Pacific Jules

Happy Hour / The Great Thermometer Debate Science experiment

Rusty & Caroline’s Pitch report
The shark boat was pacing back and forth between 5.30 and 7am this morning, laying the summer nets? Yesterday’s Nor Easter has brought some warmth back to the air & water. The bower breaks looks smaller, a nice little wave off Manly. Surfers in their hundreds. Jelly babies everywhere in the water, no jimbles sighted. Even the express were dawdling today, enjoying the temperature and sights.  Isabel was seen taking her normal chaotic zig zag route across the bay, taking out as many swimmers as possible. Much warmer, the sun had some bite, summer just around the corner.

We usually push off, with the chalked temperature taunting us.
Today we decided to launch our own Temperature Research Integrity Audit headed by BEACH (Bettering Environmental Analysis of CHalkboard)
Having replaced last week’s rectal thermometer with a (hopefully waterproof) BBQ meat thermometer, we set out on our unbiased, responsible conduct of research.

AIMS
Is Shelly really colder than Manly?
Is Half Way a better warm water entry point?
What about Queenscliff, warmer or cooler?
And most importantly, is the Chalky thermometer properly calibrated?

METHOD
Removing the Bunnings BBQ meat thermometer from the unicorn ziplock bag, place the probe into the water for 10 seconds.
Record the temperature reading with photographic evidence.
Return thermometer to ziplock. Proceed to next location for temperature sampling.

HYPOTHESIS
The temperature recording is occasionally accurate

RESULTS

Manly boat ramp - temp check 16.9 degrees! (What are the chalkies smoking???)

Half Way 17.1 degrees

The Point - 17.1 degrees

Shelly - 16.0 degree. Saw Sue at Shelley, never trust a man with a thermometer down his pants, wise words Sue!

Thanks for the swim Team. Thanks for the coffee Matt. Don't let your true love run cold!

Carolinebythebeach & Rusty the Fish

Apologies to the Chalkies who we know do an amazing job, day in, day out. But hey it's alway good to stir them up ha ha :)

oh and yes... Queenscliff was 16.6 warmer down there..

Inspiration for the weekend ahead:

 

 

 

Thursday September 16: We're the lucky ones

BOLD & BEAUTIFUL IS NOT CURRENTLY RUNNING DUE TO THE RISKS OF CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19). Thank you for continuing to follow public health advice at all times to protect yourself and your community.

Hello Swimmers, A Georgeous grey morning with air temperature 9 degrees at 630 and water temperature 15.9 and a on/off rain.  Perfect as always for a Shelly Swim. It was  mid tide when I swam at 7am - it was a bit rippy and low water viz but no sign of jimbles. Swimming life is getting a little closer to normal for those fortunate enough to be permitted to swim at Manly beach. I see the blogs and well wishes from those friends who cant't make it down, we miss you and appreciate you are doing the right thing. Let's hope we get our vax rates high enough to see a few more friendly faces, and join us lucky ones who get to swim at Manly. 

Luck is a interesting thought. An academic Richard Wiseman studied people who thought they were lucky and compared them to people who didn't believe in luck. Turns out the people who believed they were lucky won more lotteries, found more treasures and were happier in their romantic relationships. So if your're not sure if you are lucky it may be best to believe you are and your life will drammatically, acccordng to Wiseman, improve. 

Here are a few of the lucky ones who got to enjoy the rain, cool water and grey skies.

Wishing you all the luck in your world,

 

Pete Anthony.

 

 

 

 

 

LOST, SOS and the Boston Blue Tits

Good morning from Old Blighty and apologies for the time delay in getting the blog out. This time thing. 

A diversion for you all from the joys of CTB  to the Deep joy of the Thames and beyond. I mean deep and moody. 

Open water swimming continues to delight.  In addition to joining the cake eating LOST ( see last blog) I have also joined the Boston Blue Tits. Say no more save that it’s up north and cold. I have the kit from SOS (Surrey Openwater Swimmers). All eat cake. My tribes of pure joy. And they swim. 

Sadly our favourite LOST spot has weeded over ( summer bloom I assure  you) and not looking inviting.

This was before, a spotlight on the saying  ‘growing like a weed’ 

Onwards and upwards for a swoosh in the Thames with SOS swimmer and neighbour Leigh. 

Now Manus was still mumbling about not really wanting to come but suffering huge FOMO which made attendance compulsory.

