Pacific Jules

Better in than out!

It's definitely that time of year when its better in than out. 8 degrees out, 18.8 degrees in... but even warmer around the point...

We've had a lovely flat and clear spell down at the swim. Surely a big northerly winter swell must be coming... 

It must be emphasised, there are a lot of swimmers at the moment doing their own thing, swimming at odd times. There really is no need for this and it leads to lots of head clashes. The poor A-team particularly keep running into people swimming in the wrong direction at the wrong time. Let's swim at either 6:30am with the group or 7am. Agreed? Good. Thanks.

Roger always obeys the rules...

Big Jesse Chester and TayTay were down for a swim this morning. He's moving through the pack in his new speed slacks... and making quite the name for himself in local real estate...

And here is a shot he posted this morning... clearly a much better photographer than me... 

Pete Anthony... powerful conversationalist. 

And finally here is Jacqui - I'm told she owns 30 different pairs of swimmers. These ones were a beauty! In the words of Scomo - how good is this!

Alright, have a wonderful day and daily give thanks for this beautiful swim and life we enjoy!

The Bishop

Thursday 30 May 2019: Winter is coming

The air temperature has taken a tumble over the last few days but the water remains just spectacular for our Bold and Beautiful swims.   This is my favourite time to swim as the water is nice and clear, there is plenty to see and the summer crowds have all given up, leaving just the dedicated.

You know it’s cold when the guys on the benches bring out the beanies.

The regulars are also starting to wrap up.

The wetsuits are coming out - ever tried to get a wetsuit on with socks still on.

Proving that it can be done.

There’s always someone on hand to help you dress appropriately.

The boys ready to go.

And just back from a 6.30 dip.

The yogis were our doing their thing before the swim.

But the sunrise was worth getting out of bed for.

Don’t be fooled by the cool temperature - even though the board said 18.7 past the point the water was nice and toasty and well worth making an effort.

Saturday marks the start of winter so we will all be swimming for our winter badges   There are two on offer.  To earn your first badge you have to swim 20 swims through June, July and August over 7 different weeks   Our advice is to log as many swims as you can early while the water is still toasty.  Do your 20 swims without a wetsuit and you earn the www badge.  Good luck everyone and keep swimming.

myrtle
xxxx

Notices:

Water temp: 18.7
Newbies:   1
Total swimmers: 195

The Monthly Dinner – 11^th June 2019 – Guest Speaker

 

The Next B&B monthly dinner for the year will be held on Tuesday 11th June at 6.30 pm at Bluewater Restaurant. Our guest on the night will be B&B Swimmer, Pam Greening, who has recently completed a climb to the Mt Everest Base Camp. Pam describes this adventure as the best experience of her life (apart from swimming with the B&B). Come along and hear about this exhilarating and life-changing experience. If this is on your bucket list, you will learn about the logistics, costs, accommodation and other details such as the best time to go, what clothes to take etc. Don’t miss it!

 

Please book early for this event as it is sure to be popular. The cost of the dinner is great value at only $25 a head, which includes shared entrees, and a selection of mains to choose from (including a vegetarian option). Glasses of beer or wine and desserts are also available at the special price of only $5 each. Numbers are limited, so bookings are essential. To avoid disappointment and secure your spot please book at www.boldandbeautifulmanly.com.au/bb-bluewater-monthly-dinner.html

 

 

 

29/05/19 - Move over, Proclaimers! Try Swimming 1000 kms!

As the weather man talked up the wind chill factor & significant drop in temps for the week, it didn't deter B&B swimmers and just as well! Despite a bit of a swell and a little less clarity, it was another beautiful morning of chats, milestones and sunshine! "What milestones" you ask?  The Proclaimers have been touring Australia this month bragging about walking 1000 miles. But we say  "don't talk to us about walking. Try swimming 1000 kms then you can sing about it!" Congratulations to Anne Henshaw for achieving an awesome 1000 km milestone today! I know Jezebel, your white rat, would be most proud if she were still here.

Anne and Jezebel. Anne was in Year 12! I won't add the year but you could say it was a little before any of the Babe Watch crew were born. 😆 

 

The crew getting the tunnel ready!

 

Before we could yell "Hey Gayle this tunnel isn't for you, its for Anne!" she had bolted straight down the middle of it! 😆 😂  

Anne stopped to take off her snorkel and fins and Gemma started complaining like the blackboard on Mr Squiggle! Hurry Up Anne Hurry Up!  Its cold!

 

 Success!

Congratulations again, Anne! 

