The Festive Season

Wishing everyone a Merry Christmas, happiness and hoping all personal dreams come true in 2009

As some family members are in Melbourne and Karratha we had a small gathering at my daughter Lorelle's place for a cold Christmas dinner of ham, chicken, prawns and crayfish (lobster) plus a variety of salads. Very tasty, followed by plum pudding, custard, cream and icecream! So glad this festive season comes around once a year, I indulge too much!

Boxing Day is for rest / sleep they say - but no, not for us ....... its more celebrations, food, birthday cake - its my eldest daughter's birthday!! Happy birthday dear Karen.

27th December

Scarborough Beach to Trigg Island and Return

A beautiful sunny day - 28 degrees C with mild to strong winds developing. My husband Max is on surf patrol during the morning for the Scarboro SLSC. This is usually an appropriate time for myself to have an open water swim as I can leave my swim bag safely in the surf patrol van.

The swim from Scarborough Beach to Trigg Island and return is approx. 4k. and is my favourite place for ocean training. Today the water is around 22 degrees and clear when swimming out past the breakers. I know when I'm swimming in front of Rendezvous Observation City Hotel as it casts a huge grey shadow over the water. As I keep swimming there are just a few small fish to be seen and plenty of board and body surfers, mostly wearing wetsuits and waiting patiently for 'the right wave' to arrive. The surfers' presence make me feel safe as I encounter six big rips making their way out to sea and also making that part of the water area very sandy and ripply to swim through. Returning from Trigg to Scarborough after a short break treading water, the wind and waves have become stronger making the time to swim back a little longer. It was a good shoulder and arm workout which will be very beneficial. Upon finishing the swim, I spent some time body surfing the waves. It's great to be alive...

View from Trigg Island to Scarborough Beach on a calm day - Rendezvous Observation City Hotel in the background approx. 2km away

A great morning. I was pleased with my solitary swim. It wasn't a long way but I felt strong, confident and pleased. Once again there were no stingers ...... so glad about this! they have a very nasty sting.

28th December

Mullaloo Beach

This is another beautiful beach north of Scarborough Beach and Trigg Island. The beach is situated in a bay and has some reef scattered in places but mostly consists of a sandy ocean bed. The sea is calmer than other Perth beaches making it a delightful place to swim and train.

Every Sunday morning at 8:30am there is always a number of swimmers gathered just north of the Mullaloo SLS Club to train for a particular open water event or just swim for the sheer fun and enjoyment. This morning four of us - Natalie, Alan, Steven and myself decided to swim to 'the point' southwards and return - approx. 5k. The other swimmers are faster and upon my arrival at 'the point' there were three heads bobbing, laughing and chatting - this is a great sport! Thanks for waiting guys. We all swam back to our starting place where Natalie and I decided to keep on swimming. The weather is hot - 36 degrees C.

The swimmers here are mainly members of Westcoast Masters Swimming Club, quite a social crowd who bring a variety of food for all to enjoy after the swim. May this good life carry on through 2009.

Just keep swimming - a breathtaking experience

OWS Series 2008 - Mullaloo Beach

Event Date 14th December 2008

Water Corporation Open Water Swim Series #3 (Includes Carolyn Burke Memorial Fundraiser) Distances of 1.25km, 2.5km & 5km.

The sun was out and not a cloud in the blue sky. Such a beautiful perfect day for open water swimming with the air temperature expected to rise to 38Degrees.
Sea temperature 22Degrees.

Mullaloo Beach

The ocean is smooth and huge orange buoys mapping out the 1.25km lap course can easily be seen. Tall flags were displayed at the finishing line.

Start and finishing line

After listening to the course briefing and applying sun block and Vaseline (just in case of stingers), approximately 250 swimmers consisting of all age groups from under 15yrs to over 50yrs of age headed out for a mass water start between two orange buoys.

The siren rang at 9am and swimmers trying to find water space between kicking feet and twirling arms headed off north in the direction of the first buoy. The orange buoys were easily seen for guidance and by the time I approached the first buoy the crowd had spread out. I was more or less left alone in the 3rd and 4th lap and could only see the odd cap or arms splashing somewhere off in the distance. I swam rather strongly into the beach, walked through the finishing flags with a timed result of 1hour 29mins. Hmm...maybe the course was a little longer than 5km !?! or I need to do more intense training...ohh!

It was a wonderful swim with very clear water, I could see small colourful fish, a few stingrays and some rugged reef scattered in some areas over the ocean bed. Usually Mullaloo beach is renowned for 'stingers' and I am thankful for only being 'kissed' once on the face over the 5km swim.

The weekly pool training must be paying off as I felt strong and confident during the four laps.

We finished a great day off by heading down to Scarborough Beach for 'Carol's by the Clock' and the brilliant fireworks display which lasted 15-20 minutes.

Some Barracudas Masters 5km successful swimmers (from left) Sue Oldham, Rory Toner , myself, Tony Parbery & Kathryn Phillips

Just keep swimming - a breathtaking experience

Koombana Bay Swim Thru 2008

Event Date - 30th November '08

Koombana Bay Swim Thru is organised by the Bunbury Masters Swimming WA club. The 1600m event starts in the water to the north of the Dolphin Discovery Centre and finishes south of the Centre.

I travelled the 120 kilometres from Perth to Bunbury in comfort, keeping Eleanor Parsons and her dog 'Chelo' company and stayed overnight at Eleanor's parents beautiful home overlooking the Bunbury Harbour.

Lately, the weather has not produced its usual summer days, however, we were lucky to have a sunny morning for the swim making Koombana Bay look beautiful with its soft, very white sand and sparkling blue sea.

After the usual course briefing, the event started in the water and was underway at 10:00am. By the time I reached the first easily sighted huge silver buoy, the swim crowd had thinned out. At this time I was able to concentrate on my stroke and rhythm. The conditions were reasonably calm, near perfect making the event very enjoyable, even if I swam most of the way without company. I finished in 22nd place with a time of 23min 20sec. The course may have been a little short but I was pleased with the result and enjoyed my first open water swim for the season. Alas, there was no sighting of my favourite sea friends....the graceful dolphin.

Snappers AUSSI Masters member, Eleanor Parsons finished in 15th position with an excellent time of 21min 40sec. Is she flying? .... Hey, wait for me Eleanor!

Bold Park Masters member, Vic Paul never ceases to amaze all by his swimming talent. At 64yrs he finished 2nd overall with an incredible time of 18.mins 49sec.

Another great open water swimmer and mentor, Barbara Pellick finished in 5th place.

A great week-end away, a great swim and so good to catch-up with great swimmers from Perth and country areas.

Koombana Bay competitors: (from left) Eleanor Parsons, Vic Paul and myself

Just keep swimming - a breathtaking experience