GregInTheWater
CENTRAL SCOTLAND OPEN WATER SWIMMING COACH
The plaque and seat dedicated to Murray Rose
Another Sunday in February in Sydney and that means another ocean swim race, and it was the turn of Malabar to host its event. This is the fourth year in a row I have competed in this event, which is one of the more pleasant Sydney swims. The swim has only been operating for six years, and was started by Murray Rose in his role as patron of the Rainbow Club. The Rainbow Club teaches disabled children how to swim, so it is a great cause to support.
Murray Rose was an Olympic swimmer for Australia, winning three gold medals at the 1956 Melbourne Games, and a gold silver and bronze at the 1960 Rome games. He was unable to compete at Tokyo in 1964 due to petty officialdom, and after attending college in the USA had a successful career in marketing and sports commentary. He returned to Australia in the 1990s, settled in Sydney and was often seen swimming at North Bondi. He died in 2012 and is fondly remembered as one of the greatest Olympians Australia has produced.
I was lucky to be present at the unveiling of the Murray Rose seat overlooking the beach on the morning of the swim.
February in Sydney is often very humid and uncomfortable, and today the clouds hung low threatening rain. Upon arrival at Malabar it is clear that the sunscreen would not be needed with the thick blanket shielding us from the worst of the UV rays greeted us last week. There was no wind, so the conditions were almost perfect.
The finishing chute and the course
Malabar beach lies in the south-eastern suburbs of Sydney in a bay called Long Bay. It used to be one of the more polluted beaches in the city due to a storm water drain that once emptied untreated at the shoreline. However, due to extensive upgrades in recent years the storm water is now pumped well out to sea after treatment, making the bay very safe. As you can see from the photo it is also quite protected from the swells that are a feature of most of the Sydney ocean beaches.
Today I had entered both swim again: the one km sprint, and the longer 2.4 km event. After my poor efforts the previous weekend at North Bondi I was hoping to make amends. This year we were able to start on the beach as the tide was approaching high at the start time.
The one km event was a lot of fun. The visibility in the water was excellent and I could see the bottom all the way round, with all the rock shelves and fish.The only issue was the small amount of leaves and wood chips floating on the water’s surface due to overnight rain. I had wanted to use the one km as a warm up for the longer event, but at the halfway mark I was doing quite well. So I pushed myself hoping to repeat my top ten age group finishes of the last two years, and my efforts were rewarded with another top ten finish. I seem to do a lot better when the conditions are smooth, letting my glide work to its maximum potential.
The beach and the bay
As we walked up the beach after the first race, it started to rain, and while it was nice to feel rain for the first time in a month or so, I did notice a number of fellow competitors getting cold. For me though it was refreshing.
Before long it was time for the 2.4 km event. I looked out to the head of the bay and noticed the size of the waves hitting the southern headland. This meant a nice north-east swell would push us across the head of the bay, once we turned at the halfway mark. I was looking forward to that lovely caress from the swell in the absence of any breeze.
The race started and I immediately noticed that the standard of swimmers in this race was higher. I told myself to enjoy the day with the smooth clear water, and to pace myself for the last half of the swim. One of the great features of this race is that the organisers tie a clump of large balloons to the buoy at the head of the bay, making it much easier to see, especially when there is a bit of swell running. Out we swam, and at one stage as we headed into the swell those balloons did not seem to be getting any closer. But as soon as we turned, we were whisked across the bay like kites before the wind. Once again that nice lifting and pushing feeling from a following swell was experienced.
The swim was glorious was simply glorious. I even had enough energy left to improve my speed over the last 500 metres of the swim, even if my lats started to let me know they were getting tired. A nice swim right into the shoreline, and a short run up to the finish line, and it was all over. This time I even managed a top twenty finish in my age group. A much better effort than the previous week.
But today was more about the memory of Murray Rose, and being in the presence of all those wonderful disabled athletes like Louise Sauvage (who has a Sydney ferry named after her), and James Pittar the amazing blind swimmer who has done so many of the great distance swims around the world.
The Murray Rose seat
Frangipani flowers
A different photo to start a report on an ocean swim. This photo was taken on the way to North Bondi beach for the Classic swim, the second of two swims held at this beach each season. The first swim is held in early January, but I was enjoying the delights of a New York winter at that time. So I was keen to do this swim in early February.
Now February in Sydney is usually the month of high humidity, warm sleepless nights as summer continues. It is also the time when the frangipani flowers are at their best, with their nice fragrance and clumps of colour against the blue sky. So I could not resist taking a photo on the way.
I had decided to catch public transport to avoid the crush of cars on a lovely summer day. But my plans to get to the beach early to take some photos, were dashed by the loose adherence to a timetable. So there will be some photos of other things, plus maybe a photo from another year.
North Bondi beach is at the northern end of that famous iconic curve of sand known worldwide as Bondi. It is a great place to swim, despite the crowds of tourists that flock there on their buses to take giggling photos on the sand. The bay is large with a distance of around 800 metres from the northern headland to the southern headland near the Icebergs pool. It is a place I am familiar with due to the number of training session with my squad here.