 

Dorset spotted the first rays of sunshine and was soaking them up with enthusiasm! Either that, or he was practising to become a member of Hillsong! Maybe we could ask SCOMO.

 

Here are those first few rays responsible for illuminating Dorset's face, hands and yellow top!

According to the board, the temp was 18.5. While that may have been so heading into the water, past the point it was positively balmy!

 

The air temp was a bit cool and so it was nice to see everyone rugged up to keep warm!

Except for Izzy who kept warm by doing a dance! No beanies or uggies for her today!

A classic photo of Midge and her doggy keeping warm, of sorts, in the car (apart from the windy bit). Photo credit Roger Harvey!

Kenny and Mark, part of the early crew, finishing their long swims before we had even got our caps on! They were immune to the cool air at this point in time! 

 

A lot of complaining was happening about the cold water as people ventured in, but then quickly it became all smiles!

See!! All smiles!!

Birthday and milestone splashes for Sarah and Anne at Shelly. Happy Birthday Sarah!

 

Back to Manly! There one minute! Gone the next!

"We made it!" Wendy and Leisa celebrate braving the cooler water!

 

What happens when people get excited about their coffee!

Enjoying the sun, coffee and comradery! And just when we think the glorious morning is coming to a close....

 

Rob comes out of the water with half a tuna! "What ate the other half?" was a question on everyone's lips! 

Until next time!

Cheers

Lucy

Stats:

Swimmers: 120

Newbies: 2

Water temp: 18.5

 

Notices:

Dinner:

The Next B&B monthly dinner for the year will be held on Tuesday 11th June at 6.30 pm at Bluewater Restaurant. Our guest on the night will be B&B Swimmer, Pam Greening, who has recently completed a climb to the Mt Everest Base Camp. Pam describes this adventure as the best experience of her life (apart from swimming with the B&B). Come along and hear about this exhilarating and life-changing experience. If this is on your bucket list, you will learn about the logistics, costs, accommodation and other details such as the best time to go, what clothes to take etc. Don’t miss it!

 

Please book early for this event as it is sure to be popular. The cost of the dinner is great value at only $25 a head, which includes shared entrees, and a selection of mains to choose from (including a vegetarian option). Glasses of beer or wine and desserts are also available at the special price of only $5 each. Numbers are limited, so bookings are essential. To avoid disappointment and secure your spot please book at www.boldandbeautifulmanly.com.au/bb-bluewater-monthly-dinner.html 

Winter swimming

The B&B Winter swimming season starts on 1st June. Although the water temperature may be a little colder than you might like, there are several advantages of swimming in winter, including flat seas, good visibility and no bluebottles. Perhaps the biggest advantage is that you can also qualify for a winter badge by swimming a minimum of 20 times between 1st June and 31st August. You must also swim in at least 7 different weeks. If you manage to do all of your qualifying swims without a wetsuit (or other thermal enhancing equipment), you will also qualify for the coveted WWW badge (Winter without wetsuit). Start now, and don’t forget to log your swims to qualify.

ttttuesday

Spoilt with another amazing sunrise this morning

 

Waters nice and flat for a stroll out to the point

That post swim feeling :)

 

I can sense a bit of hesitation on Bec's face before jumping in this morning. Not surprising with the sand the coldest element at the moment I think. Holding out til June 1 before I put my uggs on. 

 

Our human thermometer John commenting that the water got warmer as you got around the point. Here he is at the start of his second lap.

 

Fiona stopping to say hi to all blog readers.

 

Wow! More so at the need for our underwater photography to improve than the photo itself. 

 

I think the most common sighting recently have been these neverending schools of yellowtail. A wobby swimming just off the point somewhere I heard but did not see.

 

Jesse leading the pack home this morning with someone hitching a ride on his feet. Scotty looking right ahead making sure he is not going to swim over anyone in the bay. 

 

Warmer in than out - 8 was the reading in Em's car as she cranked up her heating on the way to the swim this am. 

 

Father and son warming up with a coffee at Bluewater before diving in to the crossword.

 

I'm glad to see Ian on his leash this morning so he couldn't cause any havok! 

 

Hakuna matata

Stats:
Swimmers: 180
Newbees: 1
Water: 19.2 deg C 

 

The Next B&B monthly dinner for the year will be held on Tuesday 11th June at 6.30 pm at Bluewater Restaurant. Our guest on the night will be B&B Swimmer, Pam Greening, who has recently completed a climb to the Mt Everest Base Camp. Pam describes this adventure as the best experience of her life (apart from swimming with the B&B). Come along and hear about this exhilarating and life-changing experience. If this is on your bucket list, you will learn about the logistics, costs, accommodation and other details such as the best time to go, what clothes to take etc. Don’t miss it!

