Pacific Jules

Tuesday 30th Jan - School's back!

And that means crowds are gone, although this morning could've been the temperamental sky deciding whether it was going to rain or not that put people off, or the hot, humid night. But not Emma, who was alone on the wall, except I was there too.

Below is Henrietta handing out a "first timer" cap to Richard Perkes, out from the Isle of Wight and visiting Roz Eliot. Hope you enjoyed your swim, Richard!

The 2 Ian's with Jenny, Edwina and another Roz , gearing up.

Sheena and Merilee getting the low down from Tony as he was done.

Shane, Emma and Fi having a good laugh, as good a therapy as the swim.

Guy's art work survived the brief rain. Always the first thing I look at when I wake-up and start the day,  even if I'm not swimming. 

It was another lovely swim,  few waves going out, was low tide and bit rippy coming in so sign went up. Still clear but perhaps not as good as the last few days. Plenty of fish about but didn't see much else. On the plus side though, considering how warm the water was, there were no bities.

Bit of a crowd afterwards, all the usual regulars,  though missing those who are away.

Love the bench crew but Bindi had a sleep in so she missed the photo.

Enjoy your warm, sticky day! 

Amanda 

 

 

 

Monday 29th January 2024 - Sunrise & Big Swim

Sunrise from the pipe

6:30 boys

Girls@6:34

Hard to miss the adverts for next Sunday’s Cole Classic!

The Big Swim - Palm to Whale. Congratulations to all the B&Bers who completed. Thought I’d mention a few podium finishers.

Group shot

Jen - gold ( centre).

Kylie - Gold

Danny (bronze) with Emma & Jane

I missed swimming with the 5:45 crew as Tara had a sleepover.

Stay safe

Enjoy the vitamin Sea

Simon (& Tara)

 

Friday 26 January 2024 Happy Australian way of life at Manly

Blue skies, soft fluffy clouds, a heatwave, surf which is wavy but good to swim, singing of the national anthem for those who wanted to join in and a great morning for a swim.

what could be more Australian than a cake stall. yummy cakes. Mums for mums - great cause

 

Thursday 25 January 2024: Happy Robbie Burns Day

We may have been missing the haggis, neeps, tatties and poetry but there was plenty of laughing, dancing, friendship and of course the bagpipes at our little corner of Manly Beach this morning as we embraced our Scottish roots to celebrate Robbie Burns Birthday.

Thanks to Elizabeth Stewart and piper Graham Mackay there was plenty of entertainment for swimmers and spectators.

As we danced

and were piped to the waters edge.

 

I am sure the surfers were a little confused about what was going on!!!

Even Guy's temperature drawing was on point and fabulous - if only the waves had got the memo!!

Sometimes its not just about swimming.  Also sharing Robbie's birthday was Ange A who celebrated with friends - nice to see Pauline slowing on the improve from her injury.

But rather friendship

And sharing time with friends.

10 facts about Robbie Burns

After Queen Victoria and Christopher Columbus, Robert Burns has more statues dedicated to him around the world than any other non-religious figure. 

Although best known as a poet, Burns actually wrote and collected almost double the amount of songs than poems - his most famous song can usually be heard on New Year's Eve as the clock strikes midnight - that is Auld Lang Syne.

Fashion designer Tommy Hilfiger is believed to be a direct descendant of Robbie Burns

Glasgow’s Mitchell Library is believed to house the world’s largest Burns collection, including translations of the poet’s work into more than 30 languages.

Robbie Burns was the first person to appear on a commemorate bottle of Coca Cola in 2009.

American President, Abraham Lincoln, had a lifelong admiration for the work of Robert Burns, with some claiming that the poet’s work had a key role in helping Lincoln win the American Civil War and abolish slavery.

Mosgiel in New Zealand was named after Robbie Burn's farm in Ayrshire.

The work of Robert Burns has appeared in hundreds of films and TV programmes, including Hollywood classics like 'It’s a Wonderful Life' (1946), 'When Harry Met Sally' (1989) and 'Forrest Gump' (1994).

'Auld Lang Syne' is recognised by the Guinness Book of World Records as one of the top three most popular songs in the English language.

Tomorrow is Australia Day and is expected to be busy - so please be ready to go for the National Anthem at 7am.

There will also be a cake stall.

Roger Harvey and the gang are running a Fifty Dollar Club, inviting folks to add a $50. It's a cash booster fund for tomorrow's cake stall at beach, in support of the hard-working baking crew.
Charity: Mum for Mum, managed by Di Schaeffer 

"Club Fifties" update, as at 8.00 Thursday morning:
20 folks have donated so far = $1,000
(Aiming to treble cake stall takings)
Deadline is today for Direct Deposit,
or cash by 8 tomorrow morning.
Envelope handover is 8.30 a.m. at cake stall, if donors are around at that time. 

