Pacific Jules

Sunday 28 February 2021 - End of summer. Ravi, where are you

Summer comes to an end with lovely conditions. Still a lot of bluebottles trapped at Shelly. I hope the turtle can eat through them all. Otherwise, hot water (22.7 degrees), calm surface and areas of pretty good visibility.
So why would you be anywhere else, Ravi? Your friends swam but you missed out.

 

Bruce Baird's birthday today. Happy birthday to a superb swimmer 

After the bloodbath yesterday, all that we wanted to know was whether there were bluebottles. Look at the rapt attention paid to early swimmer Dave recounting the exploits of the 6.30 swimmers.

Look at this fantastic cantoo crew. They made the Hornsby paper. A great group of swimmers and a very great organisation. Woo hoo

It is all about the water

Celebrating 50th swim on the last day of summer. A badge!!! So exciting. The summer badges this year are a triple, 30 swims in 7 weeks and a 50 swim.

Family group here brought Elise along for a first swim here. Nice family bringing you for a swim

Two Bondi excellent swimmers and pals crossed the bridge for a swim here today. Welcome. I don't know if they were going to swim back...

Matthew Smeal saw the blue bottles at Shelly and just swam into them. That's dedication

Wayne often swims in Manila and has competed in triathlons there where the water temperature can be 30degrees. It made me almost faint to hear that. He said it is a challenge to get ready for swimming in such warm water. I bet. It is amazing that people swim in that temperature and other people smash ice before they get in.

Here are some youngsters who made an effort to have a great swim from Cherrybrook Killara etc (not sure how far Ravi had to come). Great to see you

My favourite swimming costumes - lovely blue and purple colour and also passionfruit on it

Andre' (left) travelled to Manly to join the swim from the USA. Brought by lovely local

Near halfway

Central Coast swimmers visiting Manly - Kerry powered past. The Central Coast is beautiful as is Manly. Welcome

This swimmer had quite a sting but enjoyed the swim anyway

Some seventies style eyeshadow

When the ocean throws you a curve ball.......

The weather and conditions information was incomplete. The forecast was extremely promising. A moderate SSE swell, light SE wind on a high tide. Perfect, what could go wrong?  However (why did there have to be a however?), the bay from Fairy Bower to Shelly beach was full of bluebottles, with more out to sea.

So may people getting stung, haiyaaa

Victim photos courtesy Elizabeth Stewart who was pumped for a long swim but was disappointed

Poor Bin

Oh No!!!! cried WOWs Fiona and Monica

Bin was still able to smile. Jacqui is smiling because she did not get stung

Balloons at the beach?

Celebrating Matthew's 500 (did I get your name right? please say yes!!)

Some comings and goings

What is coming out of Ian's cossie you may ask. Best you don't.

Manly ski paddlers in training

Welcome back Tylney, honorary WOW

WOWs having fun

Ian (the world's oldest Nipper) back from Freshy, heading North once more

No fish photos today, this must be a first. For your fishy fix head to my insta page, or Laineys, or Edwina's (annehenshaw, manly_mermaid, ecmh72 or a host of others).

Who tf is Uncle Roger, I hear you ponder.

Here you go

Friday 26 February 2021 Swimming practitioners

Really the best thing about sea swimming apart from the sea are the swimmers. All levels of ability and skill but all enjoying the swim. And what a lovely swim today. Moving water but manageable. Visibility was not great. And the water temperature - well, let's say it was not at all suitable for ice swim training. A hot 22 plus. 

Congratulations to Brian Lyle on reaching 3000km this week

Getting ready to go in at a time to suit the swimmer - before covid there was a group at 6.30 (seriously good swimmers) and the broad group at 7. Now you find people ready to swim and people having swum, drinking a coffee

Good conditions reported by these swimmers

Bright swimmers

More good reports

I think most people signed up for the Cole Classic because there was a towel with this fantastic design by swimmer Roger Harvey

Very nice in

Three amigos

Mary and sister in law Leah - seeking refuge from the eastern suburbs in the lovely Cabbage Tree bay. Good idea

elbow of the day

Mary and Pauline - gorgeous swimmers at Shelly  

David with Cantoo cap. he did the Big swim in January. Well Done

Unicorns

One should have lovely nails when swimming - these are in vivid pink

this is the other end of the nail polished toes

A couple of triplers at Shelly on their last lap. Seekers of badges like me

Joy

More Joy

A lot of scum on the water near Shelly

John at the beach who gave me a hand getting in when I got a cramp at the end. Although his optimistic description of when I could stand was motivated by the fact that he is more than 6 foot in height and I am not but he kindly waited until I was in

 

Thursday, 25 February 2021 - Life Down Under (deep) - Old Wives

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

Thank you for following public health advice by maintaining 1.5 distance.
Remember this when you're in or taking photos.
And do please continue to swim at different times of day. 

