South Curl Curl Ocean Swim

South Curl Curl rockpool is the place that I learnt to swim and is the pool that I had to do the 20 yard test (at least I think it was this way; might have been Dee Why? memory doesn't serve me too well). So to have the opportunity to swim out, way offshore and around the course parallel to the headland, and into Freshwater beach was an unsual treat. Freshwater Beach also serves my memory well; the neighbour used to take us down there in the back of his Sunbeam Alpine, with our Koolite boards stacked in a fanned array. There, we would ride the whitewater and learn our juvenile surf skills.

South Curl Curl SLSC did an excellent job of this swim. Helpful volunteers, great atmosphere; no pretention about the swim, no great hype, no blaring music, no annoying announcers; just a down to earth swim. The start line was real wide and it didn't matter where you started as the first can must have been 300 m plus offshore. After watching the Open and Under 18s? swim out and drift southwards, I entered the water from the northern extremity of the start line.

The swim out to the first can was met with a slight bouncy swell. Mild offshore breezes were picking up holding up the waves, which were pretty full. An easy course to follow, well marked out, and you only needed to keep the cans on your right shoulder. After rounding the first can, I turned and aligned myself with the second. I have learnt to keep myself low in the wind, and reduce the number of times I look up for navigation. Along the way, I notice another pink cap further out to sea and thought this guy is going the wrong way. Over my right, I sight more pink caps and white caps in a group of maybe four or five. They swim a tight line and it seems to me that they need to adjust to round the buoys. I think I have it right; the guy on the left continues out to sea; I trust the water safety point him the right direction.I saw fisherman on the rocks on my prerace inpsection of the course, but don't notice any detail in the swim, as I concentrate on navigation, stroke and keeping my pace. As I round the point on which Harbord Diggers is built, the waves rebound stronger off the cliffs and I find this a little harder going. The route swings slightly to the diagonal entry into Freshwater Beach. There, you find yourself swimming straight into the wind; then around the last can and a long run into the beach.

Depsite all my lessons learnt during ocean swimming, I repeat my mistake. I look under my arm, back towards the waves to see if there's something to catch on the way in. I am thinking of the sets coming; and then a wave comes, I stop and push off the bottom to get on it. It's too full, and I have to swim all the way in to the beach, bar the last 30m, where I surf a small wave in. I am over the right hand side and extend the legs out of the water as the group to the right are now coming out of the surf. A group of strangers applaud my efforts and I am pleased.

I hang around and applaud strangers, and clap loudly for the older crew. A pleasant walk back to Curly, a chat with friends and another great day. One for the books.