It is now the end of May, which means it is time to report on my adventures for the twelve months ended 31 May 2013. This corresponds to the custom that the open water season in Australia finishes on 31 May each year. So what have I achieved during this period? I completed a total of 19 swim races, four in New York city, and 15 in Sydney, covering a distance… Read More
The month of November seems to come round quicker each year. As the jacarandas blossom throughout the city, thoughts of ocean swimmers turn to the opening of the season. Once again the Cockatoo Island swim in Balmain marks the start of the year of swimming in the open water in Sydney. It only seemed like yesterday when I completed the last of my four swims in New York City. Those swims had… Read More
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… Read More
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… Read More
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… Read More