*SSDD = Same Sea, Different Day

• • • Loosely translated Enoplosus armatus means “curled lips armed”.
    • Old Wives use their sharp beaks to feed on crustaceans and worms.

Water temp: 22.1

Monthly Dinner

Unfortunately, the monthly dinner on 9th March is fully booked.
If you would like to be placed on the waitlist,
please email Ian ([email protected]).

 

Wed 24th: Velvet Sheen

Above: Sterlo's butt

 

CONDITIONS

Ambience:     Serene … romantic … peaceful

Air:                18º

Water:            Warm

Surface:        Becalmed

Tide:              Kissing the ramp

Rain:              Constant but gentle

Crowds:         Nil

Fish:              Garfish on the wing

Vis:                Not too bad at all

Shelley:         Very polluted

 

Below: The Terminator's new knee now good for 40-min walks

 

Below: Newby Lucy

 

Below: Captain Nemo and King Neptune

 

Below: Clair ... where did she leave that fitness?

 

Celeb visit from Brisbane film set: Maggie Gyllenhall

Above: (AKA Lyndal)

 

 

Below: Set of Triads ... John, Sarah and Max (HK)

 

 

Management Request: Please keep your bags off the Club's steps, now that MLSC is open again

Below:  Friendly Mick cleans the ramp and environs every morning, way before dawn

 

Tip for the day: Keep yourself nice

 

NOTICE

Apologies, but limited-numbers dinner is fully booked

23/02/2021 - Amazing Women/ Welcoming Swim

The Sunrise show came to Manly this morning and a few of us shared our love of the B&B and passion for swimming with this amazing group in this very special corner of the world! Sam Mac with our very own Sam Mac (Sam McCourt), me, Anthony, Alexis and Trudi at 6.10am! I've always thought of our swim as a 'Welcoming Swim' but a few swimmers didn't seem too happy about exposing it to even more swimmers! Come on guys, we've always been about inclusivity and open to all who dare!

The skies were varying shades of grey today and the surf was up but it was an exciting swim in warm, stinger-less water!

Free head massages were even on offer from Sally after a great yoga class pre-swim!

You certainly meet some inspiring people at the B&B! Kelly-Ann, second from left is happy to have been welcomed in to our group a couple of years ago after moving here from Wales. She comes across as so down to earth but apart from being a Lawyer and Scientist she also gets up at 4.30am to train in Martial Arts before her swim and work! She volunteers with various groups and also let me tag along to her weekend volunteer job running with the blind on Sunday. Amazing woman!

Jono featured heavily on yesterday's blog as he was 50. There was even a funny poem written about him. Check it out if you missed it.

Sterling had a big day yesterday too as he got married to Kim who he kind-of met through our swim group. (I can't take any credit for this match unfortunately!) Congratulations Kim and Sterling!

Peter Ley didn't have a birthday or get married...but he did swim both ways through rippy surf. "Not for the faint-hearted" was his reply when I asked him how his swim was this morning.

Most of us were advised to swim in wide today but these strong swimmers were quite close to the rocks.

Some 6.30amers

It's Helsy's 500 km swim today. Here she is with some of her Wow friends!

We had her 'Arch of Honour' at Shelly today! She's another amazing woman, Triage Nurse at Northern Beaches hospital and formerly Manly, single Mum, strong swimmer and stealthy negotiator of strong surf... Hats off to you Helsy, you legend!

Almost collided with Jo, Clare and Martin but looked up before and we all apologised in true B&B style ;-)

My surf photos aren't up to Anne H's high standard but Hely asked me to take one of a wave exploding before us as we reached the point.

The two photos above were actually taken Sunday but more amazing women! The 4 girls above Natalie, Alex, Georgia and Louise swam 5 kms for the youth mental health charity Batyr.

Above that Sam  and Alexis.

Bold and Beautiful on Tour on Sunday at Cronulla Beach!

The above sea creature photos were taken in the last 2 weeks, not today as it wasn't clear at all. The Cuttlefish are Mourning Cuttlefish not the Giant Cuttlefish we usually see. The shark is a Grey nurse. A Dusky Whaler has been sighted recently but he was too quick for me on Sunday. Has anyone seen more than one Dusky recently?