Seen here popping a sedative and blueberry picking along the way as a diversion 

 


Finally the sedative kicks in 

The water was clear and clean before you all ask. Temp circa a balmy 19C and it was a delicious experience. Really. 
We swooshed down for about 25 minutes with clothes in dry bags then walked back across a field to the car. 
The beach entry point. Not quite CTB but beachesque 

The scenery was stunning 


After … not salt joy … maybe an evening glow as we salute the Thames 

Yes he was cold …

A scene from our offices and the office / warehouse seen across the field in the distance, a meeting with son and father and some of our garden wildlife  

SOS kit modelled with a pearl (of course)  accessoried with a small hand towel  #oceanfashioncontinues 

Our happy wishes to you all.

Hambe Kahle , stay safe and sane, we miss you all 

Di

x

 

 

13/09/2021 - Serene... Still... Sublime

It was blowing a gale harbourside this morning when I went for my run and then it started raining. However by 6.45am the rain had gone and around at Cabbage Tree Bay it was surprisingly still. The rain had kept the crowds away and it was very quiet. The consensus was that it really was a beautiful swim! Water temp was 16.1 and there was good visibility around the point.

John Foster comes back from his daily swim. (It's not a monkey on his shoulder but another swimmer behind!)

...and Rick hasn't got something hanging from his right arm! I really must try and position my swimmers a bit better!

Always lovely to see Justus at the swim. They even put the benches back for him and daughter Suzie!

I have to share my photos of the Smooth Stingray I saw at The Bower yesterday. He was swimming in shallow water over the rocks so very close! His fin even came out of the water at one point he was so close to the surface!

There are always Port Jackson sharks to be seen at The Bower (surf break not Fairy Bower). It's mating season and some females have arrived. They are bigger than the males and don't have 'claspers'. You might catch females trying to deposit their eggs or the males trying to mate (sometimes at the same time!)

Miguel Maestre from The Living Room came back to swim with us on Sunday! He used to be quite a regular!

Jac's lovely Toby with Aunty Corinne :-)

I was lucky enough to be invited by Dorset Sutton to witness part 2 of the Seahorse project on Thursday. This was where 72 baby seahorses were placed in 'seahorse hotels' around Manly. These photos are from Sea Life as my camera didn't work :-( An amazing project which along with the Crayweed project and 'Living Seawalls' will bring more marine life to Manly!

Peter Hudson (Jim's brother) with gorgeous Patrick.

3 amigos...Niek, Ted and Rick, all originally from Holland and all the

same height!

It was Tatiana's birthday yesterday. Here she is amongst the sea grass!

Have a great day folks. Thinking of those of you who can't swim with us at the moment. Hopefully soon...

Lainey x

Picnic Time (To sing)

Today in NSW as it has been so aptly named is Picnic Day 

Gatherings of 5 outside, and just in time as 'Summer' has decided to say hello a little early and remind us of things to come

Picnic Day - The first milestone in our freedoms after Lockdown 2.0 - Thanks Delta!

Another lovely morning out in Manly; Flat, Sunny, water around the high 16s

So happy I could sing....

 

Picnic Time (Sung to the tune of Closing Time by Semisonic)

Picnic time, open all the doors
And let you out into the world
Picnic time, pack all of those snacks in
A basket for every boy and every girl

Picnic time, one last call for alcohol
So, pack your whiskey or beer

Picnic time, you don't have to go home
But you can't stay here

I dont want to stay at home
I dont want to stay at home
I dont want to stay at home
(Dont) Take me home

 

Picnic time, time for you to go out
To the places you will be from
Picnic time, this beach will be open
Till your brothers or your sisters come

So, gather up your swimmers, move it to the outdoors
I hope you have found a friend
Picnic time, every new beginning
Comes from some other beginning's end, yeah

 

Red tape coming off today


And these

Have a great week all

MDP

Sunday 12th September - Friends, Fun and Sun - Yay!

Friends, Fun and Sun-yay!

Apologies for the late blog I (Fi) was out enjoying the amazing sunny day and got a little carried away.

Beautiful and bumpy swim this morning…

Spectacular Sunday morning at Manly

 

Pre swim chats with socially distanced friends

 

 

 

The Mayor of Manly pre-swim 😊

 

 

There are so many interesting places to explore in our LGA…

Including lovely places for a dip

 

Or a picnic…

 

Hope you had a brilliant day and weekend.