There were two races on offer again. The first one was the one km sprint or warm up event depending upon your preference; and a longer two km swim around the bay taking in the sights. I had decided to enter both swims, and as I finished the registration process I was feeling quietly confident of a good day. There was a small one metre swell, and what looked like a small sweep towards the north. There was lots of sun, it was nice and warm without too much heat, and only a slight breeze. In other words: almost perfect.
The beach scene at Bondi
On the start line for the one km, and I had been in for a warm up to test out the conditions. There were a few sandbanks, and the sweep was strong on the dropping tide. I thought that if I started on the left for the one km I would be able to use the sweep to get me out quicker. On the line, and we were off, and I ran to the left and entered the water, going under a few waves, and over others. But I did notice I was getting pushed way off course and was dropping behind the rest of the field as s few bigger sets came through forcing me to the bottom. Finally I made it through the wave zone, and looking up I was way behind. Today this one km race would be a warm up to test conditions. I did manage to pass a few swimmers, but by the time I had made it back to the beach I had been passed by many swimmers from the next wave. Yes I had a shocker, and it was all about the bad start and the mis-reading of the conditions.
Prior year at North Bondi
As I was catching my breath and having a drink and fruit supplied at the finish line, I was approached by the smiling face of one of the female lifesavers to see if I was ok. Nothing like individual attention, but really I did not think I had done that badly.
I had a gap of about forty-five minutes before the next race, so I made the right excuses about my efforts in the first swim, even trying to play the jet lag card for the Nemesis, but the Reporter was having nothing of it. I declined the offer to do a another warm up, and sat in the sun feeling the rays .
For the two km race I decided to change tactics at the start. This time I would start on the right hand side and try to get through the break quicker. This time the plan worked, and in no time at all I was through the break and heading for the first buoy. Around we went and now it we headed south across the head of the bay, feeling the effects of the north-east swell picking you up and pushing you onwards. Swimming along and you feel your feet rising gently above your hips, and as the swell moves forward the rest of the body gets a lift before the joy of increasing speed. On days like this it is a joy to swim in the ocean, with clear water, a nice following swell, and warm sun on your back.
I have noticed in the larger events (this one had 1000 swimmers) that I was often swimming in a very small group until I approach the buoys. Suddenly swimmers appear like wasps near jam as they fight for position, and then disappear again. Today was no different, and I felt sorry for those beginners resorting to breaststroke in a valiant effort to avoid the carnage.
Around the buoy and time to head back towards the southern end of Bondi, this time with the swell coming across you. Time to adjust again before turning right for the long push back towards North Bondi. By this time we under the protection of the headland, so there was no swell to swim into. As conditions flattened out I could enjoy the views of Bondi floating past on my left, and the packs of fellow swimmers pushing towards the finish line. I was trying to work hard and concentrate on my technique, but today was a day to enjoy and savour.
Before long it was time to head through the break, and shock horror a wave appeared for me to catch. I did everything right and was in the perfect position to get a welcome boost towards shore when suddenly another swimmer appeared right in front of me and we collided. The result, I missed the wave, and as usual had to swim all the way to shore. I swam over the sandbanks and pushed up onto my feet in the shallow water, and had enough energy to sort of stumble run up the sand over the finish line.
Another couple of swims under my belt, and lessons learnt on reading the surf.
More fragrant flowers
The finish line at Manly Beach
The first Sunday in February is the date for the Coles Classic at Manly Beach in Sydney’s northern suburbs. It is named after the Coles family who started the event at Bondi, before it was moved to Manly. It is now operated by one of the oldest newspapers in the country, and they like to proclaim it as the largest swim in Australia. Well it is the largest in NSW, but its mantle is in danger of being passed on. This year there were just under 3,700 swimmers overall the three events on the day: the one km, two km, or nine km races.
I had not intended to do this swim this year, as I had planned to travel up to Caves Beach near Newcastle which had an event scheduled for the same day. However, that event was cancelled ten days before the race, so I decided to go to Manly and compete again. This is the third time I have done the race, and this year the organisers shortened the gap between the various waves to five minutes, making the day shorter. My wave was timed for 11 am, which meant I could get the nine am ferry from Circular Quay. This must be one of the most scenic ways to get to a swim, with the beautiful harbour glistening in the summer sun.
Sydney Harbour shining in the sunlight
I arrived at the beach with plenty of time to spare, and saw the end of the nine km race from Dee Why. Maybe another year I could try do that swim. The beach was abuzz with the ocean worshippers, but it appeared a number had found a new place of worship when compared to the numbers from previous years. The good thing about this event is that it is designed for the novice swimmers and the experienced swimmers. The race starts at Shelley Beach, and goes north towards Queenscliff before turning south to finish at Manly; a distance of two km. In previous years the surf was too big, so the race started and ended at Shelley Beach.
I had swum with the Bold and the Beautiful gang on Saturday morning to get a taste for the conditions on the course. This also meant that I could pick up the cap and timing chip the day before the swim. For some reason the organisers of this swim are convinced that swimmers cannot pick up their cap and timing chip on the morning of the swim. Bad luck if you can’t make it to the prescribed pick up points on the two days before the swim.
