Globes from Hollywood have been taken. That corresponds with the Lucky Door Prize at the Tweed River Swim, which is a door...
And at Redliffe, near Brisbane, there was the 3rd leg of the Great Australian Swim Series, this leg won this year by Trent Grimsey and Melissa Gorman. Not a bad effort for Grimsey who, on Saturday, won the 5km and was second in the 10km events in the WA Swimming Open Water Swim Series in... PERTH! Grimsey flew back overnight on the red-eye. Perhaps he won today because he was still warmed up from Perth...
In Melbourne, the season kicked off with the Edithvale-Aspendale Club to Club swim. Can anyone tell us what happened there...
But tell us what you thought... comments below, if you please...
Sunday, November 20, 2011
Big weekend all over...
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 Dawny, and there was a good report from Cronulla, too. And Whitehaven was just a noice day out. No trouble from the weather.
Tell us what you thought, and complete our swimmer feedback surveys on each of these swims (links on the oceanswims.com home page)...
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 Dawny, and there was a good report from Cronulla, too. And Whitehaven was just a noice day out. No trouble from the weather.
Tell us what you thought, and complete our swimmer feedback surveys on each of these swims (links on the oceanswims.com home page)...
Sunday, November 13, 2011
Back to the 'roy...
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, keeping it simple.
The organising club, led by former explosive Tigers centre Denis Bendall, didn't want too many complications. But what a discovery once you're in the water! A bottom full of reef and weed and, consequently, sea life. Big rays, little rays, wobbies sitting on the bottom, and a pod of dolphins swimming through the peloton mid-race, Bendall reported afterwards, although no swimmer we consulted actually saw them. Pity.
It was a luvverly day out, and well worth the trip, and a top effort by Bendall and his cobbers for their first time swim.
Next year's is November 11.
What did you think of today's swim?
The organising club, led by former explosive Tigers centre Denis Bendall, didn't want too many complications. But what a discovery once you're in the water! A bottom full of reef and weed and, consequently, sea life. Big rays, little rays, wobbies sitting on the bottom, and a pod of dolphins swimming through the peloton mid-race, Bendall reported afterwards, although no swimmer we consulted actually saw them. Pity.
It was a luvverly day out, and well worth the trip, and a top effort by Bendall and his cobbers for their first time swim.
Next year's is November 11.
What did you think of today's swim?
A chip of the old block ... err finger.
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 at Spring Hill if I am up that way, but decided I’d give Fortitude Valley a go. When I arrived, lanes were set out by pace, and normally, I’d pop in the Fast Lane, but there were a bunch of people swimming with flippers, slowly. So I jumped in the “Medium” lane, only to learn how frustrating it is not to be in the fast lane. On this day, I had forgot to pack my defog spray for my goggles, so didn’t have the best clarity of vision, which I don’t have anyway. Having tailed some fella for a lap, I decided to overtake him, only to discover there were two of them, and a swimmer coming the other way. Like the urban rev-head, I had put the foot down. However, I didn’t see the swimmer coming my way until my index finger made contact with his massive scone during my extension stroke. In response, I quickly pulled my hand out the way, apologised, and carried on.
So off to work, and the conference, where I realise I can’t lift the coffee pot. By the end of the day, the joint was swollen but could be relieved by holding onto a cold ale. For some reason, probably a male thing, I did not see a doctor for 2 months. When I decided to go, so began the referrals. Doctor says – “you need an X-ray”; take self for X-ray; return to doctor – “you need to see an orthopaedic surgeon”, referred to surgeon; surgeon refers me to CT scan and ultrasound, return to surgeon with imaging; "you need to see a hand surgeon", hand surgeon says “inoperable”, refers me to sports physio, two visits to physio. Now, 9 appointments, 13 total hrs and $590 later, I have given up to let nature take its course.
In clocking this guy on the head, I had taken an 8mm chip off the joint in the middle of my finger that is now permanently wedged at right angles. In all honesty, it has not caused too much grief swimming, and the most painful episode was the physio putting his full weight on the finger to try straightening it up. Luckily for me, he is a keen cyclist. However, I am paranoid about hitting oncoming swimmers as I was told it takes a year to self-heal.