Stay safe, Fi xo

Water: 17 degrees (felt colder)

People: many (and varied)

Sunny Springtime Saturday, Swimming through Seaweed Soup

It's going to be a hot one today, and after driving around several blocks for quite some time I hit the car park, figuring the fee would be less than a parking ticket.

There were LOTS of people about, and even more an hour and a half later when I got out, the evening news will be interesting. The chopper hovering overhead at around 9am had some very powerful photographic gear (complete with stabilisers) mounted on the nose.

On arriving I spotted Belinda with some friends, all looking very happy after their swim

Some more happy swimmers

So earlier on today I put out a call for photos from other locations than Manly, and boy did you deliver. Here we go.

Northbridge Baths and Angela with a sad face cos she's missing Manly

Greenwich Baths, opening next week, thanks Alison for this and the next one

Woolwich Baths

Brooklyn Baths, sent by Alan

Julia SUPing at Middle Harbour

Deb and hubby at the Berowra Waters Ferry

Georgina, Buddy and friend at Mt Victoria

Christine at Brooklyn Baths

Gayle, Paramatta Lake

Katrina, Bedlam Beach, featuring a familiar swimmer

Robert and friend at Narooma

Merimbula Lake from Toni who also saw Suzy Ebeling there

And finally Vivienne all the way from Noosa

Meanwhile at Manly

Quite a messy swell at the Bower

New graffiti on the yellow shed

I have no idea what this is

What am I listening to? Quite a few years ago in the good old days of live music (sob) I saw this artist at Camelot, he is Pokey La Farge

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rOzmOZQdcYY

Please stay safe everyone

Friday 10 September 2021 Roadmap to swim spots until THE Roadmap starts

Many people have swum once and then many more times with Bold and Beautiful over the last 10 plus years. They are swimmers or triathletes, water polo players, surfers, locals. After doing that they become fond of swimming in open water. Lockdown has driven people who are not within coo-ee of Manly to find different places to swim. (Maybe they would go back to chlorine if the pools were open but maybe not).

It is all the same water as when the dinosaurs were on the planet so just enjoy swimming

Here is Allan Bicknell and another swimmer at Brooklyn Baths. A netted pool of 50 m which is on the Hawkesbury River. With all the swims that people have found, high tide seems to be the best time because it is a bit cleaner 

Jocelyn and a crew of joyful swimmers were featured in her lovely blog on Wednesday. It made me happy just to see the sun, water and swimmers (two by two) enjoying the place

 

Inez has found a variety of places but there are photos hereof Chiswick which is netted and Bedlam Beach on the Parramatta River at Gladesville, behind former Gladesville Hospital which used to be managed by the Inspector General for the Insane for NSW - ah the olden days. High tide again is the recommended time for a swim. Inez has of course researched the distribution of bull sharks in the area and takes the information into account when picking a location.

Former factory at Chiswick

 

Lysaght Bros & Co., later BHP

Wire mill and wire netting factory.

1884—1998

The dynamic Alison Blazey from near Lane Cove has found Northbridge Baths

Alison has also been part of a local action group asking Lane Cove Council to open Greenwich Baths. Other outdoor pools - including Dawn Fraser pools at Balmain - can open but Lane Cove Council was paying rangers to shoo people away (they may have been asked to shoot people and thought it a typo; who knows). she has had success! While the Council was hoping for lockdown to end so that they did not have to do anything but that did not pan out. Photos coming from 18 September when it opens. But here is a stock photo. It is on the Lane Cove River, that well known water way where lots of industry used to be located including

Patent Asphaltum Company of NSW	Refinery for bitumen, imported from Trinidad.	1884—1908	Greenwich Timber Co. (see below).
Greenwich Timber Co.	Timber yard.	1908—1911	Land sold to John Fell & Co. in 1911 (see below).
John Fell & Co	Oil refinery.	1911—1927	Bought in 1927 by Shell, owners of the adjoining land.
Shell	Crude and refined oil terminal.	1901—now	Now operated by Shell distributor Viva Energy

I have heard that some people are swimming at Davidson Park near Roseville Chase. This sparked talk of a shark attack there. I found out that happened in 1963. It is a small area. 

