GregInTheWater
CENTRAL SCOTLAND OPEN WATER SWIMMING COACH
Swimmers on the island after registration
The last Saturday in July and the last of my swim adventures in New York City was due to take place. The location was Governors Island just off the southern tip of Manhattan in New York Harbour. The swim was around a large portion of the island over a distance of two miles (or 3.2 km).
The island has an interesting history as it was a key army base up until the 1960s. After then the US Coast Guard used it for a base until the late 1990s. It was transferred to the City of New York in 2001 and is now open to the public on weekends and holidays between May and September each year. Access to the island is via a free ferry from either Brooklyn Bridge, or next to the Staten Island Ferry on Manhattan. There is even a public high school in the island now. What an amazing place to go to school.
I approached the swim with a mixture of sadness and excitement. Sadness because I was coming to the end of my time in New York City. The excitement was about the challenge of a long swim in tricky conditions in New York Harbour. I had put in plenty of miles in the pool in preparation, doing around two and a half miles several mornings a week at Sunset Park Pool. I had swum longer swims in Australia over the last summer, so I knew that I could do the distance. The only question was how fast would I do it?
NYC Swim offer a webinair to provide information to the swimmers in the week preceding the swim. I made sure I listened in to it, as I had found that they offer useful information, especially when you have not swum the course previously. Morty, the host of the session told us about the swim and that it would start at Fort William and finish at Pier 101 with swimmers swimming counter-clockwise around the island. He then explained about the currents during the swim.
The swim was scheduled to start at 11.15am at which time the tide goes from ebb to flood. The tide would be moving slowly down towards the harbour entrance at the start of the swim at around half a knot or so. However, as swimmers turned into Buttermilk Channel on the Brooklyn side of the island, the flood tide should assist the swimmers at around one knot. So in theory there would be a slight push for swimmers during the swim. Of course the earlier waves would get the least assistance, and the last waves should get the most.
We arrived at Whitehall Subway after a short trip on the R train from our temporary home in Brooklyn. After a short ferry ride we were on the island, and lining up to get our timing chips and swim caps. I was in the second wave this time, once again in a pink cap. The waves were seeded from fastest to slowest, so my efforts at Brooklyn Bridge had been rewarded with a lower seeding. I am impressed with the amount of swimmer identification for these swims. The caps have the swimmer number written on it twice, and we were also marked on our upper arm and shoulder-blade.
By the time all this had finished we still had over an hour to wait for the swimmer briefing. Luckily the day was cool and overcast, so it was pleasant on the lawn, stretching, chatting or just resting. Several folks talked to me about the blog and told me how much they enjoyed reading it (always good to get feedback).
Once again we were lined up in our waves in numeric order. This time it was more important because we would have to board a ferry in wave order so that we could be transported to the start line. The idea was that we would jump off the ferry for the in-water start. We boarded the yellow ferry and then went around to Fort William where the yellow start line awaited us. After what seemed an eternity, the green capped first wave finally exited the ferry to claps and cheers. As soon as they started we were next.
The start line, the ferry we jumped off, and the mist over the city
Those ferries are higher in the water than they seem, and it was a fun leap into the warm harbour water. The warm up today would be a short 30 metre swim to the start line. We lined up waiting for the hooter. I had noticed that there was a fair bit of chop at the start line. Soon enough our wave had started. I had drifted to the rear of the wave as I was feeling a bit sluggish for some reason. As I started I soon realised that it would take me a while to get into stride, so I concentrated on trying to keep near other swimmers and to make sure I swam as far from the island sea wall as possible. I was not swimming to my normal standard, I felt slow and lethargic, and other swimmers were out-pacing me. I knew this would be a long swim so I concentrated on my technique to deal with the choppy water. I did have time to admire the Statue of Liberty in the distance.
Swimmers in the water, and the Staten Island Ferry going past
As we swam around the southern side of the island the chop disappeared and we were swimming in clear calm water. I was by myself wider out from the island than the others in my wave that I could see. I wanted to stay wide at this point so that I could get safely around the jetties on the next corner. It was good to swim in calm water again, and I noticed that my rhythm started to return. Perhaps I had been pushing myself too hard in the pool, or maybe I had been indulging too much in New York’s fantastic variety of restaurants and bars.
The Statue of Liberty through the mist
We turned into ButterMilk Channel and I could just see Brooklyn through the mist and low cloud. I was looking forward to this part of the race, as I was expecting that the tide would provide a great deal of assistance. I decided to head out closer to the buoys in an attempt to get more current to help me. I noticed three other swimmers in my wave doing the same thing, so I quickly got onto their feet and tried to keep up. After several minutes I found that I had dropped off the back of this pack, and so I had to make a decision. Would I try to keep up, or should I just try to enjoy the rest of the swim. I decided to enjoy the swim and fairly quickly the pack of four were about twenty metres in front of me and pulling away.
I knew that there were two green navigation markers just before the finish line. As we approached the second one, I could see the finish line, and I resolved to myself that I would swim hard to get back onto the heels of the pack of four. So I put my head down, kicked hard and really pulled hard through the water.
Approaching the finish line with the city in the backgound
I caught the back of the pack, and I noticed that two of them were wearing wetsuits. I thought I would just sit there for a short while and get my breath back. If I had enough energy left I would try to get past them. I managed to get past three of the pack fairly easily, but the pack leader was proving more difficult. I was swimming beside her, and I just could not move ahead.
The finish line required us to make a hard left turn and head under a gantry to the pontoon attached to Pier 101. I wanted to get past this swimmer before we got to the gantry as it was a narrow channel. For the last thirty metres or so I sprinted and I got past her. I was amazed at how much speed I was generating. I swam hard all the way to the pontoon, and climbed up the steps several metres ahead of the pack. I had got to the finish line before them.
The finish line with the pontoon
As I walked over the timing mat and received my medal, I realised that the swim had taken quite a bit out of me. It was good to have that tired feeling, knowing that I had swum hard and also enjoyed the journey. I had made it.
Collected my goody bag, even though I knew the contents having packed them on Thursday evening, and picked up my t-shirt. I shared my observations of the swim with fellow swimmers, and we had all enjoyed the challenge. It was a long swim, even with the assistance of the current, and the chop from the wind and the passing ferry craft made it just that little more tricky.
I soon realised that the swim had run into problems as the last wave could not start. It seemed that at the start line there was an eddy and this wave of swimmers had difficulty reaching the bouys to begin. I also learned that the organisers have a window of forty minutes to get all the swimmers into the water before the tides make it too difficult. I felt sorry for that wave, but at least some of them were taken down to the first corner and managed to swim part of the course.
My time of just under forty nine minutes placed me 69th overall out of the 271 swimmers who completed the event. I was placed 12th in my age group out of thirty swimmers. Not my best achievement on this trip, but still quite good, and a satisfying result.
To the NYC Swim team, you are awesome. You have so much to organise for these swims and you do it so well. Most swimmers would not even see the effort that you put in, and that is an indication of how succesful you are at doing this. I have also realised that open water swimming is a very niche sport here, and the season is so short.
And so now I must return home to Sydney, taking with me many happy memories and a sense of gratitude for the adventures that open water swimming has provided me so far. I am already dreaming of entering the Little Red Lighthouse swim sometime in the future.