A large number of regular swimmers refuse to take part in this race, because they are not happy with the organisation, and the suggestion it is run for a profit. While I respect their point of view, I think they really miss out on the a swim in a stunning part of Sydney.
Coming back through the surf
I left my gear in the squad tent on Manly Beach and walked to Shelley Beach through Fairy Bower. This gave me a chance to watch the earlier waves as they started their two km race. There were a few others from the squad in my wave, so we decided to go to the left of the course as that looked like the clearest line to the first buoy. My previous experience in this race told me to keep away from the pack at the start to avoid the pushing, shoving, kicking and punching.
The gun started and off we went, though not with the same alacrity of the younger men in the earlier waves. In fact it was almost pedestrian, but maybe I have just become used to it. I looked up quite often to make sure I was on the right line to the first marker, as the swell tried to gently push us further left. I made it to the first marker without much trouble, and I was interested ti see who had gone too fast. Sure enough there were swimmers coming back to me as I moved up a gear and concentrated on a good strong catch through the chop. It was so much fun swimming into the breeze with a nice little swell coming from the right. A great time to breathe on the left and watch the beach scene go past.
Catching a wave
Before long I had made it to the half way point, keeping up with some swimmers around me. As we turned towards the beach the small wind swell pushed in like twigs. Oh this was fun. But too soon we had to turn left and head back towards Manly, but this time the wind was with us. I had noticed that the second last buoy was around fifty metres closer to the beach than the last buoy was. So I changed my course and aimed directly for the last buoy off the point at Manly. This caused some consternation as two water safety board riders got in my way.
The last buoy was soon near me, and I turned right to head towards the finish line. I was hoping to catch a wave today, as there was some to be caught. But like always I seemed to come in between the sets, so I had to swim all the way in, though I did manage to pass other swimmers. Into the shallows, onto my feet, and then the sprint up the beach to the finish line. Unlike previous years I had enough fitness and energy to run.
Swimmers wading to the finish
So I had finished the Coles Classic for the third time with a time seven minutes quicker than my previous best. I had finished in the top third of the field which I was quite happy with. A good hit out as my season gets underway again. Overall I thought the organisers had done a fairly good job, with medals for all finishers, and well organised marshaling and starting. If only they could do something about getting the hats and timing chips.
Next week another swim, with a race scheduled for Bondi. So in three weeks I would have raced at the Opera House, Manly and then Bondi. Wonder how many worshipers will show up next weekend? If the conditions are like this, they may get more than the 1700 swimmers in my two km race at Manly.
So it was back on the ferry to go back home, a nice way to travel.
Manly ferry and the Sydney skyline
Part of the course for the Australia Day Swim
The national day for Australia is celebrated on 26 January. Unlike other countries this was not the date that the long-suffering populace ousted the dictator/monarchy/foreign invaders. Rather it was the date in 1788 when a fleet of convict ships arrived in Sydney Cove after a long voyage from the UK, to start a penal colony called New South Wales. It was not until 1901 that the various colonies on the continent of Australia unified to govern themselves, even though they still have the Queen of England as their head of state.
But enough of that. After my trip to New York to experience the coldest winter in many years, I had managed to get back into the pool and do several sessions, plus a session at Bondi. There was the chance of do a couple of swims on Australia Day: the Big Swim from Palm Beach to Whale Beach on the northern beaches of Sydney; or the Opera House Swim. After much deliberation, I decided to do the Opera House swim for the fourth year in a row. It is a great swim with a water start on the eastern side of the Sydney Opera House, and then a swim around Farm Cove with a water finish at the Man O War Steps next to the Opera House, a distance of 2.2 km.
Circular Quay, the Opera House and the calm water
I walked across the Sydney Harbour Bridge on a cool cloudy morning that threatened a drop or two of rain. At least the worst of the hot sun would be behind the clouds today. It was a nice walk, and I stopped several times to take some photos of the iconic scenes before the crowds showed up for the celebrations on the Harbour.
A couple of passenger liners courtesy of the sponsors of the swim
I registered on the slopes of the Botanic Gardens overlooking the course and ran into The Reporter and the Surf Muppet who are racing each other to get their words into print. But today they were here to swim, and hopefully beat me again like they did last year, when some of us swam a longer course. The banter flowed like the Backpackers Express at Bondi Beach as they headed off for their wave to start.
We were lucky enough to have Australian swimming royalty to assist with the wave starts today with Ky Hurst and Grant Hackett doing the honours. Those two are legends of the sport, both pool and open water. Ky Hurst is probably one of the greatest surf swimmers of all time, and is also an Australian rep in open water swimming. Grant Hackett of course won the 1500 m freestyle at the Sydney and Athens Olympics
I watched the 300m race for the kids start, then the 750m race. One of the problems with this event is that you are forced to do only one race due to the timing of the waves. Then the over 50s started, and before I knew it I was jumping into the grey water for my wave to start with all the other yellow capped lemmings.