 

Unfortunately, the monthly dinner on 9th March is fully booked. If you would like to be placed on the waitlist, please email Ian ([email protected]).

Have a great day!

Lainey

 

Monday 22 February 2021 - Drinks Ts, HB Jon, B&B Dinner

Happy Birthday Jon

Matthew’s recitation.

My 6:05am crew watching the gigantic rip & wave cliffs. Big & bumpy.



Malabar Congratulations Jane (gold) & Danny (silver).

Simon cooked chocolates for his wife’s birthday.


Good morning girls.

Roger’s shot of Gary watching 6:30s Re-entry.

 
Stay save, enjoy....

Simon

 

 

 

21/02/2021 Lessons in the ripples

It was almost a Thirsty Merc kind of day:

Take me back to the sweet times
The hot nights
Everything is gonna be alright
In the summertime

Humidity was heading into the liquid air 90s, there was southerly with enough of a swell to give you a ride back into the beach if you avoided the sand bar.

It’s a tussle between the rain and the sun for control of the day. By midday it looks like blue sky and sunshine are the winners.

Buzz of activity on Manly – fishing, volleyball, surfing, running, yoga. Perfect Sunday for a swim.

Question on everybody’s mind (after I asked them) was “Where did you learn to swim?”

 

 

 Above: Clare learned to swim at a young age at the Forbes Carlile pool in Ryde. Lisa’s swimming group ended up in the local paper after the youngsters were evacuated from their Beaver swimming club in VIC after a explosion involving chlorine which resulted in children foaming at the mouth. Thankfully she has found calm in the chlorine-free waters of the ocean.

 

Above: Annora’s first swimming lessons as a young girl were in a pool in Brunssum, Netherlands while Paul learned to swim in Bankstown.

Above: Don’s first encounter with swimming lessons as a three year old entailed being strapped into a harness attached to a rope, thrown into a pool and told to swim to his mother. Needless to say the experience would have been traumatising but he is now has a love of water and is a content ocean swimmer. Alan’s first swimming lessons as a young boy were in Cape Town.

Above: Good to see Kierin returning to the waves after putting his back out. He learned to swim at Queenscliff pool as a young lad and was almost lost after slipping off a rock into the murky depths of Manly Dam while adults were in deep conversation next to him. He did not want to say anything as he quietly slid to the bottom of the lake as he was told “not to interrupt adults when they are talking”. Glad you are still with us Kierin!

Above: Lainey’s first swimming experiences as a girl were at a pool north of Birmingham were the chlorine hung thick in the air and there was a stern sign stating NO PETTING.A world away from the wonderful marine life of Cabbage Tree Bay.

 

Above:

Water temp 22.6

Swimmers (dispersed throughout the day): 72 by 11.30am

134 by 1.11pm

Relative humidity: 90% (at 7am)

Wind: S SSE

Above: Ted earned his breaststroke swimming certificate at the Diploma Ab Pool in Utrecht, Netherlands before progressing to crawl and ocean swimming in Australia. Marty and Sean learned to swim at South Curly Ocean pool described by Marty as the “Man from Snowy River” of beaches.

Above: Greg reckons that the tough baptism he had as a child held was a good preparation for his swimming lessons.

If I did not get to chat this morning - we’d love to hear your memories about where you learned to swim, so pop a note in our feedback.

We’re blessed to have 35 days without a new case of Covid in NSW but some parts of the world are doing it really tough.

Remember those battling in other regions as you enjoy the beauty of our ocean.

Safe safe and healthy and remember it ain’t over till it’s over.

Oosty

___________________________________________________________________

Covid has brought with it many changes for everyone all around the world and B&B is no exception.

Whilst we have lots to be extremely grateful for in Australia and within B&B, a number of our swimmers have been personally affected and are experiencing challenging times. 

In response to this it was suggested that some swimmers might like to support their fellow swimmers, by utilising their skills where they could.  

As such, within our daily attendance software we have included a ‘profession section’.  Swimmers can now, should they choose, list their profession and location within their profile on our website.  This then allows anybody within our B&B community to: ‘Check with B&B First’ when looking for a resource / tradesperson to use. 

If you would like to participate in this, please go to our B&B daily attendance website: webapp.boldandbeautifulmanly.com.au 

 

20/02/2021: 22.4C and a turtle on top!