Contact Roger Harvey if you can spare a note to support Di and the team but regardless bring some cash to purchase some goodies tomorrow.

Good luck to others like me "participating" in the Harbour Splash tomorrow on the far side. 

Keep safe and Happy Robbie Burns Day today and Australia Day tomorrow

Myrtle the Turtle

The seas are alive with swimmers

Hi all 

Todays look was the usual beautiful, seas a bit bumpy and restless, stingers zero, viz OK , temperature a balmy 22.5 ( thanks Guy).
A bountiful number of swimmers swam today, Shelley was brimming with eager beavers waiting for the ‘let’s go’ from ‘ the voice’ JK so they could race back. 

The scene 

Bootie camp with Storchy 

Temperature Guy strikes his chalk, marking a 22.5 C

The lovely men of the door (MODS) getting ready for 7 am

Our amazing Chloe all of 13 years old and a daily swimmer with the BnB. Mum was sent ahead as she would be ‘too slow for Chloe’

WOW crew looking gorgeous togged up, just WOW 

A gorgeous Murmur of MERS 

Ian our lovely leader and equally lovely Simone at welcome desk 

Apre swim pics always my best … the glow is all around 

Peops of the benches never fail to amaze and amuse 

Beautiful Bindi joined in ( well others joined her in) 

Drinky and Jon with the Coles Classic must have budgies for distribution. 
This year Drinks Express teams up with the Mermaid/men and other BnB swimmers supporting Mum for Mum.

We at Mum for Mum thank you all  from the bottom of our hearts ♥️ 


The lovely DX crew

Beauties Sue Heather and Em 

WOW beauties Jane, Rob and Sooz 

Wonderful grandies Penny and Peter with gorgeous Fin 

Tomorrow we have a piper piping us in for Burns day so channel your inner Scot and join us for this special now annual occasion thanks to Elizabeth for organising. 

Friday is Laineys bake sale for Mum for Mum please support us, baking buying and eating ! 

So long, farewell,  auf wiedersehen …goodbye 

Di 

x

Tuesday 23/01/2024 - Wet in and Wet out :-)

Some of the lovely Wows with King Peter in the middle. A rainy swim today but a core of regular swimmers made it down  and enjoyed their choppy swim in 22.2 degree water!

 Luke, one of the 'Mermaids' ,coming around the point. He did really well in the Mona Vale swim at the weekend as did a few other B&B swimmers. Well done guys!

Little legend Chloe swims with us every day at only 14 years of age. (this is her friend not her Mum!)

Kerry and Kaitlin join us from the US today with their Ozzie friend.

Petra and Bennie

A Scorpionfish

Great to see Jeremy back, on the left. Ian on the right is getting trained up to do the Palm to Whaley swim at 78. Well done Ian!

A short blog today but please remember the cake stall on Friday Australia Day for the great local charity Mum for Mum. Also a piper on Thursday at 6.45am for Burns Day!

 

 

How nice to see some sunshine

Here's some nice weather for a change, such a refreshing change!

 

Izzy, Derek, (knock me down it's) Trevor and Bindi

Lainey, Louise and Sue

Can you spot the piece of plastic in the seaweed?

If you can't what chance does a turtle have? Can you imagine the damage this would do to a turtle's insides?

Fortunately Ian was finishing his swim as I was starting mine and he kindly agreed to bin it for me. Thanks Ian.

Today's spectacular art work for your enjoyment and information

Here are some of the WOTOs - Women of The Other wall, with honorary WOTO Ian

Still a few big waves but getting out and in is doable - the main issue is the weed and rubbish in the water and zero visibility up to the Point.

Still a bit of fish activity to see. Very pleased with the work the Leatherjackets and Bream are putting in to address the Big Jelly problem.

Something that should not be in the ocean

As opposed to things that belong there

A semi management message - the Cole Classic is happening on Saturday week. There will be loads of people and we are being asked to swim from Shelly. The surf club is also looking for volunteers if you feel so inclined.

What am I listening to? 1970s punk is a genre I quite like so here's a bit of it, New York style, a very early live version of a Blondie song off their first album. Check the album for a more polished version

Wednesday 17th January - Variety, Vigilance, Valour, Valiant Versatility

Wednesday 17th January - a day for the, in the words of Sir Humphrey (IYKYK!), "Courageous decisions"...   To swim or not to swim?    A day to impersonate a tea bag?  Long immersion to infuse the oceans energy or a swift dip for a small taste?    A day to be Valorous, Valiant, Versatile in variable conditions -  those who braved the variable conditions did so with vigilance (perhaps swimming from the bower or shelly), and emerged victorious, adopting versatility to adapt to the conditions, and hoping to avoid the vibrant jellyfish and their sometimes vicious "kisses"!