Nice Bridge
My tactics for today were simple: swim at a steady pace, and if there was enough gas left in the tank, sprint home. Sounds easy, but I was conscious that I had only done five pool sessions this year, plus a plunge in the icy Atlantic. We started, and the swimmers were spread out like a fire-front racing to the first marker 500m away off Mrs Macquarie’s Chair. I am always surprised at how many swimmers have trouble navigating as they weaved in and out like a bunch of drunks trying to lurch through a door.
Around the first mark, and I was feeling good, trying not to get distracted by the views of the Opera House and the Bridge. Down past the open air cinema in the Botanic Gardens, and the water visibility was surprisingly good. However, it was about now that the impacts of the wash off the sandstone walls around the cove could be felt. This is one of the fun parts of this swim.
By the time I had turned the last mark for home I realised that I had been swimming quite hard with nice long strokes, a good catch and pull. I tried to accelerate with 200m to go, but it felt like I was pulling a grand piano behind me, so I just kept going.
As I finished I was happy to feel tired as I crawled up the ladder out of the water. That meant that either I had swum fairly hard, or that I was not match fit. I was hoping it was the former, and when I checked the times later I found out I had swum two minutes faster than previous years and finished higher on the times.
The Great Ferry Race
After the usual chat after the race I grabbed my race pack with another towel, swim cap, drink bottle and other goodies and wandered over to Circular Quay to catch the ferry. By this time it seemed that everyone in the city was here to celebrate and they were walking the opposite way. The normal seven minute ferry ride took over 15 minutes as the captain stopped to give all the passengers a great view of the flotilla accompanying the Great Ferry Race which starts at Shark Island and finishes at the Harbour Bridge.
The celebrations continued with the screaming jets of the Royal Australian Air Force, a QANTAS A380, some dueling helicopters overhead, and the national flag slung floating through the sky.
Our national flag
The next day was a public holiday in this land of the long weekend, so I headed to Manly to do the 7 am swim with the Bold and Beautiful group. I had not swum with them since ANZAC Day last April. It was a lovely morning, with 336 swimmers doing the loop to Shelley Beach and back in a gentle surf. I saw lots of fish and others even saw a turtle. If you want to read more go to their blog at http://pacificjules.typepad.com/pacific-jules/.
A great way to finish off the weekend.
Croatian islands
I have been very remiss in not doing a blog of my trip to Croatia in July 2013. Regular readers of this blog will recall that I wrote about my time in the UK prior to starting as a tour guide. After I left England I was lucky enough to be posted to the lovely island of Prvic in the Sibenik archipelago nestled in the Adriatic Sea in the Dalmatian region of Croatia. I was there for six weeks from late July to early September during the long hot summer.
The island is tiny covering an area of around 2.5 square km, with a permanent population of around 450 people, making it the third most densely populated island in Croatia. There are no vehicles on the island apart from a few tractors and quad bikes. I stayed in the village of Prvic Luka which is a beautiful fishing village on the southern side of the island.
I was there to guide open water swimmers on a six-day swimming holiday around the islands close by. The swims were a mixture of coastal swims, or crossings from island to island, with distances ranging from 2 km to 4 km, depending upon the weather conditions and the ability of the swimmers in each group. The great thing about this location is that it is possible to get a swim in most days, regardless of the wind direction.
Dawn over the mainland
Each day would start around 6 am with a swim with my fellow guide in the dawn light, before we had breakfast and made lunches for the day. We would board our boat around 9 am and head out for a morning swim, the location of which would depend upon the prevailing weather conditions. After that swim we would head off to moor in a cove or go to one of the islands for lunch on board the boat. Sometimes we were lucky to have freshly harvested mussels cooked with sea water, garlic and lemon to accompany our prepared food. After lunch we would then have a swim in the afternoon, before heading back to Prvic Luka. We would then clean up, do some paperwork, prepare for the next day, and head out for dinner. Once a week we would do the grocery shop on the mainland with a twenty minute trip in the rigid inflatable boat, surely a much better way to do it than battling traffic in a car at the local shopping centre.
Now swimming in Croatia is simply divine. The water is warm, quite salty (which assists with flotation), visibility is excellent with at least 15m in some parts, there are minimal tides, there is no swell or rips, and there are no sharks. The biggest risks are the sea urchins on the rocky shorelines, and the wasps. The risk of a brush with an urchin was diminished by the deep water start and finish points for each swim via the boat.
Each week would see us guiding up to 15 swimmers with a large range of abilities and experience. I thoroughly enjoyed the times with the swimmers who all shared a love of open water swimming. We had fun, and I was impressed with their willingness to swim twice a day in the hot sun. Some weeks the better swimmers would swim 30 km or more.
Some of the places we swam included Prvic, Zlarin, Kaprije, Zirje, Zmajan, Obanjan, Tijat, Lupac, Sibenik, and Kakan. After several weeks I still struggled with the correct way to pronounce some of these names. Needless to say I often had to resort to pointing on the map when discussing the day’s swim with our excellent boat captain.
My office for six weeks
It was great to be living on the island for six weeks, enjoying the rhythm of island life, picking figs, getting to know some of the locals who made me feel very welcome, even if I had this habit of trying to follow the Ashes cricket from England ( at least Australia had qualified for the 2014 World Cup of Football in Brazil at that stage, unlike the national team of Croatia who only qualified in November), and learning about some of the long history of this part of the world. I loved the weather as it was hot and dry, and the sun by Australian standards was quite mild, though some of the Irish had issues.