Hello B&B,

If you haven't been in the water yet... jump in, it's 22.4 degrees!

Can't make it? Jump in now: press play!

 

If you receive this by email, you won't see the video here but you can access it with this link: https://youtu.be/l8wjY_pU_xE

 

---------------

Covid has brought with it many changes for everyone all around the world and B&B is no exception.

 

Whilst we have lots to be extremely grateful for in Australia and within B&B, a number of our swimmers have been personally affected and are experiencing challenging times. 

 

In response to this it was suggested that some swimmers might like to support their fellow swimmers, by utilising their skills where they could.  

As such, within our daily attendance software we have included a ‘profession section’.  Swimmers can now, should they choose, list their profession and location within their profile on our website.  This then allows anybody within our B&B community to: ‘Check with B&B First’ when looking for a resource / tradesperson to use. 

 

If you would like to participate in this, please go to our B&B daily attendance website: webapp.boldandbeautifulmanly.com.au 

Click on your name, top right.  Then click on ‘my profession’ and add your details. 

 

To search if a fellow B&B swimmer has the skills you’re looking to use, click on your name, top right, then ‘Find a professional’.   

 

Don’t forget to keep on logging your swims too. 

 

You don’t want to miss out on your Covid Summer Badge or your Corona Super Swimmer Summer Badge.  You might be awarded a Budgy Smuggler Voucher as the lucky recipient of random swimmer of the month or year.  Most importantly it’s lovely to see who has swim each day.  Don’t forget, if you can’t swim at Manly, you can still log a Covid Swim. 

 

Please keeping swimming, look after yourselves and stay connected. 

Washing Machine Blues - and the side-effects of being a Master of the Universe

You remember the scene in the movie ‘Big Wednesday’ (classic coming of age & surf movie) when Matt Johnson arrives at the beach still drunk/hungover? Our resident Matt Johnson lookalike was likewise pushed out to sea groggy from yet another all-afternoon banker lunch, it was his birthday but the world of finance seems a murky place late in the week. Somewhat like today’s swim in the Cabbage Tree Bay washing machine. The Shelly Beach back-backer tent has disappeared so no simple crash site to lessen the commute back from the Masters of the Universe luncheon scene for our birthday boy. Happy Birthday Tony.

Rusty and Chippo’s pitch report, Friday:

Morning at the oasis. It’s getting darker as summer comes to an end.
Magic Seaweed is having size and wind direction issues this week. Onshore noisy winds as we arrive. Early swimmers have bicycle lights strapped to the backs of their heads. The morning routine starts with trying to remember driving to the beach, a water’s edge walk blue patrol before parking at the wall, all clear. Catch up on yesterday’s news. Did you arrive by taxi today TFS? Drinksy the Sage cautions us of the blue bottle flotilla up the northern end (not again) and challenging conditions. Let’s go team. Push off from the beach, swim 4 metres, ankle deep sandbank, keep walking. Push off.

We always aim to push off about 620am. Depending on distractions heading across, and there can be many, we often arrive back about 50 metres before the Olympians in the Drinks Express. Yes girls that is Chippo strutting like a rooster most mornings up the ramp, often in front draped in the fake winners flag.

Which brings me to the fake turtle, it’s been 2 and half years swimming back and forth for me. I’m not convinced. Chippo concocted a story of it swimming underneath popping up before heading out to sea, then riding its back to the bower. Mmmm. Photoshop, technology it’s not that hard to create a hoax, and our gang have been known to spin a tall tale (not me though!).

What are your Big 5? Ever been on a safari in Africa? The guide searches for the Big 5, the essentials, the must sees, the big personalities of the jungle or sweeping savannahs of Africa.
What are Big 5 of Cabbage Tree Bay? We had a great discussion this week on this, it didn’t just include sea life. There are big personalities in our midst.

We got a new section to the Rusty Chippo gonzo blog....Spot the celebrity bum. This week is for the girls:

I'll give you a clue, he may or may not have been an author of children books, may or may not have a logie, and is as humble and a good bloke despite the fame. 

Oh and last of all, we’ve got a tip for the Esperance Cup tomorrow, Emerald Rose ... don’t back it. Rumour has it that it swallowed a hessian sack a year ago, and has never been the same. I hope it never finishes or else a certain banker might have another slow start on Sunday morning.

Thanks for the swim Team, have a great day

Hunter S Chippo & Rusty The Fish

The Lap Option

Here comes the Sun

2 Roosters

Masters of the Universe