Happy New Year to all.
......and Happy Birthday to my grand-daughter Kristen-Jade .... sweet 16 on 1st Jan. 2009.
Shark Alarms
Recently there has been sightings of big grey white and hammerhead sharks swimming unusually closer to our coastline, making ocean water swimmers a little nervous and hesitant to enter the water for leisure or training swims. Some popular beaches being closed temporarily for safety reasons. The average weather forecast is 35+ degrees C. and most of the Perth population love to cool off in the ocean.
Max and I and a few friends had already made previous arrangements to start the new year with an early morning swim starting from North Cottesloe to Cottesloe and return past Nth Cottesloe SLSC to Grant Street and back. There were quite a few other swimmers already training, so with brave faces, we entered the water slower and swam closer to each other than usual! Today's weather was perfect, no breeze, warm sunshine and a calm sea which made our swim over the reef bed so clear, we could view small colourful fish and different types of seaweed flowing back and forth with the slight tide.
Cottesloe SLSC
Swimming along so peaceful, tranquilised and in my own world, when suddenly I was quickly jolted out of peacefulness. Yikes! what was that? Startled, I yelled out loud as I swam into something black and green. Wendy Smith! Wendy, wearing a black suit and green cap swimming in the opposite direction yelled out as well.......oh!....'thank God, it's only you', we echoed at the same time. Laughing, giving each other a hug and best wishes for a happy new year we then continued on....are we nervy? gulp, are we? The water and scenery continued to be magical, and swimming here never gets old or routine. Hey!! Mary-Anne, Tom, anyone, where are you...... swim closer!!!
Training area for many swimmers training for open water events
View from Cottesloe to North Cottesloe
Even with shark scares, we feel there is no better way to welcome the new year - starting off with a magical swim and yummy breakfast by the sea with wonderful friends.
Two Calender Open Water Swim events cancelled....
These were scheduled to take place this weekend - Sunset Coast Ocean Swim at Scarborough Beach and Water Corporation OWS Series #4 at Leighton Beach. Both events have been cancelled for safety reasons after consultation with the Water Police, CALM, Fisheries and Surf Life Saving WA. Sharks continue to be sighted along the coast and cancellation is in the best interest of all involved.
3rd January 2009
'Think like an Open Water Swimming Champion' Perth seminar #2
I attended this seminar and it was so good to come face to face with Shelley Taylor-Smith whom I have known for approx. 20 years. I was lucky to be one of the time-keepers who clocked Shelley finishing to win the Women's 25km Long Distance Event in the Swan River. She became the World Marathon Swimming Champion gaining the gold medal at the 6th Fina World Swimming Championships in Perth on the 10th January 1991. Great memories.
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Myself, Shelley Taylor-Smith and Sue Oldham
Shelley kept us motivated and focused right from the start to finish of the 'dry' and 'wet' workshops. I have been involved and experienced all varieties of open water events and still managed to pick up on special points to better my open water swimming.
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Barracudda members who attended the OWS Seminar - Renee Wood, Jessica Murray, Sue Oldham and myself
As strong westerly winds were in force, the 'wet' workshop was challenging for most of us but definitely a great opportunity to put the 'tips and tools' to practice.
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During the 'Wet Workshop' Practising Open Water Techniques
Just keep on swimming, a breathtaking experience
