Favourite Swims - Across the Lake Swim 3.8km

Swimming across Lake Macquarie might seem like a bit of a pushover. However, this swim is 3.8km in a straight line from Coal Point to the Belmont 16ft Sailing Club. Might not seem like much of an issue but try and look in the distance for 3.8km when your eyes are at water level - not easy with few landmarks and usually the sun in your eyes.

The ferry trip across to the start is a relaxing 20 mins. You jump ship, into the water when the tide is too low for a jetty exit, and within a short space of time, you are treading water waiting for the countdown from the local dignatory. The younger swimmers go off first and a few minutes later, everybody else follows. At the start, you break into some freewater to find your space and it's then that the challenge begins. There are tides, occasional currents, and in some worse-weather years, white caps. That's where the challenge lies. To swim as straight as possible whilst contending with the subtle movement of water that will push you off course.

Tall blue or green cans mark the course. Mates and relatives guide swimmers in kayaks and an assortment of craft. If you skirt the cans, and keep an eye on the craft, you will mostly be swimming straight. With a few k's to go, you sight the turquoise exterior of the 16ft sailing club; you then veer ever so slightly to the right where you eventually sight the sails of boats being readied for a day on the water adjacent to the finish. As you come in to the last few hundred metres, the lake gets shallower and you get closer to you point of reference. You seem like you are moving faster, and then your are done. The volunteers pass you a bottle of Powerade. You look around to see if your mates have finished, else you look out for them crossing the line.

For me, the challenge of this swim is maintaining a steady pace and not straying off course; putting it in for the last 1km and then the wait for the results; did I beat last year's time? In 2009, this was my 5th time at this event and definitely not my last! The swim is organised by the Swansea Belmont SLSC.