Pacific Jules

Wednesday 29th June… the contradictions of winter swimming & ramp-walk farshun

Wednesday 29th June - and the magic continues… for how long until Mother Nature decides it’s time for more rain & moody skies .. 

Its week 5 for those aiming for their winter badges - remember 20 swims over 7 different weeks and the badge is yours!  And extra special winter without wetsuit if you’re game ! 

Todays report: 

Water temp: 18 degrees 

air temp: 5.8 degrees at 6:30

conditions: smooth, silky, clear, calm …

vibe: full of winter cheer 

interesting sights: lots of fish !!!  Lots and lots of fish & a grey nurse with yellowtails in waiting!  

Winter swimming is full of contradictions:

- the mornings are absolutely freezing; the warmth of the sun as it appears over the horizon warming our hearts & energising us 

- a southerly swell & surge offshore normally means calm & clear in our little corner of paradise … protected by the headland at cabbage tree bay 

we (some of us anyway) swim without wetsuits … immersing for an hour or so… then, we run out of the water, immerse in hot water & rug up as if we’re about to hit the ski slopes!  

Here’s some of the fashions on the beach spotted today by faithful papparazi, some ideas if you are not sure what to wear in winter after your swim!! 

b&b debutant Justin wore a wetsuit swimming & shorts before & after ! 

management pre swim!  Welcome committee rugged up ready to re-robe!

jellybeans in their amazing custom budgy smuggler cossies (if youre after custom - budgy smugglers are your people! and a local business to support!) !

The most stylish mermaid Lyndell after swimming without a wetsuit 

Drinks crew (and budding poets!) rugged up solving the worlds problems (ok, manly problems but isnt manly the world?)… shorts and beanies on trend ! 

Mermaids rugged up super stylish & the most trendy top around “assembly label” according to social media !! & more shorts & beanies on trend ! 



And canine farshun!

That’s all from the manly catwalk -  have a wonderful Wednesday, stay safe, stay sane, be kind, look out for each other & have a great day!

jocelyn

B&B monthly dinner – Tuesday 12^th July 2022

 

At our next monthly dinner, to be held on Tuesday July 12th at Bluewater Café at 6.30 pm, the guest speaker will be Prof. Adriana Verges, the lead researcher on Operation Crayweed. Adriana will revisit Cabbage Tree Bay with an update on this project as well as the Living Seawall at Fairy Bower Pool. The seaweeds and sea grasses are the underwater forests that fuel entire ecosystems to provide food and shelter for thousands of organisms. We swim with them every day and now you can get an in-depth look at what is blooming below the surface, and the return of various marine species.  Also, discover what we can do to aid the rewilding of these underwater seascapes.

 

The cost of the dinner is great value at only $30 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 (please note, NO BYO). Bookings are essential, so to avoid disappointment and secure your spot please book HERE.

Tuesday June 28th - Gone is the sunshine

Not quite the sunny day of late but definitely worth the effort. The rain from last night had passed and with calm seas plus great viz it was a lovely swim. Temperatures still mild at 18.2c though getting out again is the hard part. Love the pot plant above the temp! Nice touch. 

Plenty of fish to be seen in our aquarium,  didn't see the grey nurses or cuttlefish today but some saw the turtle. 

The wall was empty bar Di's esky of hot water!

However there was plenty of dog and human company on the benches.

Enjoy your chilly day and rug up!

Amanda 

Drinks on Tuesday, tonight, at the Surfclub, all welcome, details

 

https://www.facebook.com/groups/504973999537658/permalink/5238300339538310/ 

B&B monthly dinner – Tuesday 12^th July 2022

 

At our next monthly dinner, to be held on Tuesday July 12th at Bluewater Café at 6.30 pm, the guest speaker will be Prof. Adriana Verges, the lead researcher on Operation Crayweed. Adriana will revisit Cabbage Tree Bay with an update on this project as well as the Living Seawall at Fairy Bower Pool. The seaweeds and sea grasses are the underwater forests that fuel entire ecosystems to provide food and shelter for thousands of organisms. We swim with them every day and now you can get an in-depth look at what is blooming below the surface, and the return of various marine species.  Also, discover what we can do to aid the rewilding of these underwater seascapes.

 

The cost of the dinner is great value at only $30 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 (please note, NO BYO). Bookings are essential, so to avoid disappointment and secure your spot please book HERE.

Monday 27th June 2022 - Portrait of the B&B

Lucy - (more pictures later in the blog)

I swam @ 5:35am with:

Ali, Brett & Patrick

Craig joined us for coffee on the balcony.


Drinks Expressers 

Quite a crowd @6:31am.


Legend Joe

B&B Central

Coffee time

Lucy’s last Monday before she & her Brad fly to Singapore.