The t-shirt logo
Another summer weekend in New York, and another open water swim race. I had entered a swim run by CIBBOWS at Coney Island, known as Grimaldo’s Mile. I had been swimming with the CIBBOWS group on weekend mornings since I arrived in New York, and I found them a warm and welcoming group of open water swimming enthusiasts. The race is named in honour of Grimaldo Medrano who was a New York City lifeguard stationed at Brighton Beach. He realised that the CIBBOWS people could be trusted to swim out past the rock jetties that line the beach. He convinced his fellow lifeguards that they should not wave the CIBBOWS back into the safety of the jetties, but should allow them to swim along the beach for training purposes. Consequently this group started to thrive, and were seen as a quirky part of the Coney Island scene. Tragically Grimaldo died at the age of 34 from lymphoma, but his name lives on with the CIBBOWS meeting place on the beach named in his honour. And of course the swim is also named after him.
The actual swim is one mile long (or 1.6 km). It starts near the pier in Stillwell Avenue at Coney Island near the amusement parks, and finishes near the Shorefront YMCA at Brighton Beach. The instructions for swimmers were quite straight forward. Start on the beach, swim out to the orange buoy, turn left and swim along the beach for one mile. At the next orange buoy turn left again and finish with a run up the sand. To make things more interesting, there was only one wave for the start.
I had visited the beach the day before the swim to do some more practice in the open water. I had been doing my two and a half miles in Sunset Park Pool four mornings a week, in preparation for the Governor’s Island swim at the end of July. However, I wanted to get down to the beach one more time before the race to make note of landmarks and the like, so I went for a swim on the Saturday. Upon my arrival at the beach I was greeted by conditions that were described by the locals as quite rough. Well compared to my experience over the last month I would have to agree, but to me they looked just like home on a summer afternoon. There was a small shore dump of around half a metre, and the breeze was strong enough to create a bit of chop in the water. It reminded me of the chop you get at Bondi on the far reach of a swim. I had no intention of swimming hard, so only did about a mile and a half swim, relishing the conditions. I was also hoping that they would stay the same for race day tomorrow.
Race day was warmer, and calmer. A short trip on the Q subway got me to the registration point at the Shorefront Y by 6.45 am. After I received my brandings (race number on each arm and one shoulder-blade), the goody bag, the bright orange t-shirt, the swim cap and timing chip I glanced over to the water. My heart sank to realise that the conditions of yesterday had evaporated and there was no wind and no waves. Oh well at least that would be fantastic conditions for the locals, and it would make it a fast swim. Another part of me was relieved that I could swim in calm water and could get a fast time.
A school bus had been organised to transport the swimmers down to the start line, but my wife and I decided to walk down along the famous Coney Island boardwalk. It was a beautiful morning with no wind, a mirror-like surface on the water, and few people around. The beach does not start getting busy until the lifeguards come on duty at 10 am. We did notice a group of people on the sand having what we guessed was a baptism ceremony. Several other competitors also chose to walk down and we had conversations with some of them about the day.
After the twenty minute walk we arrived at the start line just as the first bus load arrived. I wanted to do a warm up swim so I went into the water to get my shoulders working and to try to assess whether there was any current. As I entered the water I found L from CIBBOWS coming out, she had swum the course from the other end as a warm up. I had swam with her a couple of times before and we swim at a similar pace. She had also beat me at Liberty Island swim by a fair way, so I was hoping to get closer to her this time. The water was wonderfully warm, and there was virtually no water moving around. I could not discern any current out wide.
Swimmers waiting for the start
We lined up on the beach to hear the safety instructions. I have to realise that in this town open water swimming is a niche sporting activity, as most of the locals have been brought up to believe the water is filthy and that you only swim at the Hamptons or other places well away from New York City. If you do go to Coney Island you paddle by the shore, and you certainly do not swim around. I looked around the other swimmers, and there were quite a few who looked nervous, but I was encouraged to see them having the strength to overcome their nerves and commit to the event.I had been talking to L and her friend M, who was competing today for the first time. He was worried about the fact that all of us would be starting together. I told him to either get to the front and swim hard, or go to the side or back and get into clear water as soon as possible. The aim is to get into your rhythm early so that you do not waste energy dealing with a lot of swimmers around you. I also advised him to draft other swimmers whenever he could as it would save energy, and you have to hope that they swim in a straight line. He asked me about navigations, and I told him that the easiest way is to lift your head while breathing and look ahead. I told him that the sun would play tricks on our eyes today as we were swimming straight towards it.
The start was on the beach, and I realised that the left side of the start line was better as it was closer to the turning buoy, and there were no rips or sandbanks or swell to deal with. The gun went and I raced into the water, enjoying the chance to have a dry land start for a change. I did a few porpoise dives and quickly got into stride and clear water. I looked to the right and saw that most of the pack were already behind me.
I turned at the buoy and tried to pick someone I could draft off. Soon enough I found someone swimming slightly faster than me who seemed to be able to swim fairly straight. So I got a few feet behind him and enjoyed the sight of his bubbles leading me to the finish line. I looked left frequently to see the landmarks, and we soon passed the Wonder Wheel, the New York Aquarium, and the first of the apartment blocks.
However, as we approached the half way point, my guide started to slow down. I decided to swim around him and to try to catch the next group of swimmers, who were around thirty metres ahead of me. By this time I realised that there were not many swimmers ahead of me, which is an unusual position for me in a race. So I concentrated on my stroke and technique and enjoyed the smooth conditions, and soon caught another swimmer. She was swimming quite fast so I got in behind her, even though she was having problems with her navigation. I tried a few times to get around her, but she was too fast, so I resigned myself to conserving energy for the finish.
Swimmers leaving the water at the finish with the NYPD support nearby
We soon passed Grimaldo’s Chair and I knew we only had a short distance to go. I sighted the turning buoy and was happy that I was heading directly for it. I was slowly edging closer to my guide and thought that maybe I could pass her and get onto the feet of the swimmer in front. But she must have heard my thoughts, as she increased her speed whenever I approached. Soon enough we turned the buoy and we both sprinted the 100 meters or so to the finish line. As we stood up in the shallows she was just in front of me, and there she stayed until we ran across the finish line. I noticed my time was just under thirty minutes, which was not bad for a one mile swim by someone on vacation.
Once I crossed the finish line I looked up expecting to see a large group of swimmers who had already finished. I was amazed that there only appeared to be about twenty or so with their courtesy towels wrapped around them. My wife who had caught the school bus back from the start line, told me that there were not many ahead of me. Maybe I was a chance to get another placing in my age group.
The race to the finish line
As we waited on the beach I talked to L who had finished just ahead of me. She is a big fan of Total Immersion, and I was impressed that she was not in a squad, but just swam for the enjoyment. M finished behind me and he was over the moon about the swim. He had taken my advice and started towards the back, but was soon passing people. I told him that he could not get better conditions for his first open water swim, and perhaps he should consider doing some other ones.
After a while we all gathered at the Y for the food and the entertainment. Once the results were posted I found I had finished in 26th position in the non-wetsuit category. This is the highest placing I have ever achieved in an open water race anywhere. So I was very happy with that. However, of those 26 swimmers ahead of me, there were four in my age group – 45 to 49. So I had come fifth, and I was disappointed that I had not repeated my results of the Brooklyn Bridge Swim. However, I did console myself that my age group is often one of the most competitive ones, and that I should concentrate on my overall placing.
