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 Journey by the Bower
North Steyne Ocean Swims
Sunday, March 30, 2008
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| Event |
North Steyne Ocean Swim, 2.8km, 1km, Dash for Cash
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| Date, times |
Sunday, March 30, 2008, 9am (1km), 10.30am (2.8 km) |
| Organiser |
North Steyne SLSC |
| Major sponsors |
Steyne Hotel |
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The oceanswims.com courses around Noth Steyne and Manly, for the North Steyne swims themselves, and the Cole Classic and the Manly Wharf swim at Manly.
The longer North Steyne swim, particularly, is a classic: across the sandy bottom to Fairy Bower Point, around Cabbage Tree Bay to Manly Point, and back across the sandy bottom to North Steyne.
We love this swim. |
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| Course |
Registration at North Steyne surf clubhouse. Start is from the beach in front of the clubhouse.
Courses runs out from North Steyne. Main swim treks to Fairy Bower, across to Manly Point, then back along, behind the break to North Steyne. It's a wonderful swim that traverses some of the best sea bottom in Sydney. Lots of sea life to watch. And to watch you.
Shorter swim starts and finishes in front of North Steyne SLSC clubhouse, follows the course of the longer swim south, then back to North Steyne.
Dash for Cash (200 m) runs from behind the break at North Steyne in to a finish line on North Steyne beach. |
| Conditions |
North Steyne is an open beach that takes a wave when it's offered. It's a beach of breaks and banks, of peaks and gutters. That's not to say that it's a dangerous beach, but it certainly can be challenging in a swell. If there is any kind of swell on swim day, then the start and finish to these swims at least will offer challenges. Look for the rip at the start -- and use it -- and avoid it at the finish.
Once behind the break, however, this is an easy swim across to Fairy Bower. Now, anyone who did the Manly swim on February 26 knows that a swim to Fairy Bower is not necessarily a doddle. Across the gap between the break at North Steyne and the Bower reef is not the issue. The issue is what's breaking on the reef at the time.
Unlike Manly, this swim does not take you beyond the Bower, around the point where the serious stuff can break. But it could be turbulent across the reef inshore of that break, and until you get once more into clear water on the way to Manly Point.
That said, that part of the course is also gloriously beautiful, with big, smooth boulders, shaped by Huey over millennia, nay, megennia, rolling compliantly around the bottom. You can stop and stand up on this reef to take it all in, if you like. But watch out for the sea anenomes if you do.
Shorter swim runs out and back in from North Steyne SLSC clubhouse.
These are good swims. |
| Years run, Starters last time |
10th year, 211 starters in the longer swim last season, 130 in the shorter. |
| Prizes |
Cash prizes will be offered for Fastest Male and Fastest Female overall.
Certificates and caps to all swimmers.
Prizewinners must be present to collect their prizes.
Dash for Cash has two divisions - Open Male/Female, Over 40 Male/Female. Cash prizes for first 3 in each of those 4 categories.
No category prizes. Instead, prizes will be given out as random draws amongst all swimmers. |
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Striking out for Fairy Bower. |
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| Categories |
- 9-12 yrs (1km only)
- 13 - 19 yrs
- 20-24 yrs
- 25-29 yrs
- 30-34 yrs
- 35-39 yrs
- 40-44 yrs
- 45-49 yrs
- 50-54 yrs
- 55-59 yrs
- 60 + yrs
| All categories have both Male and Female divisions. |
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| Contact, further info |
Email enquiries to North Steyne SLSC (click here) or email Damian O'Shannassy (click here) or ph 0402 029 963 or email Bernie Burrows (click here) or ph 0414 544 533 |
| Eligibility |
Public, but only those swimmers who have trained
for the event and can swim the course with confidence should enter. |
| Water safety |
Surf lifesavers from North Steyne SLSC |
| Max./Min. ages |
Minimum age 9 (1km), 13 (2.8km) |
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What's this, hanging, suspended, a few metres below the surface between North Steyne and Fairy Bower? Looks to us like the North Steyne laddies have positioned a lane rope for us, thoughtfully, to help us to find out way around the bay. |
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| oceanswims.com says |
Lovely swim from North Steyne across to Fairy Bower and back. Traverses some beautiful bottom and some lovely water. Can be a challenging break, but, hey! that's ocean swimming!
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| Entries |
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Start |
Min. Age |
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1km |
9am |
9 |
$20 |
$25 |
2.8km |
10.30am |
13 |
$25 |
$30 |
Both swims |
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13 |
$40 |
$50 |
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Dash for Cash is free but open only to swimmers who first complete the major swims.
The swim is subject to conditions on the day and if it can not go ahead, entries are non-refundable. Any decision to cancel will be made at 7am on race day. Check oceanswims.com (Stop Press box on home page) on race day morning for cancellation bulletins.
Online entries close midnight Friday, March 28, 08
Online entries have closed
Click here to download North Steyne entry form as pdf file for on-day entry.
Check progress entries received on-line. |
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Heading into Cabbage Tree Bay, it looks like the destination of a journey. But it's not. It's half way, but it's also the highlight of this swim, Cabbage Tree Bay teeming with sea life as it is, you watching it, it watching you. |
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