Lucy’s Brad ⬆️ 

Guy’s water temperature 18.3 degrees.

Stay safe, enjoy

Simon

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

King of the Mountain

An explosion of colours this morning. Having turned the solstice corner, are we heading into Summer already? 

Water temps gone up! Oh happy Friday!

Gymnast?

and some people just try really hard...

6.27am entry. Getting a head start on the Express crew.

Walking through the high dry grass, pushing my way through slow
Yellow belly black snake, sleeping on a red rock, Waiting for the stranger to go

La Luna! If you happened to look up in the sky today, the ultimate rare planetary alignment occurred. 5 planets aligned with the moon. It won't happen again until 2040.

12 degrees. 6.25am

The Welcoming Committee. What a set of smiles! 

Post swim coffee & wind down.

Mountain in the shadow of light, rain in the valley below

I can't take my hands from my face, there are some things we can't replace

Winner winner chicken dinner. The leaders of the Drinks Express reliving Passage Rock and the battle for the line. LOL, the Spaniard, Trooper Bevan, ZinZan and Fingerbone smashing it out in front.

Over liquid tarmac wastelands of cactus and heat
Down cobblestone alleyways of washing day sheets

Thanks for the swim & coffee Team. Remember don't let your true love run cold!

 

Rusty the Fish & Carolinebythebeach

(special guest yoga pose by Chippo the magnificent)

 

 

Wed 22nd: Dark Side of the Blog

Air:           11º (Cold As)

Water:      17.7º

Ocean:      Flat As

Depth:       Shallow As

Lucy:         Up-country on a farm

 

 

 

 

 

Above: Newly set-up Shark Tracker Buoy

 

B&B monthly dinner – Tuesday 12^th July 2022

At our next monthly dinner, to be held on Tuesday July 12th at Bluewater Café at 6.30 pm, the guest speaker will be Prof. Adriana Verges, the lead researcher on Operation Crayweed. Adriana will revisit Cabbage Tree Bay with an update on this project as well as the Living Seawall at Fairy Bower Pool. The seaweeds and sea grasses are the underwater forests that fuel entire ecosystems to provide food and shelter for thousands of organisms. We swim with them every day and now you can get an in-depth look at what is blooming below the surface, and the return of various marine species.  Also, discover what we can do to aid the rewilding of these underwater seascapes.

The cost of the dinner is great value at only $30 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 (please note, NO BYO). Bookings are essential, so to avoid disappointment and secure your spot please book HERE

 

Tuesday June 21st - winter solstice

Considering it's the shortest day, we're not short on sunshine or swimmers this beautiful morning. Also not short on choices!

The solstice swim began at 6.15 but was surprisingly light for pre dawn. Won't identify any naked bodies.

Post swim brekkie at boathouse.

Badges already purchased.

For me it was Manly at 7am, with Pickle in tow.  It was pretty quiet and no one to hold the bench down in case Pickle gave it a tug. 

The water was a lovely 18.3 (said from inside a wetsuit), smooth but viz still lacking,  even with my fancy new "see all" goggles.

Then there was the 7.30 crew, followed by the 8am crew.....

 

Great day for it so get out and enjoy, haven't got long as it's short!

Amanda 

 

Friday 17 June 2022 - What better way to start a Friday

What better way to slip into the weekend than a Friday swim at Bold & Beautiful and this morning was no exception.  The sunrise was spectacular, the water still pretty warm at 17.7 degrees, not too bad considering its winter and the visibility is clearing compared to earlier in the week.

Friday is also tri day with the Warringah Triathlon Club team (below) out and about.  Nathan and Clare are just back from Guernsey so were sporting their new beanies.

Rhi and Rochelle were out early before the the main Warringah pack.

 

Jim, Bruce and friends are regular Friday swimmers - how good is that sunrise being them.

Scorchy was doing his free bootcamp on the beach, a popular start to the morning for many BnBers.

Everyone was smiling down at the beach for the perfect start to the morning.

And of course what morning swim would be complete with the Women of the Wall (WOWs) - Rosemary, Emma and Fiona couldn't wait to get in the water.

Elizabeth, your regular Friday blogger is unwell today, we wish her a speedy recovery and can't wait to have her back swimming with us again soon.

B&B Budgy Smuggler Random Swimmer of the Month for May 

Congratulations to the B&B Budgy Smuggler Random Swimmer of the Month for May Carryn Masluk. Carryn receives a Budgy Smuggler voucher for joining us on a morning swim and logging it via the ilog app.

Till next time just keep swimming!!!

Deanna 

 

Like Swimming Into an Oil Painting

Siyabona everyone 

What a stunner it was too. Mark ‘Stickman’ Drinkwater found his inner poet and said it was ‘like swimming into an oil painting’. Thanks for the headline Stickman. Inspired choice of words. 