As we left the ceremony to catch the subway, I had time to think on the CIBBOWS organisation. They are a fun and friendly group of ocean swimmers who open their arms to swimmers from around the world. I felt like I belonged here, even though we had only been in town for five weeks or so. I would miss this sense of community upon my return home.
My next and last swim will be Governor’s Island in a week. I was looking forward to that one too.
The start line for the swim
Mid July in New York City, and the second swim of my summer was on. I had competed in the Brooklyn Bridge swim in 2011, and had achieved my best ever placing. As such this swim has a special place in my heart, and besides it is a good excuse to take three months off work and travel to the city that never sleeps.
I had done quite well in the Statue of Liberty swim two weeks previously, coming 75th overall. However, I wanted to do even better in the Brooklyn Bridge swim, as I knew the course this time. On this trip I was also staying in Brooklyn, so I felt more like a local this time swimming across the East River to Manhattan.
Just to recap. The course for this swim starts at Brooklyn Bridge Park near the Manhattan Bridge. You swim downriver to the Brooklyn Bridge, then turn left and head to a small beach just upstream from the South Street, keeping the Brooklyn Bridge above you all the way across (at least in theory). The distance is a mere one km, which sounds easy enough. But this is a river with strong tidal influences, and they play a part in the swim.
I had found out that some of the New York Public Pools were open for adult lap swimming from 7am till 8.30 am on weekday mornings. I had found the closest pool to me was at Sunset Park in Brooklyn. This pool is situated in a park that is the second highest point in Brooklyn, and it has amazing views of the harbour, the Statue of Liberty, and the city skyline.
View of Manhattan from Sunset Park
An added bonus was that the pool entry was free, and if you could swim thirty miles over the summer a commemorative T-shirt would be your reward. So I started doing some laps in the pool, in order to get some fitness back for my upcoming swims. Now I should point out that these pools are free to enter, but they are only open from the end of June to early September each year, from 11 am to 7 pm daily. In a city where summer temperatures frequently get over 30 degrees C it is a welcome relief for the locals. Did I also mention the pool is only one metre deep? Sure makes the pools at home look so much better with their longer opening hours and longer swimming season.
The night before the swim we went to Prospect Park to watch an outdoor screening of Saturday Night Fever, which was filmed 35 years ago in Bay Ridge (the other side of Sunset Park) in Brooklyn. It was an incredible experience to watch this movie again with a large number of locals. There was also a Bee Gees tribute band playing beforehand with their unique heavy metal interpretation of the songs from the movie complete with middle-aged rockers in jump suits. What a blast.
After what seemed like twenty minutes sleep, the alarm went off at 4.30 am to enable us to get on the subway in time for the 6.15 am cut off time for registration. As we arrived at the park we were greeted by a gorgeous sunrise.
Sunrise over the East River
The swim was scheduled to start at 7.15 am, and this is one of the few times of the year that the East River is closed to river traffic. The start time is determined in reference to the tidal movements as well to make it easier for the swimmers to get to Manhattan. During the swimmers briefing held earlier in the week we were told that the current would be slightly downriver at the start pushing us towards the Brooklyn Bridge. However, as you crossed the river you should expect that the current there would push you up river back towards the Manhattan Bridge. Once across the other side the current would shift again going downstream. I had experienced this last year, and I was keen to put my mistakes from that swim behind me.
I was in wave three this year as opposed to wave five last year. For this swim the NYC Swim organisers had implemented a ranking system to assist in their wave identification. I was ranked 91st, which put me in the middle of my wave. I was determined that I would finish a lot higher than 91st, and also that I would be towards the front of my wave.
We stood in our lines and watched the first two waves start. I noticed that the current on this Brooklyn side was definitely in line with predictions. This was reinforced as I waited at the start line with the current pushing me to the left. I wanted to start on the right hand side to get more benefit from the current, so I quickly moved to that end of the start line.
The hooter went and we were off. The wave moved quickly to the first buoy where we had to turn left. I was in the top third of my wave at this stage, but I was swimming at a comfortable pace. There were four more buoys to pass on my right shoulder before the turn. I had noticed that they were not straight, so I had decided to aim for the last one to save some distance. I was soon swimming by myself between the rest of my wave and the sea wall. I was tempted to drift over to the rest of the wave to get some drag.
As we approached the turning marker under the Brooklyn Bridge the current was in our face. It made it tricky turning at right angles. This also told me that the current would be sending swimmers back towards the Manhattan Bridge. As we turned the buoy I made a decision to head left towards the Brooklyn Bridge to make more use of the current going to my right. I noticed that all the rest of my wave had been swept to the right by the current. I was confident that I had made the correct decision based upon my experience of the previous year, and the information provided by the organisers.
However, as I was about one-third of the way across the river swimming all by myself, I noticed a kayaker paddling furiously towards me. As he approached me he yelled at me that I was going the wrong way and that I should go right. I thought this was absurd as if I did that I would be swept upriver and would have to swim further. Besides, just because everyone else had not kept the Bridge as their overhead line marker did not mean that I would do the same thing. So I ignored him and kept swimming aiming to the left of the far stanchion of the bridge.
I was swimming strongly and could see the rest of my wave with their pink caps well off to my right. I could also see some orange caps of the previous wave, and even some green ones of the first wave. There was no one swimming near me, and I was confident that I had navigated correctly.
I quickly got to the Manhattan side of the river and lined up my approach to the finish line. I could by this stage feel a slight pull downriver pushing me to the left. So I adjusted accordingly and concentrated on catching some green and orange caps just in front of me.
The finish line in Manhattan. Note the current pushing the swimmers downstream.
I ran up the beach and crossed the finish line. I looked around and could not see any other pink caps, so I thought I had done well. In fact there were orange and green caps on the heads of the swimmers nearby.
I eagerly accepted my medal, and we made our way to the South Street Seaport for the showers, goody bags and food. I knew what was in the bags as I had helped pack them during the week. This is so different to swims at home where you might get a small bag with some of the bigger swims. But with this swim you get a high quality medal, a backpack with gifts in it, and a t-shirt. And you get to swim an iconic swim.
So how did I do? My time of 20 minutes and four seconds meant I was placed 38th overall, which was an improvement on my 42nd of last year. It also meant my ranking of 91 would need adjustment in the future. I was also placed first in my age group, which is the first time I have ever finished in the top three of any event. I definitely approve of the rule that says anyone who finishes in the top three overall in their gender for the swim is ineligible for an age group prize. I had actually come third in my age group, with the first two in my age group coming first and second overall for the males. Hey I think this is a wonderful idea!
Age group medal
Overall I must say that for me the Brooklyn Bridge swim has lived up to my expectations. It is a glorious swim in New York City in clean water. It also requires some thought to navigate the shifting currents. And for me it has given me my first ever podium finish in my age group. It does not get better than that.
A big Thank You for the volunteers from NYC Swim who organise this and various other swims in New York City each year. They do a magnificent job, and the swims run very smoothly.
My next swim is at Coney Island, with my last swim in this northern summer the week after at Governors Island. This trip has been a huge success for me, and there are still two swims to go.
What is that line from the old Frank Sinatra song…..If you can make it there you can make it anywhere, New York New York.