But all good things have to come to an end, and after only six weeks my posting was over. It was hard to say good-bye to the friends I had made, but at least there is the possibility that I could come back in summer 2014.
View of Prvic from Zlarin
Braving the freezing water at Coney Island
New Years day 2014, and I am in New York City, the city that never sleeps. Though when the temperature drops I am sure there is a lot of hibernation going on. After going to a show in the East Village to bring in the New Year, what better way to clear the cobwebs with a dip in the Atlantic Ocean.
Each New Years Day, the Coney Island Polar Bear Club hosts a swim at Coney Island. The club is the oldest on the east coast of the USA formed in 1903 to encourage bathing in the sea in winter. Most of the club members swim every weekend through the winter, , but on New Years Day they are joined by 2500 other intrepid souls for a dip in the ocean. It is also a fundraising event for charity, with tens of thousands of dollars raised.
At this time of year the water is around 4c, and this year was the coldest New Years Day in five years: the air temperature at 1pm was zero, with a wind chill of -6c. At least that made the water look warm.
I arrived at the beach just before the one pm start time, after the long subway ride from Manhattan. I was amazed at how many people were here to swim today, many more than I sore during my summer 2012 visits to this beach. Of course, not everyone was going in, there were a lot of support crew around to hold those hip flasks, and keep the warm clothes warm.
I had been under the weather for a few days, and had not decided whetheror not to go in. However, once on the beach amongst the crowd I decided to go in. I had come a long way for this opportunity, and who knew when I would be able to do it again.
In I go
I quickly took off my socks, boots, hoody, long sleeve shirt, thermal long sleeve vest, thermal leggings, beanie, gloves and track suit pants, and stood there in the cold air. It was not that cold I tried to tell myself as I jogged down to the water. Over to my left the first official wave were throwing themselves in with lots of cheers and yelping. As I entered the water I felt the cold water on my legs until they went numb. I waded out till the water was waist deep, splashed myself with water, and then ran out before my legs stopped working. As I exited the water I tried to remember where I had left my gear, but my faithful assistant stood out in her colourful clothing like a lighthouse on a stormy sea.
Now I had to dry myself, and the soft towel felt like sandpaper on my legs as I tried to get warm. On with my clothes in record time. I had done it: plunged into the ocean at Coney Island on a freezing cold winter’s day with other like-minded sea worshipers. An amazing experience and one I will remember for a long time. I will never complain about cold water in Australia again.
After I was dressed, I took some photos of some of the other waves as they entered the water. The atmosphere was terrific, and the boys in blue looked bemused by it all.
Part of the crowd joining in the fun
More of the crowd
As we walked back to the subway, I thought this was a great way to start 2014. It was certainly a different start to the 2013 year, when I swam in the warm water at Manly in Sydney. Little did I know on that day where my swimming would take me in 2013. And now for 2014.
Wedding Cake Island
I had not planned to do this swim this year, as I was doing three swims at Toowoon Bay the day before. However, after the cancellation of the 2 km swim on Saturday, I tossed up the idea of doing the 2.4 km swim around Wedding Cake Island at Coogee the next day. I had missed the deadline for the online entries so would have to pay more on the day. Would I be able to do this swim? I knew the course having done it four times previously. I would wait to see what the weather was like on Sunday morning.
Sunday was fine, with a fresh breeze. I thought of the squad members who had entered the race, and I decided to go. I arrived at the beach, and saw that there was lots of chop. I entered the long swim only, as I knew doing two races today would be just too much for me. Had a coffee with the yoga master and the lawyer and we all had our excuses ready. My excuse for any poor performance was the two races I had done the day before, with the three hours in the car thrown in.
Course Map
There were lots of people from the squad eagerly seeking shelter from the sun in the team tent. We wandered over the start line, and I asked questions of those who had swum in the earlier one km event about the conditions. They all said there was a fair bit of chop, and a nice little shore break to get through. Not my sort of conditions, but I was not surprised.
A few waves for a change
I had a chat to the surfmuppet as we waited for our wave. He did 13km swim in Ireland in the northern summer, and has entered the Rottenest Island in February. He has toned down, and told him that he would probably finish before me today as well. This is a large event, and they were starting the swimmers in five-year age groups, so we waited and waited for our wave to be called forward. I used this opportunity to see how the earlier waves were doing. I noticed that they were being pushed towards the left by the current and wind, which meant a start on the right hand side of the start line. We were told to expect lots of chop, and up to a one metre rise and fall of the swell out behind the island. This would be a challenge.
The whistle went and we were in, with the normal thrashing of arms and legs as the ladies and gentlemen in my age group heeded the call of the ocean. There were more people in this wave then in the total race yesterday. Once again I tried to get into my rhythm, but it was tough with the chop and the bodies around me. Finally clear water just behind people who could swim a straight line. It was a tough slog out into the swell and wind, and it seemed to take forever to get out past the island and turn right. A few swimmers were swimming as straight as a drunken sailor which was disconcerting. At least the swarms of jelly blubbers gave me something to grip onto.
