First-ever U24 - Saftey Beach to Sorrento swim!

Up at sparrows, had to pack up the unit and get 5 women to the start line to paddle and swim.  
 

Such an amazing buzz, and so great to connect in-person to people again, and meet some for the first time.  
 

The hard work done organising was evident - thank you so much Pip Grummet Charlie Evans and Peter Hendriks - and everyone else involved.  You guys are total enablers, and I love you for it.   Watched pods 5 & 6 leave - what a sight seeing all the lights head off in the pre-dawn darkness.   
 

Then - off Pod 4 went with stoic paddlers Jen Willis and Finn Propper.  They had a much harder task than we did - trying to corral us all together, feed us, and keep us safe, while their butts hurt and their arms ached.  Jen - your wetsuit strip story is one I will never forget!   
The water was just like silk.  And - imagine my joy when I realised that my hands passing through the water set off teeny little bioluminescent organisms!  Absolutely magic.   Still in the dark, swam through patches of....something!  Shrimp?  Whitebait?  I don't know but they were wriggly!  Later, after sunrise, I could feel things hitting me that turned out to be balls of jelly - some clumped together in short strings.  No idea what they were - salps maybe?   
 

Sunrise was beautiful.  Every time I'd breathe to my left and back I'd see a glimpse, and it was Magic. 
 

We swam in pods, and I was lucky enough to be swimming with people I knew - often right between Daniel Hobday and Peter Stewart, and Sharon Young was right behind us.  I love swimming alone too, but swimming with friends is even better ❤.  
 

The faster pods started later, and it was great to greet people as pods passed through each other.  Though - it was sometimes a challenge in the dark to stay with my own pod - all paddlers look alike through foggy goggles!  
 

Wildlife was such a fantastic distraction.  Banjo sharks, Stingrays, fish, and spider crabs....but I missed out on the dolphin action that a few lucky swimmers enjoyed.
 

We were assured lots of sweep, and there was a good bit for a short while - but nothing like the "easy" swim I'd anticipated (foolishly!).  So at the 16 k mark, I had that moment where I wondered whether we would get this done - the tide was going to be on the way back in soon, and we were not close enough.  But, 40 minutes later and 18k in, I managed to switch the brain back into thinking it was doable (though, in OWS - nothing is ever a given).  6 more km - one more solid training set.  So off we went.  Pods started splitting and merging, and it became a very fluid situation as our kayakers, boaties and organisers worked to keep us all safe.   Then at 22 k, we were passing through a mariner, when we were told to get in the boat.  
Damn.  I thought we were being pulled because of the tide or time.  But no - it was just a 3 metre shark.  Thank goodness.  So, after that pissed off, we got back in (though, i d notice my fellow poddies did NOT get back in as quick as I did.  Hmmmm. That won't be forgotten people.  
 

Then - just 2 k's to go.  We turned around a corner and WHAM - straight into the tide.  We were getting nowhere fast.   So we stood up in chest-deep water - and could barely even walk forward.   Far out.  
 

We took a punt, and swam in close to shore - and then found some slacker water we could swim in....swam under two more piers....and then we were at Sorrento.  Freaking amazing adventure.  
 

Back on shore - best egg sandwiches EVER.  And, I finally met Robert Butcher, who coached me through a patch where I wondered if I'd ever be able to do this sort of stuff again.  So good to finally put the face to the name!   
 

What and adventure.  Nothing makes me feel more alive, and more connected to the world than a lovely long swim with lovely people. 
 

Thank you Melbourne Swimming Community.  The way you embraced me, and now my beautiful NQ buddies Daniel Hobday Helen Hobday and Iefke de Boer is truly appreciated.  You all make me feel like I'm not that crazy after all ❤.