Statue of Liberty from the ferry
That’s right. The Statue of Liberty in New York. The one that was a gift from France to the USA to celebrate 100 years of US Independence and opened in 1886. The one that is there to welcome immigrants from the Old World as they sail into New York Harbour on their way to Ellis Island:
“Keep ancient lands your storied pomp” cries she
With silent lips. “Give me your tired, your poor
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless. the tempest-tost to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door.”
The place that was the destination of so many from Europe in the 19th and 20th centuries, and is still the dream of so many from around the world.
This was the fourth time that NYC Swims had organised this event which involves a circumnavigation of Liberty Island, the island on which the Statue of Liberty sits in the middle of New York harbour, off the southern shore of Manhattan Island. The actual swim is only 1.2 km, which is nice and short. But really it is not about the distance or the result, it is all about having the opportunity to swim around this world famous landmark.
The swim was scheduled to start at 6.45 pm, well after the tourists left the island at around 5.30 pm. So the 400 swimmers and their guests had the island to themselves for a few hours. On a hot balmy evening it was very special.
We arrived at Battery Park just before 3 pm and wandered over to the NYC tent to get our special swimmers passes which enabled us to get priority on the normal tourist ferry to Liberty Island. As it was a hot day (around 36 degrees), the line of tourists was shorter than normal (they must have been shopping in air-conditioned comfort), so we got through security quite easily. The security is just like at the airport except you get to keep your liquids and keep your shoes on, though you do have to take off your belt.
The ferry trip over was quite short though everyone rushed to the starboard side once we got close to the island so they could take their photos of the Lady. Once on the island I got my numbered swimmer cap (112), and had my number written on the back of my hand and my shoulder. We also picked up our passes that would enable us to stay on the island after closing time, and also the dinner pass for the pre-ordered barbeque. Both of these were on my wrist, which was strange as there was the chance they would come off in the water during the swim.
We found some trees to sit under looking towards Manhattan. It was marginally cooler there, but we still had two hours to kill before the swimmers pre-race meeting at 5.30 pm. I decided to walk around the island to examine the course. Wow it was so hot in the sun, and so many of the tourists had no hats on. While I was walking around the buoys for the race were being put in position. They were quite close to the island which was good. When I had listened to the webinair swimmers briefing on Thursday I learnt we had to keep the buoys on our left shoulder all the way round.
Work Dock with Manhattan in the background
I walked through the gift shop which was very busy, maybe because it was air-conditioned, or perhaps the idea of a souvenir of the Lady purchased on the island was too much of an opportunity to pass up.
Unfortunately we were unable to access the Lady herself as she has been having a facelift which started in October 2011. So all we could do was walk around her. That was impressive enough. While she looks fantastic from Manhattan, it is when you get close up you realise how magnificent the statue truly is. She stands almost 100 metres high due to the pedestal she stands upon. A bit different to the Big Banana at Coffs Harbour.
After my extensive tour of the island I still had ninety minutes to kill before the briefing. So I lay down on the grass under some trees and tried to keep my fluids up. I went to buy some more refreshments, and a person asked me if I was Australian. Not sure what tipped her off, but it may have been my Sydney Harbour Swim Classic t-shirt. Anyway she was here to support her daughter in the race so I stopped for a chat. Luanne had flown in from San Fransisco on the red-eye this morning. She was in wave five, and I was in wave one. I assured her that they could not have been seeded correctly as she is a lot faster than me.
The Lady
Finally the swimmers briefing took place under the flag pole (with the flag flying at half mast) in the hot sun. I learnt that we could go between the buoys and the working jetty on the Manhattan side of the island, and all other buoys required the swimmers to pass on the right (ie on your left shoulder). The water was cool at 71 degrees F (21.5 C), but to me that would be just like home. There was also a flood tide (ie coming in) which would make the first leg a bit tough swimming against the current. However, the tide was expected to peak at around 7.30 pm so it should not be too bad. Once you got in front of the Lady, the tide would push you.
Once the swimmers meeting had finished we were given permission to strip down to our swimming costumes. Apparently the National Parks people were a tad shy and did not want their eyes afflicted by semi naked bodies.
One of the different aspects of these swims as compared to those at home is the importance of the race number. It is written on each arm, and your cap (twice), and swimmers are in waves of around 40 or so. The swimmers must line up in numerical order and receive their timing chips in numeric order as well. You have your names marked off twice to make sure. Sure is different from home where you are usually in an age wave and the race number is a backup only for when the timing chip does not work.
So we lined up. Fortunately the people in my wave were lined up in the shade on the dock. A ferry boat pulled into the dock which confused me as I thought we were going to have a water start. However, my confusion was lifted when I found out we entered the ferry on the port side, walk through to the starboard side and then jump into the water. Once in the water we had to swim 30 metres or so to line up behind two yellow buoys which were the starting line. Little chance of a warm up then for this sprint event.
The leap from the ferry
The water was very refreshing and we had a chop and I could feel the current in my face. Finally we got the countdown, and I had edged my way to near the front of the starting line. The hooter went and we were off and racing to the sounds of cheers from all the other swimmers lined up in the hot sun watching us. There was little of the usual chaos of floundering arms and legs that I am used to in events at home. I quickly settled on the feet of a young chap wearing a wetsuit. The chop reminded me of the Cockatoo Island swim when the wind was up and a ferry went fast. The tide was in our face, so it was a tough pull to the first marker. I had to remember to breathe left sometimes to catch a glimpse of the Lady from the water.
Round the first marker, and there were about fifteen swimmers in front of me. Round the second marker and swimming through the shadow cast by the Lady and I was still in around the same position. I looked up and saw the work dock was the next mark, and noticed that most of the pack were swimming to the right. Ah I thought they have been caught by the tide, so I aimed left to try to cut the corner and make up some placings. It worked – I had caught five swimmers.
Around the back of the island there was no chop (we were in the lee) and no tide so it was quite calm. If I looked right I saw Manhattan, if I looked left I saw the Statue of Liberty: how good was this. I was trying to put some speed on here and make up more room. A fellow swimmer came back to me and he could not swim straight. I tried to swim away from him, but I could see his stroke rate increase. We were heading away from the next marker, and I had to make a decision soon: would I try to outswim him, or stop and change direction. Well foolish me tried to outswim him, and that did not work. So I had to stop and then swim at an angle back to the marker buoy. He did notice after a few strokes that I had passed behind him and he quickly changed direction. I was not happy with myself. I also noticed a couple of caps from the following wave pass me at this time.
NYPD keep a watchful eye
I had been swimming hard and one part of my brain told me to slow down and enjoy the water. But another part told me that I had not flown half way around the globe to take it easy, and it was only a one km event. So I kept up the pace.
There were two swimmers just in front of me so I got on their toes to get their draft. I planned to swim around them on the last corner. And that is what I did. We turned the last corner and had around 75 metres to swim to the finish line. I pulled out from behind them and swam hard to get away from them. I quickly put a couple of body lengths on them and looked up for the pontoon finish line. This was the same one used in the MIMS swim and I was very familiar with it having stood on it for four hours on the previous weekend. I made it to the finish line and heard my number called out just ahead of the other two. I clambered up the steps and crossed the timing mats for the finish line. I had done it.
City swimmers
I said hi to a couple of the volunteers I had got to know and they were happy to see me finish.