The water was fairly clear and as we turned south at the back of the island, it was nice to see the kelp and weed moving in the swells underneath. I even managed to see some small fish. By the time I had arrived out here the fast swimmers from the next wave had passed me, but not before I had caught some in the earlier wave. These were not great conditions for me, but I still felt nice and strong, and worked on my pull and catch.
Swimmers coming back to shore
Finally we turned for home and it was a great change to have the swell gently guiding us to shore. Up and down we floated and past the yellow markers for home. Past more slow swimmers, and getting past by faster ones from behind. This is a great swim, and the conditions always test you.
Through the shore break, and I even managed to catch a small one for a short distance for a change. I stood up, and wow I had enough petrol left in the tank to run over the finish line. I had not expected to have done a great time today as the conditions were tough for me. But it was still fantastic to have done three swims in two days and still have energy left. It was good to feel the warm sun on our backs as we discussed the swim and gave out more excuses.
Deflated marker buoys after the race
Coogee you have put on another great event. I am looking forward to doing it again in April when conditions are normally better. Well done everyone from squad, we will talk about the times during the week.
A view of Toowoon Bay
I had tried to do the swim at Toowoon Bay in 2011, but the event was cancelled due to strong winds. I was nervously watching the weather forecast all week for Saturday as the week had been wet and stormy again. I decided to enter the race and hoped it would be on. One of the great things about this swim is that there were three swims on offer: a 400m swim, a one km race, and the big one the two km event. I entered all three knowing that it would be my last swim until late January.
Toowoon Bay is a gorgeous little cove on the Central Coast of NSW, just south of The Entrance, and about a ninety minute drive north from Sydney. The weather forecast on the morning of the swim was the chance of a light shower, and a late thunderstorm, with light winds. Excellent, it would be one as I drove up from Sydney through the fog. I always like driving through early morning fog, it means that the wind is light, and the conditions should be good.
View from the beach looking south
I arrived at the beach and went through the registration process. The club was using electronic timing, which meant a different chip for each of my three races, and a different number. We had our number written on our left arm, and right leg. The conditions looked good, with no breaks, and only a small shore break. High tide was not until the middle of the day, and the swell coming through the head of the cove was quite small. There were black storm clouds further north up the coast, but I thought they would not bother us today.
I caught up the usual suspects who like me are swimming tragics and will go anywhere it seems for a swim in the ocean.We found a place in the shade, as the sun when it broke from behind the clouds was quite strong.
Course map for the three swims
The 400m swim was the first swim for the day. We all walked down the beach to the start line, past the stunning Kims Resort, with the guests sitting down to breakfast. I have heard from people who have stayed there that the meals are excellent and generous in their servings. The 400m race was split into two start times with the open event first, followed by the junior event. There was only around 50 in the open race, and I was surprised when we were told there would be two waves, one for the men, followed by the ladies. It seemed that we were all on first name basis as we lined up for the start. The course would be out to the first yellow marker about 30m off the beach, then turn right and head towards the finish line.
A short blast of the whistle and we were off, pretending that we had the energy of the juniors that would follow later. There was a gentle swell, no break, and I enjoyed the chance to warm up the rest of the days activities. The water was never very deep, and it was enjoyable stroking through the water, passing other swimmers. I even managed to run up the beach across the finish line, in a very respectable time, that was good enough for 10th place for the men, and 16th overall. A nice way to start the day.
View of the course through the finish line
I went and refreshed and ate some food for the one km race that was scheduled for an hour’s time. This course meant starting at the finish line, swimming out to the head of the cove, across it and down to the start line of the 400m, and back to the finish line. Once again the men and women were separated for the start, despite there only being 130 competitors. By the time were gathering, the tide had come in further, and the wind had picked up. It looked like the swim out to the head of the cove would be straight into the wind and swell.
The race started, and by now the sun had disappeared behind the clouds, which meant that sun glare was not to be a problem. Out through the weed we swum, into the swell which at times faught you for forward progress. All I could think of was this would be tough on the two km swim which was around the same course twice. Finally I made it to the head of the cove, and turned across the swells, making it easier to swim. Around the next mark, and now the waves were pushing you to shore, good fun as long as you could see the marker buoy on the beach which had blown over. Always fun navigating in a small chop and swell. Luckily I had sighted a clump of trees on the hill behind, so I kept a straight line.
Around the buoy close to the beach and there was only 400m to go now. I took it easy, conserving my energy for the next race. I came towards the finish line, and noticed another swimmer just ahead of me. I tried to catch him, and on the run up the beach we crossed the line together. It was good to grab some fruit and water and prepare for the next race. I also noticed that none of the ladies wave had passed me. My time was good enough for 7th in my age group. Not a bad day so far.
Storm clouds gather
But little did I know at that stage what mother nature would bring. The club decided to hold the presentation for the 400m and one km races once the one km race had finished. By the time they had finished, we could see lightning, and hear lots of thunder. The skies grew darker and darker, and the wind started picking up. Would we be able to swim the final race?