So my point of writing about this little episode is to highlight the potential for collision when swim courses are set out. Opportunities where people can swim into each other need to be avoided. I recall one swim with a T-shaped course where you had to do 180 degree turns into the oncoming traffic. The same can happen with those courses with very sharp angles, like the ones in “Y-shaped” courses, where currents can sweep you into the way of swimmers behind.
Has this ever happened to you? Let us know your thoughts?
John Bamberry
@WoJoBungo
Monday, November 7, 2011
Noosa and Mur'bah - Bikes and bands
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 to your left is a sea of bicycles (a plethora of pelotons) on the triathlon weekend – about 7000 of them ranging from the latest carbon fibre wonders with (I am not making this up) aerodynamically shaped drink bottles. At the other end of the scale are some surprisingly banged up old things. We took $4000 or $5000 as a conservative average. Really conservative because these people will spend $3000 to $4000 on a set of wheels. But at $4000, there’s $28 million in bicycles in the park, or $35 million if you take a $5000 average.
Money is no object when you can buy time in a race. Maybe it should be like craft events in surf lifesaving. You bring your ski or board in to be weighed before the national championships, and if it’s too light, they add weights.
The 1500m swim leg is in Weyba Creek. Considering how close you are to the blue waters of Noosa’s Laguna Bay, this is pretty average. But you can see that it would be a nightmare getting the whole field across Hastings Street, especially when you have to close the roads for about six hours.
In Murwillumbah, well, it’s not like Noosa. Good, you say. I agree. It doesn’t have as many coffee shops but it also doesn’t have as many round-abouts either. There’s nothing like the Riverview Hotel in Mur'bah and nothing like the former resident band, James T and the Tomahawks. Their CD has become my music of choice for heading off to the various swim events. This is the only way you’ll hear them now because apparently there’s been a split. I’m hoping the Tomahawks will be a little like grandad’s axe – a new head and a couple of new handles but it’s still a bloody good axe.
It’s hard to explain the attraction of Murwillumbah – a little fund raiser for the Fingal Rovers surf club. Some swims you do if there’s nothing else on. But you have a core group that you keep the calendar clear. It’s great to be part of those monster events like Noosa because you can feel the energy. Murwillumbah is more like a swim with a few mates – who you still want to beat but it’s all good fun.
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 to your left is a sea of bicycles (a plethora of pelotons) on the triathlon weekend – about 7000 of them ranging from the latest carbon fibre wonders with (I am not making this up) aerodynamically shaped drink bottles. At the other end of the scale are some surprisingly banged up old things. We took $4000 or $5000 as a conservative average. Really conservative because these people will spend $3000 to $4000 on a set of wheels. But at $4000, there’s $28 million in bicycles in the park, or $35 million if you take a $5000 average.
Money is no object when you can buy time in a race. Maybe it should be like craft events in surf lifesaving. You bring your ski or board in to be weighed before the national championships, and if it’s too light, they add weights.
The 1500m swim leg is in Weyba Creek. Considering how close you are to the blue waters of Noosa’s Laguna Bay, this is pretty average. But you can see that it would be a nightmare getting the whole field across Hastings Street, especially when you have to close the roads for about six hours.
In Murwillumbah, well, it’s not like Noosa. Good, you say. I agree. It doesn’t have as many coffee shops but it also doesn’t have as many round-abouts either. There’s nothing like the Riverview Hotel in Mur'bah and nothing like the former resident band, James T and the Tomahawks. Their CD has become my music of choice for heading off to the various swim events. This is the only way you’ll hear them now because apparently there’s been a split. I’m hoping the Tomahawks will be a little like grandad’s axe – a new head and a couple of new handles but it’s still a bloody good axe.
It’s hard to explain the attraction of Murwillumbah – a little fund raiser for the Fingal Rovers surf club. Some swims you do if there’s nothing else on. But you have a core group that you keep the calendar clear. It’s great to be part of those monster events like Noosa because you can feel the energy. Murwillumbah is more like a swim with a few mates – who you still want to beat but it’s all good fun.