I checked the handwritten timing sheet and saw that I had finished in the top ten in my wave. I would not know how I had done overall until the presentation after dinner.
I had some photos taken with my medal on, and then went and grabbed my t-shirt and goody bag. It was fun to realise that I had packed the goody bag and written the number on my cap earlier in the week. It made me feel that I really was part of the event.
I caught up with some of the CIBBOWS swimmers as they finished. They, like me, we on a high after such a fantastic event.
The hotdogs and burgers eaten, and then we learnt that due to some technical problems the presentation would not take place this evening (I later learnt that the electronic timing system had not coped with the heat). So that was a let down. I dis not expect to get a placing in my age group as it was a ten-year age group, but it was a bit of a disappointment that this was not going to take place.
We watched the fireflies(or lightning bugs as one local called them) light up the grass under the trees as the dusk fell. It looked like a bunch of fairy lights at Christmas time, and is not something we see at home.
So all we had to do now was to wait for the nine pm ferry back to Manhattan. It was nice sunset over Jersey and a balmy evening. Very special to be in such a place. Not many people have had the opportunity to swim here, and I was one of them.
Sunset over Jersey
As I entered the ferry to go back to Manhattan I realised that this was the same ferry we had jumped off to start the race. We went on the top open deck of the ferry, and it was awesome to see the lights of the Big Apple ahead of us. I remembered my first ferry trip in New York in February 2007 when there was ice in the harbour as we crossed to Staten Island, and it was far too cold to sit in the open.
Time to leave
The walk to the subway through Battery Park was hot, and the subway platform was hotter. Soon enough our air-conditioned subway train showed up to take us back to Brooklyn.
This was one of the best swims I have done. I have swum under the Brooklyn Bridge, near the Sydney Opera House and at Bondi. But this was very special.
The results have been posted and I came 75th out of the field of just under 350 swimmers. I am very happy with this as the impact of the strength of the tide does play a part in the results. Another finish in the top 100.
Each year a swim is held in New York that circumnavigates Manhattan Island. Sounds easy swimming around an island. Except this swim is 45 km long if you swim in a straight line, and the winner took seven and a half hours to finish. This year’s event was held on 23 June 2012, and I was there. Well when I say I was there, that does not mean I swam in the race, but I did watch.
So what was I doing in New York City? I had taken some well earned long service leave and travelled to the big apple for a holiday. I am planning to compete in a series of swimming races while staying in New York. Our trip from Australia was long, thirty hours door to door. I can never sleep in planes as I find the seats too small. Maybe if I could afford a flat bed up the front it would be a different experience.
To help with the jet lag I went for a swim at Coney Island with the CIBBOWS (Coney Island Brighton Beach Open Water Swimmers).
Coney Island Beach and Pier
Well I can tell you that Coney Island is no Bondi. It is a long open stretch of sand with the water lapping the shore with a distinct absence of swell, and a broad board walk and amusement park. The good thing about it was that the CIBBOWS group were welcoming, it was open water, and you can swim a long way. It is around three km from one end of the beach to the other.
Coney Island looking down the beach
The water is murky but quite clean, and quite warm for this early in the season (around 21 degrees). Some of the locals thought this was awfully cold and insisted on wearing their wet suits. I did get talking to one chap Tom who swims here year round. In the winter he is part of a polar bears club (like icebergs), and he said that in winter the water can get down to 30 degrees (or -1 celsius). Though for the winter just gone he was disappointed that it did not get below 40 (5 celsius). Sure makes you think about a cold 13 degree day at Bondi.
Back to the swell. Well the only time there is one is when a storm comes through. You might get a wind chop on the water and that is about it. However, there is a current to deal with that goes along the beach. So swimming one way you get the current and then you can turn around and swim into it. Did I tell you about the lifeguards every 50 m or so to protect the swimmers from the rips?
So I have now swum there three times. It is a lot of fun and good to get a hitout in calm water. The beach is also easy to get to on the subway with three different lines arriving there. The locals are friendly and keen to see a person from down under. They also want to have long service leave in their country.
The booming surf
It is a colourful neighbourhood down there as well. At one end of the beach is the amusement park with a rollercoaster that is 85 years old. Next door is the New York Aquarium At the other end is Brighton Beach which is where a large number of Russian immigrants live. The shop signs are in Russian, and the beach safety signs are in English, Spanish and Russian. Makes me think that those at home could do with a few more languages such as Mandarin, Bogan, as well as English.
Wonder Wheel Coney Island
The organisation that runs the Manhattan Island Marathon Swim (MIMS) is known as NYC Swim. It is a volunteer run organisation that organises a number of swims in the NYC area. I have entered three of the swims this year after my efforts at the Brooklyn Bridge Swim in 2011. So I decided to see if they wanted any help with the MIMS event. I helped to pack the goody bags for the swimmers and organise the medals a few days before the race. I also decided to help out at the finish line at South Cove in Battery Park on the day of the race.
This year there were no Australians doing the MIMS event, unlike other years where my countrymen and women have won the event. I think the record time is also held by an Aussie. I had not entered this event because I have never swum for that length of time. There were also a qualifying requirement, and that may mean doing the Rottnest Island swim in Perth one year. While the swim is 45 km, the start time is set so that swimmers swim with the tide as much as possible. Believe me in the East River you do not want to miss the tide as you will go backwards. There is a time cut off of ten hours to finish the race, meaning the slowest swimmers do 4.5 km an hour or a km every 13 minutes (50m every 40 seconds). The fastest swimmer did it in seven and a half hours, or a km every 10 minutes (50m every 30 minutes)!!!!
On the day of the race I was asked to assist on the pontoon where the swimmers leave the water. They have to climb some steps, and then get up onto the dock to get their refreshments and massages. The day was quite warm (around 32), so one of the cooler places was that close to the water. So I assisted the 45 swimmers who finished the race out of the water. Most of them were surprisingly fresh and did not need much help from me to get onto the dock. Several of the swimmers had swum the English Channel,which is in far colder water and the tide often hinders progress. I was slightly in awe of them all as they are at the highest level of our amateur sport with the ability to swim for long periods.
The finish line for MIMS
On the way back to Brooklyn on the subway I did think that just maybe in a few years I might just be able to do this event. Of course I would need to do a qualifying swim, have a support crew for the boat (sure I would get lots of offers) and save for the entry fee.
At least my next race around an island would be a lot shorter: Liberty Island just over one km. Looking forward to that.
Swimming caps from the 2012 season
So the 2012 season is now over. What was my progress over the season? Well to recap in 2011 I had competed in six races with a total distance of 13.4 kms, and I struggled to finish some of those races. For distance covered in Australia I was ranked 1,398 out of 43,462 and in NSW 509th out of 17,154. For the oceanswim handicap series in 2011 I did three swims for 185 points and a ranking of 246 out of 357. For the other handicap series I accumulated just under 400 points ( a maximum of 100 for each swim), placing me 212th out of 1,143 and 28th in my age group.
For the 2012 season I competed in 28 races covering a distance of 52.6 km. For distance covered this placed me 53rd out of 45,395 swimmers, and in NSW I was ranked 28th out of 16,771. For the oceanswims handicap series I once again did three races, earning 191.52 points (out of 300), and placed 89th out of 1,829. For the other handicap system I had been given 1734 points from 24 races and my best three average of 94.59 (out of 100) placed me 25th overall out of 467, and 5th in my age group. This one did not credit three of my Sydney swims which would have given me another 200 odd points.