Awesome storm
It started to rain, and so we waited twenty minutes hoping that the storm would blow over. But alas, the thunder grew louder, the clouds grew darker, and the rain started to fall heavier and heavier. It seemed inevitable that we would not get in again. And so it proved to be. The final race was cancelled due to the storm as the beach was closed and the club took the flags off the beach. What a shame, I was looking forward to doing three races on the one day for the first time ever. That would have to wait for another day now. The club announced that the bbq would now be free for all swimmers who had stayed. Good effort.
As I drove back to Sydney through the rain, I felt sorry for the surf club. Once again, the event had been disrupted by the weather.
The island looking calm
The middle of November has arrived. The Jacaranda trees have been in bloom for a month or so due to the early start of the summer. Huge bushfires have raged for weeks outside the city destroying hundreds of homes, making their presence felt with the pall of their smoke. That means it must be time for the start of the open water swimming season again in Sydney.
After the hottest September on record, and the second hottest October, November has brought relief with cooler temperatures, and rain. On the Friday night before the swim a big thunderstorm hung over the harbour dumping lots of rain and showing how mother nature can produce a spectacular light display. The night before the swim it rained again, and I thought the swim would be cancelled due to the dirty water.
Sunday morning, checked the website, the swim was on. Time to get ready. The day was nice and cool, and cloudy: no sunscreen today. It felt strange to wear a long sleeve top to this swim, as in the last four years it has always been warm and sunny. But that is one of the great things about open water swimming: you can do the same course year after year, and each swim is different due to the changing conditions.
Got to the pool at Balmain and registered. The water looked great, with hardly any wind, and for now the clouds not dropping their rain upon us. Caught up with lots of friends who wanted to know all about my adventures in Vanuatu and Croatia over the winter.
The registration area
My wave was to be the second wave of the day, for all those mature folk over 46. Once again the 2.5 km course was a anti-clockwise circumnavigation of Cockatoo Island, with the in the water start and finish. We watched the first wave start and the conditions were good. There was no sun glare to hinder navigation, there was hardly any wind, the tide was high right now, and the numbers were down from previous years.
As I jumped into the water, the gun fired and our wave was off. The start here is always fun, with the peloton charging from the shore through the moored yachts towards the northern tip of the island. The water was warm compared to the air, and for once the visibility was not too bad.
The first point on the island is easy to sight due to the large cranes right on the point. Even though there are always some who seem to have trouble. As I got to the island the first swimmers in the third and last wave speed past me. I admired their form but did not try to keep up.
This year I had decided to stick close to shore to reduce the distance I would have to swim. As we approached the ferry wharf, I took the opportunity to swim under it through a tunnel. That was novel, and fun as the course narrows from 40 m to 5m to get through the gap. Something different, and it also took the ferries out of the equation.
Swimming down the western side past the glam camping area, and my form was good, feeling strong and reaching out on each stroke. I even started to start passing other swimmers in my wave and catching some from the previous waves. This year there was no chop from passing pleasure craft as they must have seen the weather forecast and stayed home.
I started to think that this was a fantastic swim, and it would be smooth swimming all the way. But as we approached the southern end of the island I was reminded to not take anything for granted. A strong squall hit us with a sudden chop thrown up by the wind. Time to breathe left and look at the island so as to not get a mouthful of rain and chop. I did take a few glimpses and the Gladesville Bridge, Birkenhead Point and Spectacle Island all disappeared as the rain came down.
Now this is what open water swimming is about: changing conditions on the course, and trying to keep on course. I kept my head down, shortened my stroke and pulled harder through the chop coming across me. For once the orange turning marker was not in sun glare and it was easy to keep it in sight between the showers coming across. I kept on course for that marker and then turn for the hop across the channel to get home.
My course kept me well away from the other swimmers. It is always a decision to make: whether to swim the shorter course by yourself and trust your navigation skills; or swim with the pack in the drag and swim further. I decided to swim by myself, and was rewarded with the gaining of lots of places.
Before long it was back to the pontoon, up the stairs and finish. I felt great, not tired at all, so all that recent training was starting to pay off. The clock showed that I had swum faster than last year even though the conditions were not as good. At the time of writing the official results have not been posted.
Map of the Course
Afterwards chatted to those who had done the shorter swim as we munched on the bacon and egg burgers, and fresh fruit. We all enjoyed swimming on a cloudy day in water that was warmer than the air, with the rain keeping us cool. Well done organisers, I will try to get back again next for my 6th swim at this event. A great way to start the season. Now which swim next weekend?
Submarine leaving the harbour
Here is a copy of a talk I gave on Wednesday 2 October 2013 as part of a swimming yarns program. There were nine speakers, and I was fortunate enough to be one of them. The night raised money for cancer research, and was held at the Woolloomoolo Bay Hotel in Sydney. It was a fantastic evening with some great yarns told around the theme of my first time.
THE FIRST TIME
Merewether Baths
My first ocean swim race was in November 2008 at Merewether in Newcastle. It was a cold day, with snow on the mountains, a brisk offshore breeze, and a water temperature of 15 degrees. I had trained for the event by swimming in Merewether Baths but I had not swum in the ocean, and had never swum out past the flags before. I thought I was ready.