Roger Muspratt
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
Some home truths from an old hack... (Burleigh)
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 right for the London-bound Hurst. It was a long and seriously treacherous wade with the bottom cut into deep pot holes and a deeper section right at the water’s edge. Then there was quite an incline up to the soft sand where a slight stumble robbed Trent Grimsey of his momentum in the soft sand and Hurst powered past to an unlikely win. It was a surf skills event with that murderous finish. With his win in the 2km and second to Grimsey in the 1km, Hurst had a good day.
The long wade and run to the finish line didn’t seem to worry most of the regular punters. We just tip-toed through the pot holes and strolled up to the timing mats. The bottom has been cut up Burleigh for a while now and some of coach Wes Berg’s surf squad have come to grief during their training sessions. Old folks can’t run through it. It’s okay for the kids if they step in a hole. They tend to bounce. We tend to break.
Melissa Gorman put in a tongue-in-cheek protest on behalf of the pool swimmers but the Burleigh guys were having none of it. Protest dismissed.
Burleigh surf club stuck to their early 7am start which caused a few grumbles. But most of the time you will always get better conditions earlier in the morning. And it was true here. For the 2km event, which started nearly on time, it was beautiful smooth swimming and brilliantly clear water. But an hour or so later, for the 1km, the wind was stronger and had started to stir up the surface.
Not as bad as the Coolangatta swim on September 25 but you get the picture.
It was one of those perfect days with a light southerly early. Which was lucky because there was the odd bluey reported at North Burleigh and a lot further up the coast. There was a small shore break, just big enough to have you in two minds about weather to dive over or under the waves. A slight northerly sweep through the gutter took some people off course and then the outside break depended on weather you were hit by a set or got through on a lull. This is perfect ocean swimming – just a bit of a wave but nothing dangerous. It’s just enough that if you do all the surf stuff properly, you’ll get a bit of a jump on the field.
We were in competition with the Gold Coast 600 car race on the Sunday but I don’t think the petrol heads affected the chlorine heads too much. And if you are both, there was plenty of time to get home and watch the race on television. There looked to be just over 400 entries which may not be quite as many as last year but still plenty of encouragement for the Burleigh club to persist with the event.
Things now dry up a bit for Queensland ocean swims. Some folks are doing a swim leg in next weekend’s Noosa Tri and then Killer has his big day at Murwillumbah on November 27. I’ve become a Murwillumbah regular now. It’s a bit hard to explain the attraction. The water is never really clear and the town’s half asleep and Tomahawks seem to have split. But that eucalyptus-scented water takes me back to swimming in water holes as a kid and with these smaller swims, you feel like if you don’t turn up, it might all be over. And there is the Killer factor. You can be guaranteed of the odd Killer clanger once he gets his mits on the microphone. You can sort of see it in the faces of the locals. Here he goes on the microphone again. What’s he going to come up with this time. They all love him down there. It’s worth going down just for that.
Roger Muspratt
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 right for the London-bound Hurst. It was a long and seriously treacherous wade with the bottom cut into deep pot holes and a deeper section right at the water’s edge. Then there was quite an incline up to the soft sand where a slight stumble robbed Trent Grimsey of his momentum in the soft sand and Hurst powered past to an unlikely win. It was a surf skills event with that murderous finish. With his win in the 2km and second to Grimsey in the 1km, Hurst had a good day.
The long wade and run to the finish line didn’t seem to worry most of the regular punters. We just tip-toed through the pot holes and strolled up to the timing mats. The bottom has been cut up Burleigh for a while now and some of coach Wes Berg’s surf squad have come to grief during their training sessions. Old folks can’t run through it. It’s okay for the kids if they step in a hole. They tend to bounce. We tend to break.
Melissa Gorman put in a tongue-in-cheek protest on behalf of the pool swimmers but the Burleigh guys were having none of it. Protest dismissed.
Burleigh surf club stuck to their early 7am start which caused a few grumbles. But most of the time you will always get better conditions earlier in the morning. And it was true here. For the 2km event, which started nearly on time, it was beautiful smooth swimming and brilliantly clear water. But an hour or so later, for the 1km, the wind was stronger and had started to stir up the surface.