Here are some pictures so you can see what he was talking about and the temperature at 17.7C ( thank you Guy)  

Last nights BnB talk to a capacity crowd was by BnBer, Dr Caroline West on memory. I know - what’s the chances you forgot. 
Caroline was introduced by lower middle management Shaun. He  tried to forget upper management and his shark encounter. 


The crowd

Thank you to Caroline for an entertaining and  informative talk on memory. Dr Caroline suggested using story telling to help remember things ( engage the imaginative side of the brain) and really focus on the story / location/ event / person if you want to remember. Focus and imagination here we come ! 

Also our  memories can be subject to some ‘Wikipedia’ edits (my words not hers) as we recount them. Thank you Caroline a great evening. 

Some of the team were found howling at a full moon after the talk  in hope of stimulating the brain … or something like that. 
Fi, Paul, Ian and Jonny howling forth 

I asked about memory and memories today. 
Marcus, Paul and Gary seen below. Marcus said his worst memory is Gary saying ‘it’s not a race’ and then saying ‘ let’s go’ 

The Drinks team of Katie aka ‘Sis’, Lenore and Stickman are enjoying Sis visiting from Cape Town. 

Drinky had an op on his ear, we wish him good healing.

Stickman says he has no memory of his accident and when he woke in A&E it was weird not knowing why and where he landed up there. 

Lainey says her best memory is swimming with a whale in 2012 and Derek with Bindi and Pickle agrees. Lainey did say Silky the dolphin was another great memory and one not to forget. 


Arnie has turned into a caterpillar and chasing the birds already - a few pigeons were just out of reach.
 
I must confess to always being on the forgetful side of things much to the amusement of fellow WOW Georgina Hart especially - I leave things behind sometimes, but I do have a good memory for faces and places  … so no trying to pretend you don’t or didn’t  know me :). It’s really all about location darling. 

Stay safe and Hambe Kahle 

Di

x

B&B Budgy Smuggler Random Swimmer of the Month for May 

Congratulations to the B&B Budgy Smuggler Random Swimmer of the Month for May 

 Carryn Masluk. Carryn receives a Budgy Smuggler voucher for joining us on a morning swim and logging it via the ilog app. 

 

 

Tuesday June 14th - Endless sunny days

 

The sunshine continues and my blog is late,  even though it's back to work, because I couldn't drag myself away, even though we've had a glorious long weekend of sunny swimming.

Lainey posting the early report.

 

Today was a little chillier at 17.8 but thankfully calmer than the weekend.  Viz wasn't great, where you are thinking did I just see something or not, and if so what was it and I do need to get out of here. 

The mermaids/men getting in.

The bench gang looking after the dogs, thanks guys!

 

The WOW'S reclaiming the wall, big group today including Lisa and Di back from their overseas jaunts. 

 

Enjoy the rest of this stunning day!

 

Amanda

 

Oh forgot to mention this fine morning “save the date “ for B&B quiz nite at the Steyne hotel 23rd august …. details to follow 

 

BnB Budgy Smuggler Random Swimmer of the Month for May 

Congratulations to the B&B Budgy Smuggler Random Swimmer of the Month for May 

 Carryn Masluk. Carryn receives a Budgy Smuggler voucher for joining us on a morning swim and logging it via the ilog app. 

Monday, 13 June 2022 - Long weekend bliss

 

It was another blissful day in paradise; with captivating waves rolling in, welcoming winter sun stretching out and smiles on everyone's faces!  

Today swimmers really earnt their bold status (everyone is already beautiful), with big sets rolling in at sunrise and a rather quick point express rip to contend with on the way back in.

 

Kath, Henrietta, Shelly and Sue, gracing everyone with their amazing smiles and good energy!!

Karen, Patrick and Samantha having a good laugh at their life choices, as they look into a beautiful and substantial set of waves rolling in.

 

Linda & Becci, welcoming Luke to the B&B family! Luke is only three B&B swims in. Looking forward to the updates on your Iron Man training.

JK, the man, the myth, the legend. I finally had the pleasure of a chat with the famous JK. Thanks for the amazing energy every morning; mornings aren’t the same without a “7AM!” callout.

Winter you say… thanks Guy for the dedication, seeing a balmy 18.3 degrees puts such a smile on the face.

Long weekend bliss!

 

Have a lovely day!! 

Scott

 

 

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Winter swimming

The Winter swimming season is finally here! 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.

 

 

B&B Budgy Smuggler Random Swimmer of the Month for May 

Congratulations to the B&B Budgy Smuggler Random Swimmer of the Month for May - Carryn Masluk. Carryn receives a Budgy Smuggler voucher for joining us on a morning swim and logging it via the ilog app.