The swim started, and the swimmers in the elite wave were smashed by the shore break. I was getting more anxious. My wave was luckier, no need to even duck dive. But by the time I had made it out to the first turning mark, I was exhausted from the nerves, the cold, and the pushing and shoving of people around me. I seriously considered turning around, but kept going because my wife was waiting at the finish line at Bar Beach.
So I kept going, and managed to complete the race. What a relief. I was now an ocean swimmer – or so I thought.
Dawn Fraser Pool Balmain
Twelve months later I did my first race in Sydney, the city I had recently relocated to. I had heard all the stories about the rough and tumble at the races in the eastern suburbs. I was also not very confident in the surf, so I entered the Cockatoo Island swim at Balmain. What an event to swim in, starting from the beautiful harbour pool baths where Dawn Fraser used to swim. And to swim around an island where prisoners had escaped by swimming to shore in the nineteenth century. What’s more there were no rips, swells or sand to deal with. It was so much fun to swim there even though the water was murky. The glimpses of purple Jacaranda in bloom dotted around the hills made up for that. I have done this race every year since, and it is the one I like to start my season with. Those mangos and peaches at the finish are superb.
Orkney Islands Scotland
My first open water swim in the Northern Hemisphere was in June 2009. I was holidaying in Orkney, a group of islands off the north coast of Scotland. It was an amazing and ancient place, windswept and isolated. Famous landmarks include the Ring of Brogdar, a circle of standing stones over 4000 years old, even older than Stonehenge. At that time of year the sun never sets, so far north that twilight is as dark as it gets.
My first swim in the Atlantic was at Inganess Beach. Just offshore was the wreck of a cargo ship that had been torpedoed in the Second World War. The sun was out, there was no wind, it was stunningly beautiful. But it was cold….the water was a very Scottish eleven degrees!
Brooklyn Bridge Swim course
In July 2011 I went to New York and competed in my first race outside Australia. By this time I was a regular on the swimming circuit in Sydney, and I was getting more used to the waves and how to read the rips. I entered the Brooklyn Bridge swim which starts on The Brooklyn side of the East River near the Manhattan Bridge, swim downstream to the Brooklyn Bridge and then cross the river to Manhattan. Just like Kramer I can now say I have swum in the East River. To see that skyline and those bridges was gob smacking, and it was a surreal experience to be swimming in such an iconic location. I enjoyed this swim so much that I went back in 2012 and did it again, and won my age group.
First place prize
The first time I was paid to swim was in July 2013 when I worked in Croatia for six weeks as a tour guide. I was employed by a company that runs open water swimming holidays in a variety of locations in Europe. Imagine swimming where the water is warm, salty and clear, with visibility of up to 15 metres. The lack of surf, sharks and swell was refreshing, even though by now I had gained a lot more confidence swimming in the surf. My home base for the six weeks was an island with 400 residents, two villages and no cars. It was part of an archipelago of sixty islands in the Adriatic, just off the Dalmatian coast. The weather was warm – over 30 every day and the sun was gentle by Australian standards. Each week would bring a new group of up to 15 swimmers for me to guide on swims of at least 2.5 km each morning and afternoon. And at least once a week we would swim at night, and were treated to the sight of the shimmering bio luminescence in the water.
A word from my sponsor…if anyone is interested in booking a trip to Croatia or a range of other places in Europe, please see me in the break.
View from Kaprije Dalmatia
The swimmers came from all over the world: UK, Ireland, Canada, USA, Netherlands, Germany, Switzerland, Australia, Spain, Italy and Portugal. They had one thing in common, they enjoyed swimming in open water. Of course, with such a group there was a range of personalities and abilities. Some had swum the English Channel, some had just recently managed to complete 500m in their local pool. It was a joy to watch the nervous ones gain confidence and the experienced ones improve their technique. I was now teaching others what I had learnt about swimming in open water.
As I left the island after my stint was up, I had time to reflect on all the adventures I’d been able to experience, as a result of taking up ocean swimming. It has been a richly rewarding and satisfying chapter of my life.
I had started my open water swimming career with one race in Newcastle back in 2008 – an anxious beginner, full of doubts and not really prepared. Since then, I have :-
– Competed in over sixty ocean swim races in Sydney, regional NSW, the South Pacific and North America;
– Won an amazing ten day swimming holiday to Vanuatu thanks to oceanswims.com;
– Swum at many iconic landmarks like The Sydney Opera House, The Statue of Liberty, the Brooklyn Bridge and Brighton Pier.
– Gained confidence in the surf doing regular training swims at Bondi out the back beyond the flags.
– Swum in freshwater lakes in North America, and in the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific oceans.
– Started a blog about my swimming adventures (greginthewater); and
– Worked as a paid swim guide in Croatia.
If you had told me about all this before my first race took place about all this I would not have believed it. In less than five years I have come so far from that nervous tentative start. And who knows what the future will bring.
So get out there, enjoy the pleasures of swimming in our magnificent oceans and waterways, you will meet great people, and you never know what will happen.
Thankyou
Speakers from swimming yarns night
GregInTheWater 