Not as bad as the Coolangatta swim on September 25 but you get the picture.
It was one of those perfect days with a light southerly early. Which was lucky because there was the odd bluey reported at North Burleigh and a lot further up the coast. There was a small shore break, just big enough to have you in two minds about weather to dive over or under the waves. A slight northerly sweep through the gutter took some people off course and then the outside break depended on weather you were hit by a set or got through on a lull. This is perfect ocean swimming – just a bit of a wave but nothing dangerous. It’s just enough that if you do all the surf stuff properly, you’ll get a bit of a jump on the field.
We were in competition with the Gold Coast 600 car race on the Sunday but I don’t think the petrol heads affected the chlorine heads too much. And if you are both, there was plenty of time to get home and watch the race on television. There looked to be just over 400 entries which may not be quite as many as last year but still plenty of encouragement for the Burleigh club to persist with the event.
Things now dry up a bit for Queensland ocean swims. Some folks are doing a swim leg in next weekend’s Noosa Tri and then Killer has his big day at Murwillumbah on November 27. I’ve become a Murwillumbah regular now. It’s a bit hard to explain the attraction. The water is never really clear and the town’s half asleep and Tomahawks seem to have split. But that eucalyptus-scented water takes me back to swimming in water holes as a kid and with these smaller swims, you feel like if you don’t turn up, it might all be over. And there is the Killer factor. You can be guaranteed of the odd Killer clanger once he gets his mits on the microphone. You can sort of see it in the faces of the locals. Here he goes on the microphone again. What’s he going to come up with this time. They all love him down there. It’s worth going down just for that.
Roger Muspratt
Monday, October 24, 2011
Burleigh, Forries... Start to new season...
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, Big Arm Warrior Stephen De Lorenzo, and Lochie Hinds, head into the surf at Forresters. Thanks to Lochie's mum, Stephane, for the pics. It looked a grand day indeed at Forresters.
Tell us what you reckoned?
Sunday, September 11, 2011
Shark to Maui! But then the real tragedy...
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 (Sigi Hill, Chris Allen, Justin Brewer, Carly Brewer, Robyn Hill and Shelley Clarke) and the defending champion Makule (over 40 Mens/ fat bastards) team (Andrew DeVries, Matt McQuade, Graeme Brewer, Guy Farrow, Simon Buckingham and Matt Renshaw). Little did any of us know how the day would unfold.
As we motored over to Lanai, it became clear that the chop and swell was significant. In fact, one other escort boat sank on the way over and all their swimmers and passengers had to be rescued and taken to the start line! Later we saw it's bow disappear to the depths of the channel! When we got to Lanai, the conditions were no better and another support boat actually got dragged onto the reef and had to be pulled off. It was shaping up as a big day.
Both lead-off swimmers (Sigi and ADV aka The Great Man) started strongly. The experienced Makule men decided on a direct, high line to the destination point in Maui. Sigi's Open team bet on a lower line to the right, planning to use the current and potentially calmer waters to their advantage later in the race. By the end of the first leg, they were already 100m or so away. Strong second swims ensued from Shelley Clarke and Matty "Lone Wolf" McQuade. Then Justin and Graeme, Little Brew and Big Brew, son and father, hit the water to go "mano e mano" in a much anticipated 3rd leg of the relay. However, they were already 200m apart on different courses - by this stage we were running our own races. 10 minutes later the world turned when the crewman on our Makule boat yelled "Shark!". As you would understand, this is the last word any channel swimmer wants to hear!
We looked down and to our collective horror a large beast had appeared about 5-10 metres behind Brew (ie. Graeme). Although it's dorsal fin had not yet broken the surface, it was a clear this was a serious shark. The screaming and yelling began as we attracted Brew's attention and the shark appeared to stare and follow him from behind. Brew swam to the boat with impressive speed and we hauled his considerable mass onto the boat as quickly as possible. Intact and unscathed. The shark went right and then down and under the boat. It then disappeared. It had clearly investigating Brew and was either scared of him or decided he was way too big to eat. Both are equally likely!