There are also Woolwich Baths. Also on the Parramatta River. All the heavy metal residue and other remaining contamination from the shipyards and factories that used to be located along the shore of Sydney Harbour /Parramatta River

Mort’s Woolwich Dock	Dry-dock	1901—1958	Army water transport, from 1963 until 1997, now public space with remnants.
Sydney Smelting Co.	Tin smelter and wharf.	1892—1967	Kellys Bush Park, tin smelting operation was relocated to Alexandria

 

 

 

 

 

For more industrial information: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_foreshore_industrial_sites_on_Sydney_Harbour. 

DID YOU KNOW - Union Carbide (now owned by Dow Chemical) produced Agent Orange at Homebush in Sydney, leaving a terrible legacy

Thursday, 9 September 2021 - Life Down Under (deep) - Jim Bream

BOLD & BEAUTIFUL IS NOT CURRENTLY RUNNING
DUE TO THE RISKS OF CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19).

Thank you for continuing to follow public health advice at all times
to protect yourself and your community.

*SSDD = Same Silliness, Different Dialog

Water temp - Manly:  ??

Water temp - Balmoral: 15.5

Wednesday 8th September - Spring has certainly sprung (in the air at least, the water is slow to catch up!)!

Wednesday 8th September - spring has sprung! Well, in the air at least, the water still thinks its winter - perhaps the warm currents are awaiting the go-ahead from our QLD politicians to start to move South!  

Firstly a belated happy birthday to our fearless leader, Ian for yesterday!   For all who are wondering, Ian, HRH and JK are  being well looked after here at Balmoral.  We are very lucky to have Ian and HRH & JK swimming with us :)   I posted a picture of Ian and HRH on Sunday, and here is proof that JK is thoroughly enjoying himself over here, and leading our swims (or maybe asking for help?  :)

JK leads our swims something like this:

• we agree a swim route
• JK leads (lures?) us into the water with the promise that the temperature is warmer than it has been (where does he take it - the kiddies pool?)
• JK heads off to the first "meeting buoy"
• the rest of us are something like this: "[expletive] its cold" "which buoy?" "that one" "that one?" " no that one" "which one?" "that one" "[expletive] its cold - where does JK take the temperature?" "i forgot my goggles - have to go back and get them" "JK has gone - we need to swim" "quick we need to catch him up"
• seriously we do have a fabulous swim always! thank you JK!  

water temperature: Manly-  16.7 ; Balmoral - 15.7

conditions: Manly- flat, bit murky; Balmoral - calm, clear but a few little waves!

The vibe: Balmoral - happy, calm as evidenced by Lucy and Karen (see cover photo)

Whilst we are missing Manly and Manly friends & sea creatures, we are staying positive (and testing negaative) & finding joy and fun swimming together (in pairs) in our "small but mighty" 5km zone, contnuing our - well, creativity or imagination with swim-tracks.  We have also "named" a few of our favourite swims!  

This one is called "doing the b[u]oys"..

 

The "B[u]oys"

 

Here are a few of this weeks (so far) swim tracks - it is important to note that for all said swim tracks, most of them do not look remotely like the original shape we were trying to "swim/draw" (lucky we all have incredible imaginations  - lockdown lunacy ha ha!):

A kite

 

a boot

a platypus

A ray (started out as a turtle! ha ha)

A crown - in honour of B&B birthday Ian and HRH (its a bit skewed, we will straighten it!)!  

Please post any requests on the B&B face book page and we will do our best to oblige (the octopus is coming, we promise!)!  likewise anyone swimming anywhere is encouraged to get creative! 

In other harbourside news, bull sharks seem to be a hot topic and for good reason.   This info (linky thing below) has been posted on the BB pages and blogs previously but here is the study again, regarding sharks in Sydney Harbour so you can make decisions about where/when to swim.   This is why we are getting the longer swims in "now", before our sharp toothed friends return to the super highway when the water warms up (ok, maybe an exaggeration but it seems like all of us have different ways of viewing this!)!

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-019-54365-x?fbclid=IwAR2IRSbYxto41Ps5njc5pkw3EPXqrktjDwYI-q77ZXfjSR6h1mLbYCbAf5k

and here's a map of "hotspots" to be aware (but not alarmed) of: 

 

Hope you are all well and coping as best you can, getting out in nature somewhere and somehow and keeping in touch & checking in on each other, we all know that Kindness is catching :)  Its been a long haul but there is a saying "this too shall pass" and hopefully you are all seeing some light at the end of the tunnel.. something to look forward to....

happy wednesday everyone!

Jocelyn