 

Please book early for this event as it is sure to be popular. The cost of the dinner is great value at only $25 a head, which includes shared entrees, and a selection of mains to choose from (including a vegetarian option). Glasses of beer or wine and desserts are also available at the special price of only $5 each. Numbers are limited, so bookings are essential. To avoid disappointment and secure your spot please book at www.boldandbeautifulmanly.com.au/bb-bluewater-monthly-dinner.html 

27/05/19 - Escaping Ordinary

We generally remember our experiences as good or bad... Awesome or crappy, because that's what sticks in our mind. However, the majority of life is an under examined 'ordinary'.

Ordinary is a wide band on the quality of life spectrum, spanning the space between awesome and crappy. If your life is no longer totally awesome, you'll find it's because certain aspects have become ordinary.

If you allow this to continue, the situation can quickly go from 'a bit ordinary' to 'pretty bloody ordinary', and then before you know it, you wake up and every thing's crappy.

Ordinary isn't static. You can't cruise along on autopilot and maintain ordinary. Life is always sliding towards crappy, unless you're doing something to move it the other way.

So what do you do?

You wake up and set an intention to bring more extraordinary into your life.
Starting here...


(click photos for extraordinary...)

 

 

 

 

With love,
Andrew Maher.

Foundation, Neuro-Structural Optimisation. Collaroy (mention you swim with B&B)

Stats:
Swimmers: 132
Newbees: 1
Water: Clear, calm, 20.4 deg C

 

The Next B&B monthly dinner for the year will be held on Tuesday 11th June at 6.30 pm at Bluewater Restaurant. Our guest on the night will be B&B Swimmer, Pam Greening, who has recently completed a climb to the Mt Everest Base Camp. Pam describes this adventure as the best experience of her life (apart from swimming with the B&B). Come along and hear about this exhilarating and life-changing experience. If this is on your bucket list, you will learn about the logistics, costs, accommodation and other details such as the best time to go, what clothes to take etc. Don’t miss it!

 

Please book early for this event as it is sure to be popular. The cost of the dinner is great value at only $25 a head, which includes shared entrees, and a selection of mains to choose from (including a vegetarian option). Glasses of beer or wine and desserts are also available at the special price of only $5 each. Numbers are limited, so bookings are essential. To avoid disappointment and secure your spot please book at www.boldandbeautifulmanly.com.au/bb-bluewater-monthly-dinner.html .

The Hangover Special- LGBTQ

The Sunday vlog... 😉

 

 

 

Enjoy the rest of your weekend.

“Jack” 🧔🏽

From management 

The Monthly Dinner – 11^th June 2019 – Guest Speaker

 

The Next B&B monthly dinner for the year will be held on Tuesday 11th June at 6.30 pm at Bluewater Restaurant. Our guest on the night will be B&B Swimmer, Pam Greening, who has recently completed a climb to the Mt Everest Base Camp. Pam describes this adventure as the best experience of her life (apart from swimming with the B&B). Come along and hear about this exhilarating and life-changing experience. If this is on your bucket list, you will learn about the logistics, costs, accommodation and other details such as the best time to go, what clothes to take etc. Don’t miss it!

 

Please book early for this event as it is sure to be popular. The cost of the dinner is great value at only $25 a head, which includes shared entrees, and a selection of mains to choose from (including a vegetarian option). Glasses of beer or wine and desserts are also available at the special price of only $5 each. Numbers are limited, so bookings are essential. To avoid disappointment and secure your spot please book atwww.boldandbeautifulmanly.com.au/bb-bluewater-monthly-dinner.html .

 

As good as it gets. Do not stay in bed.

Parking was going to be interesting today so I nabbed a spot near the Novotel and just had to try to capture the beauty of the early morning.

Did not quite get to see the 6:30 mob off - this is them from a distance.

Water temp a worrying but comfortable level - is this a theme for our times?

Note next month's dinner

Lots of regulars and newbies today

Elizabeth is off her head with joy to be minding this gorgeous groodle of Julia's

One of these people is not a WOW

First swim for Helena

It was a very low tide and we literally walked to the Point.

Spotted this flathead on the Bower side of Shelley

Just after (or was it before?) the lets go

Some of our watery mates

And a close-up of the crayweed

B&B swimmer James, the owner of Staple Bread and Necessities. I don't know if croissants and cakes are necessities but who am I to argue. The sourdough bread is brilliant however.