We all looked at each other and tried to decide what to do. The race rules state that in such a situation you have to stop advancing in the race, but can move laterally as far as you like before starting again. We spent several minutes establishing that the shark was gone, then motored about 500m away. One other boat was nearby and had pulled out their swimmer and took the same course of action. Despite radio contact with all other boats, everyone else decided to stay in the race.
Then it was Brew's call - stay out or get back in? Almost without hesitation, he got back in and resumed - one of the gutsiest acts ever witnessed in ocean swimming. Farrow, Rench and I looked at each other, knowing we would be next! Thanks Brew! Oh well, screw it! If we die being eaten by a large animal, then so be it. This is what we do. We have a koa bowl to defend! I know I can speak for Farrow and Rench - our next swims were the longest 30 minutes of our entire lives!
So everyone wants to know how big the shark was. The first point to make is that the boat we were on was a Big Game Fishing boat. This was the captain's business every day (364 per year), except for once a year when some swimming idiots hire him out for the day. He said this was the biggest tiger shark he had seen for 8 years - around 15 feet long and 1000 pounds. And he is in the business of trying to catch them every day!
We battled on and eventually finished in about 4 1/2 hours. Despite losing around 10 minutes with the shark incident, we still managed to come 3rd in the Makule division, missing out on first by only 4 or 5 minutes. Oh well, we still ended up with a much coveted race towel and a great story to tell our grand kids!
Meanwhile, the Mixed team had powered on to the finish 10 or 15 minutes earlier. They had picked a great line, swam strongly and came up with line honours for their division..... and the much sought after Koa bowl! An outstanding performance.
Aussie Ticker - a first and a third! A big day at the office.
Tired and relieved, we shot straight to the outside Tiki Bar for the usual post-race festivities and a few quiet Longboard Lagers. It was then that the real tragedy of the day unfolded. The bar is between the beach and the entrance to the hotel.
The paramedics rushed through the crowd with a swimmer on a stretcher. He was badly cut on one arm and missing his hand on the other. We immediately thought "shark" and the whole crowd looked on in stunned silence as he was whisked to a waiting ambulance. It turned out not to be a shark at all, but a freak speed boat accident. He was a tough and gutsy solo swimmer who had done the whole channel himself when a boat accidentally ran him over 100m or so from shore. The poor bastard didn't sign up for that and there will no doubt be an investigation. It appears to have been a freak accident. Now a matter for microsurgeons, police and, I suspect, lawyers. We all wish him well.
A lot to think about for next year!
Mahalo for our health and Aloha!
PS. The Aussie Ticker brethren put in a strong showing in the Waikiki Roughwater the following Monday. In the various age groups, Sigi was 3rd, Brew was 3rd and Chris, ADV, me and Rench peppered the podium in the 45-49 with 4th, 6th, 7th and 9th! A calm day and no marine wildlife to speak of. Luane and Shelley finished 1& 2 overall in the open womens and some of Peter Thiel's Maui team finished 1,2 & 3 in the open mens. A good showing for Australia!
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 (Sigi Hill, Chris Allen, Justin Brewer, Carly Brewer, Robyn Hill and Shelley Clarke) and the defending champion Makule (over 40 Mens/ fat bastards) team (Andrew DeVries, Matt McQuade, Graeme Brewer, Guy Farrow, Simon Buckingham and Matt Renshaw). Little did any of us know how the day would unfold.
As we motored over to Lanai, it became clear that the chop and swell was significant. In fact, one other escort boat sank on the way over and all their swimmers and passengers had to be rescued and taken to the start line! Later we saw it's bow disappear to the depths of the channel! When we got to Lanai, the conditions were no better and another support boat actually got dragged onto the reef and had to be pulled off. It was shaping up as a big day.
Both lead-off swimmers (Sigi and ADV aka The Great Man) started strongly. The experienced Makule men decided on a direct, high line to the destination point in Maui. Sigi's Open team bet on a lower line to the right, planning to use the current and potentially calmer waters to their advantage later in the race. By the end of the first leg, they were already 100m or so away. Strong second swims ensued from Shelley Clarke and Matty "Lone Wolf" McQuade. Then Justin and Graeme, Little Brew and Big Brew, son and father, hit the water to go "mano e mano" in a much anticipated 3rd leg of the relay. However, they were already 200m apart on different courses - by this stage we were running our own races. 10 minutes later the world turned when the crewman on our Makule boat yelled "Shark!". As you would understand, this is the last word any channel swimmer wants to hear!