So these raw figures show the improvement in distance.
The other side if my placings. In 2011 my average overall placing was 53%, with a best overall placing of 143rd. For my age group I averaged in the top 52% and a best placing of 18th. For 2012 I averaged in the top 39%overall with a best overall placing of 42nd (thankyou New York). I had six races in which I finished in the top 100 overall. For my age group I averaged in the top 44% with a best placing of sixth (Coogee). I had seven races in the top 10 in my age group.
So these show that not only had I swum further, I had also swum faster when compared to other competitors.
The other way to see my improvement was that on nine occasions I swam in both the one km and the longer races. It is true my results in the one km races tended to be better, but I still improved in the longer races. An example of this was the Coles Classic where my time improved by six minutes and my overall placing was 700 places higher.
My favourite swim of the season was the Brooklyn Bridge swim in New York City. Why well it was my first top 50 finish, and first top ten overall. But it was more than that, It was realising that I could now compete overseas and had the ability to do so. And the location was stunning,.
My least favourite swim was probably the Bondi to Bronte, but that was because of the bad conditions. Though it did show me that I had the stamina to swim for over an hour in difficult conditions.
Another sign of progress for the season was my efforts in th pool with the squad. When I started I was in slow lane in lane eight. I quickly moved up to lane seven where I admired those fast swimmers at the head of the lane. Well during the season I improved to where I was one of the leaders of the lane, and so much so that I was moved up to the fast lane six towards the end of the season. Sure I am at the back of that lane and sometimes I cannot make the time repeat. But my swimming has got faster, and my style and strength has improved as well.
I have also made lots of friends this year through swimming, especially those from squad who get up early to get to the pool for a six am session several times a week. But I also made friends from the wider swimming community, and I am hoping to continue that.
So for the 2012 season I had done the big journey swims for the first time: Bondi to Bronte, the Big Swim at Palm Beach, and the Coogee to Bondi. I had swum at Bondi several times and I have to admit that when you are in the water on a warm sunny day with clear water it is quite special. I had swum around Wedding Cake Island off Coogee twice. I had swum at the Opera House in three races, and also around Cockatoo Island. I had also swum across Lake Macquarie again, and at Caves Beach. And who could forget Manly, swimming through an aquatic reserve with all its sea life.
For the 2013 season what are my goals? Well first off I am going back to New York to compete in three races over their summer. When I return I hope to be able to get back into training with a goal of improving my efforts in the longer swims. To do that I will have to shed some weight, and also swim harder in the races to push myself. I will have to make a decision on whether to swim the one km races as a true warm up as well.
I also have a dream of doing one of the longer races such as the Bondi to Watsons Bay or the Dee Why to Manly. If not next year, maybe soon after. And who knows what international swims I could do.
But the most important thing is to continue to enjoy swimming in open water in glorious locations.
The rare sight of boats at Bondi
This swim is the last swim in Sydney for the season. It involves a swim of ten km from North Bondi Beach to Watsons Bay in Sydney Harbour. It involves a swim 500m out from the beach, turn left to head north up the coast until you enter Sydney Harbour, and then turn south to finish inside the harbour. It requires a boat and most swimmers also have a paddler to accompany them. It is a tough swim with many many kms of high cliffs to swim past before entering calmer water in the harbour. It is also possible to do the swim as a relay. That section of the coast is known for its rough water and history of maritime disasters. In the 1850s a ship en route from the UK ploughed into the cliffs at The Gap during a gale with 121 lives lost.
There were five swimmers from my squad doing the swim, one doing it solo, and a couple of teams. My wife and I decided to do the Bondi to Watsons Bay walk, a section of the Sydney coast line that we had not yet walked.
We caught the bus to Bondi. After three weeks of perfect sunny weather the forecast was for coastal showers. When we arrived at the beach we were greeted by the sight of all the boats for the swim sitting in the bay. As I stood on the beach wishing good luck to all the swimmers, the boats moved 500 m or so offshore to wait for their swimmers. Just before the race started it started to lightly rain.
We watched the competitors enter the water and then went and had a nice hot coffee before starting the walk to Watsons Bay. I was thinking that maybe one year I could do this swim, maybe I could get a relay team first and then try a solo.
The walk from Bondi to Watsons Bay goes uphill to Dover Heights along a road for a mile or so. As we trudged up the hill it started to rain again and the wind began to blow. This would make it tough for the swimmers. We entered a park on the top of the cliff and looked out to sea. Remarkably we could see a swimmer about one km in front of everyone else already. The rest of the pack was spread out all the way back to Ben Buckler.
Before long we were forced to go back on the road due to the presence of expensive houses hugging the cliff top with their panoramic views. But they must catch a blast from the wind on most days. Soon after we got back onto a park with a boardwalk attached. I took some photos of the field stretched out.
The cliffs, the boats with swimmers nearby, and the rain coming up behind
By this time the wind was getting stronger and those coastal showers turned into heavy rain. Our umbrellas provided little cover, and I thought of those poor swimmers and their support crews out on the ocean as the chop increased. I was relieved that I had not started, as I knew those conditions would not have suited me at all.
The views along this part of the coast are very spectacular and on a day like this we had the path mostly to ourselves. I started a conversation with a man whose son was swimming in the race as walked past Macquarie lighthouse. This lighthouse was designed by a convict in the early 1800s and the location has been used as an aid to shipping since 1790 (just two years after European settlement of Sydney).
Fairly soon after we passed the Gap which is popular with tourists and those poor souls full of despair. We watched some scuba divers diving just off the cliffs, with a backdrop of the swimmers pushing past in the background. By this time we were soaked and cold, so we headed to the pub to find it was not open for lunch for another hour or so. So off to Doyles on the wharf for a nice seafood meal as we waited for the swimmers to finish.
The harbour was quite smooth which would be a relief for those slogging their way around South Head.
Watsons Bay with the harbour and city in the background
I joined the well wishers at the finish line to watch the swimmers complete their ordeal. Most of the swimmers were clearly quite tired after swimming for three hours or more, and several had trouble making it up the ramp out of the water. I was in awe of those who had made it, either solo or in teams. It is a huge achievement. I was speaking to a friend who has swum the Rottnest Island swim in Perth which is twice as far as this swim, and she thinks this swim is tougher by far, due to the chop and the sea conditions. This year was tougher than normal due to the chop, the rain and the cold air temperature.
As we sat on the ferry on the way back to Circular Quay I thought that if I trained consistently and kept on improving then perhaps I could do this swim next year. The girl on the right in this photo was in that position just twelve months ago and she made it.
Great swim girls
View of the course
ANZAC Day is a day of remembrance for all of those who have served our nation during times of conflict. The day falls on the anniversary of the attack by the Allies at Gallipoli in Turkey on 25th April 1915. It was the day that Australia and New Zealand came of age and fought for the British Empire based on an ambitious plan by the Lord Of The Admiralty Winston Churchill. The plan was to gain control of the Dardanelles and force the city of Constantinople in the Ottoman Empire into Allied hands. The attack was in the end a total failure with huge casualties on both sides.
So on this day we remember those who served and those who made the ultimate sacrifice. There are dawn services and marches in just about every location in the country.