The Monthly Dinner – 11^th June 2019 – Guest Speaker

The Next B&B monthly dinner for the year will be held on Tuesday 11th June at 6.30 pm at Bluewater Restaurant. Our guest on the night will be B&B Swimmer, Pam Greening, who has recently completed a climb to the Mt Everest Base Camp. Pam describes this adventure as the best experience of her life (apart from swimming with the B&B). Come along and hear about this exhilarating and life-changing experience. If this is on your bucket list, you will learn about the logistics, costs, accommodation and other details such as the best time to go, what clothes to take etc. Don’t miss it!

 

Please book early for this event as it is sure to be popular. The cost of the dinner is great value at only $25 a head, which includes shared entrees, and a selection of mains to choose from (including a vegetarian option). Glasses of beer or wine and desserts are also available at the special price of only $5 each. Numbers are limited, so bookings are essential. To avoid disappointment and secure your spot please book atwww.boldandbeautifulmanly.com.au/bb-bluewater-monthly-dinner.html .

What  am I listening to?

I've been listening to The Cure in anticipation of seeing them on Monday. However, yesterday was Mr Zimmerman's 78th birthday (Bob Dylan to you) so here's some more from the great one. Sorry (not sorry) if you don't like him. This clip is quite significant in the history of American Folk music. Dylan played it in 1965 and shock horror part of his set was electric. It caused considerable outrage among the folkie fundamentalists. A beautiful  F-You moment. The mixed reaction at the end :D

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G8yU8wk67gY

 

Friday 24 May 2019 - Hey Bro; an excellent swim

It is International Brother Day today. Thanks Terry for letting me know

 

Terry has this tattoo to commemorate his brother but it is a nice occasion to recall all brothers

triathletes

Early swimmers 





Cooking temperature

Smoke on the water and swimmers in the water

 

 

Happy "30th" birthday Giles

A team tree

Ready set go

Conducting an experiment - wearing a wetsuit to check how it is to swim when it is really hot

A bit of diving was going on underneath today.

Surging through the water

The Monthly Dinner – 11^th June 2019 – Guest Speaker

The Next B&B monthly dinner for the year will be held on Tuesday 11th June at 6.30 pm at Bluewater Restaurant. Our guest on the night will be B&B Swimmer, Pam Greening, who has recently completed a climb to the Mt Everest Base Camp. Pam describes this adventure as the best experience of her life (apart from swimming with the B&B). Come along and hear about this exhilarating and life-changing experience. If this is on your bucket list, you will learn about the logistics, costs, accommodation and other details such as the best time to go, what clothes to take etc. Don’t miss it!

 

Please book early for this event as it is sure to be popular. The cost of the dinner is great value at only $25 a head, which includes shared entrees, and a selection of mains to choose from (including a vegetarian option). Glasses of beer or wine and desserts are also available at the special price of only $5 each. Numbers are limited, so bookings are essential. To avoid disappointment and secure your spot please book atwww.boldandbeautifulmanly.com.au/bb-bluewater-monthly-dinner.html .

What I have been reading

In Cold Water a story of a swimmer who wanted to cross the English Channel and he has so far failed twice and is going to try again. I don't know if he makes it but i do know that in the 1990s, France stopped swimmers starting in France because several swimmers died attempting the crossing. Sobering thought about how hard it is 

 

 

Thursday 23 May: Why the bumpy bits are the best bits

As a kid my favourite book was Noddy & his bumpy dog. I loved that bumpy dog, not Noddy, because I had a bumpy dog too I called Nipper. Life was more fun with my bumpy dog because he reminded me life was for living and the best bits were the bumpy bits.

Now fast forward to our swim and the bumpy idea lives on. It’s best when its bumpy. Bumpy can mean cool, choppy or low tide. You need to be brave enough to dive in when it’s cold and choppy, but not when it’s too dangerous for you. It’s about being open to the possibilities of the ocean and enjoying the embrace she returns.

Of course, when it’s too big we might just go halfway - or not at all. How we feel is often a better marker than how we think. We are a ‘diving in’ mob, rather it be a bit cold & bumpy than all warm and flat. It’s the bumpy bits that make it the ocean. It’s our bumpy bits that make us human, like an ocean not a pool. And the bumpy bits in life challenge us to step up to our best and get that sense of feeling well by doing well. Its as good as it gets. One of my mentors Brene Brown says it brilliantly:

‘Embracing our vulnerabilities is risky but not nearly as dangerous as giving up on love and belonging and joy—the experiences that make us the most vulnerable. Only when we are brave enough to explore the darkness will we discover the infinite power of our light.’