We looked down and to our collective horror a large beast had appeared about 5-10 metres behind Brew (ie. Graeme). Although it's dorsal fin had not yet broken the surface, it was a clear this was a serious shark. The screaming and yelling began as we attracted Brew's attention and the shark appeared to stare and follow him from behind. Brew swam to the boat with impressive speed and we hauled his considerable mass onto the boat as quickly as possible. Intact and unscathed. The shark went right and then down and under the boat. It then disappeared. It had clearly investigating Brew and was either scared of him or decided he was way too big to eat. Both are equally likely!
We all looked at each other and tried to decide what to do. The race rules state that in such a situation you have to stop advancing in the race, but can move laterally as far as you like before starting again. We spent several minutes establishing that the shark was gone, then motored about 500m away. One other boat was nearby and had pulled out their swimmer and took the same course of action. Despite radio contact with all other boats, everyone else decided to stay in the race.
Then it was Brew's call - stay out or get back in? Almost without hesitation, he got back in and resumed - one of the gutsiest acts ever witnessed in ocean swimming. Farrow, Rench and I looked at each other, knowing we would be next! Thanks Brew! Oh well, screw it! If we die being eaten by a large animal, then so be it. This is what we do. We have a koa bowl to defend! I know I can speak for Farrow and Rench - our next swims were the longest 30 minutes of our entire lives!
So everyone wants to know how big the shark was. The first point to make is that the boat we were on was a Big Game Fishing boat. This was the captain's business every day (364 per year), except for once a year when some swimming idiots hire him out for the day. He said this was the biggest tiger shark he had seen for 8 years - around 15 feet long and 1000 pounds. And he is in the business of trying to catch them every day!
We battled on and eventually finished in about 4 1/2 hours. Despite losing around 10 minutes with the shark incident, we still managed to come 3rd in the Makule division, missing out on first by only 4 or 5 minutes. Oh well, we still ended up with a much coveted race towel and a great story to tell our grand kids!
Meanwhile, the Mixed team had powered on to the finish 10 or 15 minutes earlier. They had picked a great line, swam strongly and came up with line honours for their division..... and the much sought after Koa bowl! An outstanding performance.
Aussie Ticker - a first and a third! A big day at the office.
Tired and relieved, we shot straight to the outside Tiki Bar for the usual post-race festivities and a few quiet Longboard Lagers. It was then that the real tragedy of the day unfolded. The bar is between the beach and the entrance to the hotel.
The paramedics rushed through the crowd with a swimmer on a stretcher. He was badly cut on one arm and missing his hand on the other. We immediately thought "shark" and the whole crowd looked on in stunned silence as he was whisked to a waiting ambulance. It turned out not to be a shark at all, but a freak speed boat accident. He was a tough and gutsy solo swimmer who had done the whole channel himself when a boat accidentally ran him over 100m or so from shore. The poor bastard didn't sign up for that and there will no doubt be an investigation. It appears to have been a freak accident. Now a matter for microsurgeons, police and, I suspect, lawyers. We all wish him well.
A lot to think about for next year!
Mahalo for our health and Aloha!
Simon Buckingham
PS. The Aussie Ticker brethren put in a strong showing in the Waikiki Roughwater the following Monday. In the various age groups, Sigi was 3rd, Brew was 3rd and Chris, ADV, me and Rench peppered the podium in the 45-49 with 4th, 6th, 7th and 9th! A calm day and no marine wildlife to speak of. Luane and Shelley finished 1& 2 overall in the open womens and some of Peter Thiel's Maui team finished 1,2 & 3 in the open mens. A good showing for Australia!
Friday, July 1, 2011
Mona Vale Coldstream consciousness
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.
Glistenrr how was I to know you were lurking in the bushes for the honour of swimming last.
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 Farmer
Ta Mona Vale surf club for a great day.Glistenrr how was I to know you were lurking in the bushes for the honour of swimming last.
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