If you had told me 2 years ago that I would be doing an ocean swim in 2012, I would have laughed at you...at that time I was struggling to finish the 750m at Kurnell without resorting to breast stroke!
...since then, I have discovered wet suits, and with that, I have developed more confidence in the water. Such that I entered my first ocean swim today, the Cole Classic....the biggest ocean swim in Australia apparently!
I met up with Mike H beforehand and we walked to the start line, arriving literally just before the gun went off for our wave. Perfect timing.
Due to the swell and the surf coming into Manly, they had changed the route so that it now started and finished at Shelly Beach rather than into Manly. Basically an out and back route.
As customary with my swimming starts I started towards the back of the pack so that I could hopefully get into a rhythm quickly. Which I managed as I headed out towards the first bouy.
From then on, basically it was just like any other swim, fairly comfortable and with no real dramas. Sure, I mixed in a bit of breaststroke when things got a little bumpy. In particular, breathing out of my right side was difficult as we swam parallel to the beach towards Queenscliff because of the swell, but on the whole it was ok. Hard work as the swell was moving quickly, but nothing too dramatic really.
After passing one too many bouys on the return leg, I eventually made it to the finish line, crossing with about 52.30 on the clock. Very slow, but that really wasn't the point of today, it was more to finish in one piece! Which I did.
What the time does do, however, is prove just how much the wet suit does for me...it really does make a massive difference.
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