It is also the day of the Coogee to Bondi swim. This swim over a distance of five km is an epic, passing some of the most beautiful coastline in Sydney to arrive at Bondi. It is a challenge physically and mentally.
I had arranged with a friend from squad to catch a bus to Coogee for the start. Before I left home I checked the weather forecast and it was for a fine sunny day with a fresh westerly wind and a top of 20 degrees. The wind chill though was 10 degrees, so I packed my wet suit. I had planned to do the swim without the wet suit as I knew the water was still warm, but that wind chill made me nervous.
Upon arrival at Coogee the surf was flat but there was a bump on the horizon. And it was cold. After registration fellow squad members were debating whether to wear the wet suit or not. I decided to wear mine as I did not want to get cold over a swim of up to one and three-quarter hours. Others called me a wimp, but I had to do what I thought was best. I knew the distance would test me, so I wanted to get as big an advantage as possible.
We received our race briefing and we were told to swim out to the Coast Guard boat turn left and then keep the next two buoys off Bronte on our right, and then the next two on our left. The second one of these we were told would be off North Bondi requiring a hook turn left back to South Bondi to the finish line. I paid some attention but was also happy to rely on those in front me to help with the navigation.
A bugler played the Last Post with a minute’s silence. A fitting tribute for the day.
I had walked the coastal path from Coogee to Bondi many times so I was aware of the course.
My plans were to swim with Michael from squad until North Bondi and then we would race for the beach. Like most plans though it did not last long. I was just behind him in the melee around the Coast Guard boat off the beach, but I lot him just before Clovelly in the pack.
Until Clovelly the cliff face protected us from the worst of the wind keeping conditions smooth. I was swimming comfortably not pushing myself and trying to keep in touch with those in front of me. As we swam round Shark Point the wind got stronger increasing the chop. Just near Waverly cemetery the wind caught the pack and we were pushed further offshore. As we got closer to Bronte it became clear that we had to swim back into Bronte straight into the wind and the chop. I regretted my inability to navigate but the wind made it hard to see the buoy with all the chop. I turned at the buoy at Bronte and thought that we were just off the beach. The next buoy was off Tamarama and luckily I got a good sighting of it and swam towards it. Others I had swam with around the buoy swam further offshore, so I beat them to the next buoy quite easily.
Next buoy was off Mackenzie’s Point and that was also quite easy to sight. But as we got closer once again the wind came up and with that the chop increased. It brought back memories of the Bondi to Bronte swim earlier in the season. At this stage I was still swimming well and was glad of the wet suit that kept me warm. I had noticed that those without wet suits had goose bumps on their lower legs.
Around Mackenzie’s Point and then I remembered the briefing: so I kept wide to swim to North Bondi. The chop was quite bad and it was difficult to sight the buoy. Imagine my surprise to get directions from the water safety people half way across the bay that the buoy had been moved. It was now just off the finish line. I looked to my left and there it was about 200 metres inshore. This was very frustrating as now I would have to change my course and swim straight into the wind. Once again I cursed my poor navigation skills but the combination of the chop and the sun had made it very difficult to see the last buoy. It was just not in the place that it was supposed to be. A lesson then to expect anything and not rely on those around you so much.
Map of the course
So I started the hard slog into the beach. I was relieved that the strong breeze was stopping the swell from coming in, but it still seemed to take an eternity to get round that buoy. After swimming mostly by myself for a lot of the way it was a relief to catch up to five other swimmers. I concentrated on pulling hard through the water knowing that my wet suit would give me an advantage. I quickly caught up to them but I just could not swim around them. The six of us swam abreast through the break and we all stood up at the same time. I tried to wade through the shallow water, but I was tired and they were younger. I managed to sidle up to the finish line managing a smile for those squad members who had already finished.
I had made it. I felt a huge amount of satisfaction that I had managed to make the distance even if I had worn the wet suit. But it was cold standing on the beach in the wind.
I wandered over to our crippled coach and he took a photo of Michael and I wearing leis that were presented to finishers.
My time of just over 101 minutes was close to the time I thought I would do. This placed me in the top two-thirds of the field. If I had been able to navigate better I could have taken at least four minutes off that time. Michael had beaten me, but I did manage to beat Paul for the first time this season (it had nothing to do with him not wearing a wet suit of course). My efforts on these journey swims were not as impressive as my efforts in the shorter swims.
Sitting waiting for the presentation I thought of the movement of that last buoy. This course really either needs more buoys to assist with navigation. Or it could have less as it is easy to follow the coastline on the swim north. But I had done it and I knew that I would swim better next time. It was one thing to walk the course, it is something completely different swimming it with the moving ocean tossing you about like a cork.
So my season was over and what a way to finish. I felt proud of my achievements and realised that I had swum just over 50 kn in races for the season. This was a huge improvement on the previous season. I had swum in all conditions. I had learnt a lot about dealing with the surf and the ocean, and I had gained quite a bit of confidence. I will eagerly wait for the season ending distance tallies to see where I ended up.
And so to another season for next year. I am now an oceanswimmer.
A return to Coogee Beach for the Wedding Cake Island Swim. This swim was also held earlier in the season at the end of November, so it was good to return when conditions are more benign. What little swell that had been around earlier in the week had disappeared so the ocean looked like a lake on arrival at the beach. I had decided to do both swims again, and it would be interesting to compare times and placings.
I had parked up the hill and the course looked like a picture as I walked down to the beach. Fantastic conditions warm sun, little swell and warm water. Best time for swimming in Sydney.
The first swim, the shorter one km event, was at 9.15 am, and I was in the first wave with all the other males. The course was very sheltered staying well inside the island. I had looked round for the white caps in my age group and counted twenty odd. If I swam well there was a chance of another top ten finish in my age group. Swim started and soon into the water and trying to get into a rhythm. Once again there were a number of swimmers who swam too hard at the start so by the time I had arrived at the first turning buoy a number of them were soon behind me. Conditions were very smooth so it was no problem sighting the buoys. The water was clear and not as warm as the swim last weekend (please note there will be no metaphors in this blog trying to link the feel of the water with the touch of a lover. I bow to the experts in my squad who are better at that sort of palava).
As I turned for home I sensed that I was in the top half of the field, and despite feeling a tad tired from working my way through the pack I decided to push hard to see how I would go. I managed to swim close to another swimmer with similar ideas, and a teenage boy was not far away. A female member of my squad caught me and I swam harder just to try to beat her out of the water. We all pushed each other and fortunately I edged ahead. All too soon the sand became visible on the bottom, and then there was the gentle lift of the water as small waves formed. But Coogee being Coogee meant the chances of a wave were small until the shore dump pushed me into the shallows. I stood up and thought umm I have swum quite hard, so it was not easy getting my body to start running towards the finish line. But I managed to get over the finish line.
I was very tired from this swim, so after drying off and swapping observations with fellow squad members, I went to get a coffee. I had around ninety minutes before my next swim, so sat on the grass in the shade of a tree in the park behind the beach promenade and even managed to have a nap for twenty minutes or so. I woke up to the sight of a gorgeous friendly golden labrador looking down at me.
I went and checked the results for the one km swim, and I had achieved a sixth in my age group (best result so far), and top sixty overall. No wonder I was feeling the effects. This was an improvement in my time and placing from November, but conditions are always different so times are not a good guide.
