Sandy Beach in 1926

Sandy Beach in 1926

Sandy Beach in summer 2011

Sandy Beach always drew a crowd.  It was near the railway station, and it was our equivalent of a day out at the beach. 

There was no pontoon in 1926, but I think the very same trees have made it through to 2011. 

As you can see, the 1926 shore is not pedestrian friendly, unless you can clamber over boulders.

Those boulders were replaced with sandstone retaining walls which, I am told, were constructed during the Depression (1930s), to create work for unemployed men.

So - world events - in this case the Wall Street crash on the other side of the world - led, in a circular way, to the construction of our own small street by the river.

Clothes for the fashion conscious swimmer

Our model sets a high fashion standard

Fashion is foremost in the minds of our swimmers, and this photo only goes to prove it.

Our model is wearing the club hat which she has carefully co-ordinated with her swimmers and umbrellas. 

The wind chill factor on this day was in the single figures so, to keep her swimmer's muscles warm and ready for action, she wears a raincoat in a colour which daringly mismatches her lime green sarong.

A wet and windy day at Sandy Beach (22jan2012)

We wear raincoats and sweaters over wet swimmers...

There's this joke swimmers like to make about wet weather.  They say: 'I'm not swimming in the rain, I might get wet.'

Well, we do swim in the rain.  If the tide turns up, so do we.

Date: Sunday 22 January 2012
Tide:  1.9m.
Time: 8am start for a long race program:
the chook race (if you can swim to a nominated time, you win a dead bird); 25m kids race,
100m freestyle championship,
50m handicap,
100m freestyle handicap,
1km or Around the Baths (about 700m).

Season: summer
Temperature: reaching 27 degrees celsius
Wind chill factor: 5 degrees celsuius
Time between races in wet cossie: 20 minutes.
The challenge: to maintain base body temperature.

....or a fleecy over a shirt...

...while others take shelter from the wind...

...but a dry towel can keep you warm...

...and then there's the wetsuit.

Group shot 2010/11 by Mathew Wylie

Isn't this one beautiful: morning light and legs.

NOTE:  If you click on the pic, it will enlarge.  

Group shot 2008/9 by Mathew Wylie

Group shot 2008-09 (with thanks to Mathew Wylie)

Note:  If you click on the photo, it will enlarge.

Sandy Beach 2004-05 group shot

Sandy Beach 2004-05

Brolly about to blow away...

Four fabulous chicks in 2004 (and still fabulous now)

A race day in 2012 - with rain

Swimmers adding their names to the race lists

Collating the day's races - with handicaps

The view from the club house

The club loudspeaker.  The kids love using it.

The river awaits them.

GO!

A close finish - and yes, it is raining

Starter with loudspeaker

Starter calling the next race

Down by the river (2011)

Father and son

Lining up for the next race

Chairs with names of members, past and present

Taking a dive (2011)

Christmas (with Santa) 2011

 

 

 

 

 

SANTA and friends

NOTE:  Some members took lots of Christmas photos.  If you like, I'll add them to this post.  Can you load them on to a memory stick bring it to the next meeting.

Summer 2007

The big jump from pontoon to river. 

Handicappers refining the timing handicaps

Official timers

Our speed machines ready to go

The queue for the next race

A few of our champion swimmers

A sunny smile on a sunny day

Networking

A study in towels

More swimming champions

It doesn't get any better than this: the club barbecue

The queue for lunch

Chef