This is a few of our swimmers being bumpy this morning.

Go bumpy,

Pete Anthony

Stats

Swimmers 193 (felt like 192)

Newbies 3 (felt like 2.87)

Temperature 22.1 (felt like 22.198765 rounded up to 22.2)

The Monthly Dinner – 11^th June 2019 – Guest Speaker

The Next B&B monthly dinner for the year will be held on Tuesday 11th June at 6.30 pm at Bluewater Restaurant. Our guest on the night will be B&B Swimmer, Pam Greening, who has recently completed a climb to the Mt Everest Base Camp. Pam describes this adventure as the best experience of her life (apart from swimming with the B&B). Come along and hear about this exhilarating and life-changing experience. If this is on your bucket list, you will learn about the logistics, costs, accommodation and other details such as the best time to go, what clothes to take etc. Don’t miss it!

Please book early for this event as it is sure to be popular. The cost of the dinner is great value at only $25 a head, which includes shared entrees, and a selection of mains to choose from (including a vegetarian option). Glasses of beer or wine and desserts are also available at the special price of only $5 each. Numbers are limited, so bookings are essential. To avoid disappointment and secure your spot please book at www.boldandbeautifulmanly.com.au/bb-bluewater-monthly-dinner.html .

 

22/05/2019 - The Rock Star of Ocean Swims

In a newspaper article recently our swim was referred to as 'The Rock Star of Ocean Swims'... Whatever that means we know our swim is pretty special...Today there was a smoke haze from burn off but it made for a spectacular sky to swim under (and the smoky smell did remind me of being in a nightclub in the 80's ;-)

For the last couple of weeks conditions have been perfect! We've had warm, sunny temps in and out of the water, calm seas and loads of fish. Miguel Maestre swimming with us last Thursday said it was his best swim ever!  The fact that over 17,000 people have swam with us since Julie Isbill started this amazing group in 2008 is huge! There were around 130 today on this stunning morning. Sunrise at 6.43am with air temp 16 and rising! Water temp is still 21!

Here are the 6.30am crew

In the same article we were referred to as a 'community of souls appreciating nature and a small adventure'. That's a great description. I've been swimming since 2011, blogging since 2012 and every day seems to bring a 'moment of awe'...

Sometimes it can be a chat and laugh with a friend or the chance to see an awesome creature like the Giant Cuttlefish in first photo. Here are some of The Wows before the swim.

It really felt like a 'Rock Star' of a swim as we went in through that smoky, sexy haze!

Lori, Anita and I were diverted pretty quickly by a Giant Cuttlefish well camouflaged in the weed!

Then a Wobbie on the sand. I didn't quite make it to Shelly today...

The Yellowtail were forming a perfect circle today over the rocks

and there were schools of Silver sweep

Debbie.Did a. Double. today

Greg, Sue, Janet, Bernard and Charlotte. Sue did a Quadruple swim. Again!

Chilling out on the wall post-swim, Shelley and Melisse...

And below a few pics from swims the last 2 weeks of the amazing creatures we come across in this amazing Marine Reserve, Cabbage Tree Bay

There's been a couple of Giant Cuttlefish enthralling swimmers lately. I took these photos here yesterday afternoon but I think it's the same Cuttlefish a few of us have seen in the mornings. He hangs about between the pool and Shelley. I followed him for about 25 minutes yesterday watching him change colour and texture. Amazing!  Check this video out https://click herewww.facebook.com/elaine.dejager/videos/10211812348338106/

There are still loads of Duskies around near the toilet block. What is the greatest amount you've seen in one swim? Comment in blog comments. Someone mentioned 65 to me! Surely some were the same!

This is a lucky close up photo of a Crimson Banded Wrasse which we often see. Love seeing that glimpse of orange and red especially near the bright green sea grass.

This Catfish was pretty close to me the other day too. They aren't my favourite but look at those eyes!

In the same area I saw the Moray Eel too. Another scary looking one!

and to finish... lovely Lucy above. Not in the sky with diamonds but...in the ocean with Yellowtail!

 

Hope you all enjoyed your swim today and post and pre swim chats! No notices today although I have heard MSLC are starting up Friday nights drinks again and all B&B ers are welcome to attend starting from Friday week, 31st May from 5pm. Come along!

Signing off

Lainey