The longer swim was rated as 2.4 km, and I remembered from the November swim that it was a long way out there and back. There was also a tendency for whatever swell was around to be felt on the seaward side of the island. But today there was hardly any swell to worry about. I caught up with Michael and Paul two of my fellow aging males from squad. They were fresh not having done the shorter swim, so they were both confident of beating me again today. I also told them of my lethargy.
I was in wave six for this swim, and unlike my fellow squad members I did not warm up (well I had just swum one km in race conditions). As we waited behind the start line I got chatting to a chap from Virginia USA who was out in Sydney for work and had found out about the swim two days ago. This was his first swim in the ocean as all his swims had been in rivers and lakes in North America.
The wave started and I trotted into the water in the all too familiar way. At about the 300 m marker I felt tired and questioned why I was here. I ignored those thoughts and concentrated on my breathing, alternating left and right, and enjoyed the clear water and warm sun. The slower swimmers from the earlier waves made for fun as I swam round them.
At the back of the island I was distracted by the large boulders covered in kelp and seaweed waving in the gentle swells. I did not see any fish, but once again there were quite a few jelly blubbers that were disconcerting. As I swam towards the last buoy at the back of the island I noticed a red cap swimmer with a familiar stroke wearing the squad speedos. It was Paul, he had caught me even though he had started two minutes behind me. Now i had to make a decision: should I stick with Paul or let him go. As I had swum countless laps behind Paul at training I knew that he swum at a good pace . I decided to stick with him, so I let him swim past me and then I swam right on his feet, trying not to tap his toes. He was swimming at a good pace and I was very happy with that as I trusted his speed and navigation skills. I stuck with him as he weaved around slower swimmers: those feet were familiar. This made the swim a lot more fun, as I was now in that rare position of swimming with someone I knew.
I kept up with Paul until the second last buoy. I knew that Paul had only returned to training this week after a short injury induced break. I felt quite strong after following in Paul’s wake for about a third of the course. It was time to get ahead of him, so I swam around and started swimming harder, soon leaving him behind. The only worry was whether I had gone too early, but I felt comfortable all the way to the beach while increasing my kick and pull through the water. Once again the shore break was of no assistance, so jumped up at the water’s edge and ran up to the finish line.
As I crossed the line I turned around to see how far ahead of Paul I was and he crossed the line a minute or so behind me.I knew he had beaten me overall, there was only Michael to worry about now. He crossed the line about two minutes behind me so it would be close. I thanked Paul for his assistance and he was completly oblivious to my drafting (luckily I had only touched his toes a couple of times). When the times were posted Paul had beat me by seventy seconds, and Michael had beaten me by six seconds. It would be fun at training this week to compare excuses.
I had managed another top twenty in my age group and swum minutes quicker than the November swim. I was improving.
A gorgeous day for a swim. Getting close to fifty km of races for the season. Next goal the five km swim from Coogee to Bondi on Anzac day, conditions permitting.
The Easter weekend has three swims on offer. Easter Saturday down Nowra way on the South Coast; Easter Sunday at Pacific Palms near Forster on the Mid North Coast; and Bondi on Easter Monday. I checked the weather forecast on Wednesday and the forecast was not good for Saturday with an early southerly change forecast for the South Coast. The forecast for Sunday was reasonable except for the two metre swell and the three hour drive required. The forecast for Monday was better. So it looked like I would do Bondi and keep my eye on the forecast just in case.
Saturday and Sunday came and went without me swimming. That left Monday. I went for a long walk on Sunday morning to Boy Charlton pool and did a lazy one km swim. I had missed the online entries for Bondi so would have to register on the day. That is unusual for me as I like to register early, but this time is different. The forecast was good with an offshore wind and small swell which would mean clean conditions.
Caught the bus to Bondi on a beautiful sunny morning with a cool wind reminding us that it was autumn now. Registered for my swim having to walk through the smoke from the sausage sizzle and bacon and egg sandwiches. They smelt good but they would have to wait until after the race. Even though I was not feeling strong I decided to enter both swims as the conditions looked favourable.
I caught up with others from the squad just in time to help them put up the tent. The wind had a real bite in it but at least the sun was shining.
The coffee was hot and that helped to warm me up. The warm up was good as the water was warm and caressed the body like a lover. The waves were a nice size. The course was straight forward: swim around the two yellow buoys for the one km event; and for the two km event swim past the yellow buoys and then further out to the three orange one and return to the beach. It all looked good.
I had done this event last season but had only done the long swim. It would be good to judge how far I had come in twelve months. There was a good representation from the squad. It was good to swim with familiar faces. I gave some advice to one squad member who was competing for the first time. Told her things like swim out in the rip, watch the waves in front of you to see which way they go, look up to sight the buoys, and swim back in over the sandbank. Luckily the organisers had placed the start line at a rip and the finish line near a sandbank.
I was in the fourth wave for the one km event. I counted the bright pink caps in my age group and got to fifteen. Good that meant a top twenty place and if I was lucky a top ten. I noticed that the earlier waves were heading towards the right instead of heading straight to the first buoy. So I decided at the last moment to start on the left not the right even though this would mean a slightly longer route. We started and I jogged gently down the sand and entered the water. It was crystal clear and warm, and only a couple of waves to get through. I could see the sandy bottom all the way out to the first buoy, and even noticed schools of fish.
Turned the first buoy and was then surprised that the second buoy was not level but was further out to sea. I wanted to pace myself so settled into a nice rhythm and found some swimmers near me swimming at my speed so kept behind them to conserve energy. I turned the last buoy and noticed I was still a long way out. Kept swimming and remembered the coach’s instructions to keep to the right of the finish line to swim back on the sandbank.
Got through the wave zone feeling quite tired. I only walked out of the water and then a gentle jog over the finish line. Other squad members found this race a challenge even though the conditions were fantastic.
I contemplated not doing the longer race, but because it was now a lot warmer I did not give in to that idea. However, I did not do the traditional squad warm up before the race, as I had just finished the one km event. That should have warmed me up. Luckily there was an hour between the start of both races so I had time to eat some chocolate and have a drink.
Once again I was in the fourth wave, but this time there were a lot more competitors. I decided to enjoy this swim as I had done over twenty races for the season and it was a nice day.
We started and out we went. Had a good start and soon settled into my rhythm and started passing others in my age. I really enjoyed the warm water and before long was turning for home after getting slightly distracted by the patterns on the bottom near the last buoy. I was swimming with a couple of others in my age group and despite the earlier swim was feeling quite strong. Some I put in longer strokes and increased the kick to try to swim away from them. This was successful and before long the wave zone approached. I almost caught a wave but I relished the feel of the waves gently lifting me towards shore.
This time I waded out of the water and ran past some others, and sprinted up to the finish line feeling strong. Smiled for the cameras.
I enjoyed the longer swim much more: a thought shared by several of the other squad members. By now my long sleeve t-shirt was too warm, unlike earlier when it was not enough to stop the wind cutting through me.
I went up to the clubhouse and found out I had come seventh in my age group in the one km race and a top twenty in the two km race. A great result. This was the third time I had come seventh in a one km swim this season, but the first time I had backed it up with a top twenty in the longer event.
An enjoyable day and I had done better than last year. Good to know that results reflect your own conceptions.
GregInTheWater 