Water temperature - 23 degrees.  Guys insightful dart board represented the avoidance of a wall or smack of jellies in the bay, or for those of us less accurate, a collision....

Air temperature at 7am: 25 degrees, a decent nor easter bringing a little mugginess to the morning

Conditions: the ocean appeared feisty today - variable conditions!

Vibe:  all things considered, kind of vibrant, with versatility required.

Ian on the wall providing useful information to those contemplating their next moves - aside from visibly vibrant, reports of walls and smacks of jellies in the bay resulted in decisions - to be vigilant, valorous, valiant or validating a decision not to swim? 

Shanny displayed valour - reported a rough entry and exit and dodged the jellyfish jam - she encouraged versatility in immersion plans..

These skis and boards belong to the versatile and amazing Nutri Grain iron women who are training at manly in advance of the "Summer of Surf" carnival at manly beach this weekend, starting Friday.  If you are in manly I highly recommend watching these immensely talented women (and men) adapt by the minute to the variable conditions!

Manmaid Dan is back!  Visiting from Dubai (where he now lives) with his beautiful fiancé Eral  - they have showed versatility and adapted to significantly colder water (like, around 10 degrees colder at least!) and weather (same!), valiantly swimming despite feeling the (relative) cold!! 

In another show of versatility (and in some cases, valour and definitely vigilance), the Drinks Express and Mermaids & Manmaids held a fundraiser for Mum 4 Mum on Sunday, at the Harbord Bowling Club.   The off-water versatility of both teams were on display (in a variety of styles - no doubt after studying repeat episodes of Jack High or the movie Crackerjack (IYKYK))... for lawn Bowls, firstly, bravely, with valour, learning how to bowl, mixing teams and the added complexity of a variety of conditions - from sun to intermittent pouring rain and everything in between!   Vigilance was key in ensuring that the correct team was credited with winning the "end" - and lets just say some friendly off water rivalries developed and LOTS of laughs as the bowls sometimes seemed to have a mind of their own and varied in length and ... well, lanes!  Everyone had so much fun.  For the record,  the Mermaids and Manmaids won the day 23 ends to 19 and importantly, over $1,500 raised for the charity to add to the funds raised from the new Budgy Smuggler cossies which are scheduled to be completed in time for the Cole Classic! (photo credits to various mermaids and manmaids - not me!)

A few insights to consider from this week: the importance of versatility, and valour when faced with a variety of challenges; and don't be afraid to participate in or learn something new, with no expectations you will hopefully have fun!

and the dreaded sign went up - Bluebottles! adding to the variety of creatures and perils on display at manly today!

As always, stay safe, stay kind, look after and out for each other and have a wonderful Wednesday!

Jocelyn

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tuesday 16th January - Messy and Rippy

Nice, rain free morning on land. The water wasn't quite as inviting.

Checking in with the 6.30 swimmers and hearing that some of them took 15 mins just to get out was rather off putting so we decided just dipping was the order of the day. Added to the decision was that half way wasn't looking like a good option either. 

Georgina,  Ro and Lisa contemplating our plan.

Discussion with Lainey,  Suzi and Jocelyn who's blogging today. Last minute decision that it's me so quickly took a few photos. 

Pre or post swim chatting,  depending on whether you're a 6.30er or 7am-er.

Sarah and Sheena no doubt giggling at the size of the cucumber !?

Monica and Edwina chilling on the wall.

Apparently Queensie lagoon has polluted the ocean but at our end it seemed pretty clean. Water was gorgeous and fun for dipping.  It seems most of the jellies have gone but didn't get any viz reports.

Lainey, Amanda,  Lisa,  Di, Ro and Georgina all in Georgina designed bathers ! Extra photos thanks to Lainey. 

German visitor, Dagny,  enjoying the Australian surf with Monica.

Big smile from Lisa. 

Enjoy your day. 

Amanda 

 

 

Monday 15th January 2024 - Wet, big waves, strong rip

Brett and I Swim out through the rip and caught two waves.

Rain drenched Guy’s temp.

Greg & Gary

Joke of the week

Mixed reaction@6:30

Warm  handshake for the Boy from the bush

Trooper Simon alone @ 6:31

Martin & Michele - last swim before their trip to Egypt.


Lifeguard’s decision

Stay safe, keep dry

Simon