OCT 11, SAT: Forresters Beach Island Swim & Board Paddle
1.2 km, 11am - NSW Central Coast (Forresters Beach Board Riders + Wamberal SLSC) - Website - REPORT
OCT 11, SAT: Hunter River Swim, Morpeth
1.5km, 3pm (H Events) - Website - REPORT
OCT 12, SUN: East Coast Ocean Challenge - CANCELLED
Bondi (KMS Events) - privately run swim. Circuit course inside Bondi bay. Rules say "all FINA approved wetsuits may be worn for the swim event (If it sinks it’s approved) and; Wetsuits less than 5mm thickness are allowed." Ph 0417 470 529
NOVEMBER 08
NOV 1, SAT: Wollongong - Swimming NSW Marathon Series
1.5km, 5km, 10km - Belmore Basin - North Wollongong Beach - website
NOV 9, SUN: (NEW SWIM) Chowder Bay - NSW AUSSI Masters OW Champs - - Postponed to April '09 2km, 1km, 10am - Chowder Bay/Clifton Gardens (NSW AUSSI Masters-North Sydney AUSSI Masters). Check for new date later in calendar.
NOV 9, SUN: Canberra - Sri Chinmoy National Capital Swim 9 km - Lake Burley Griffin, Canberra - solo or team relay - website
NOV 9, SUN: Penrith - Swimming NSW Marathon Series
Sydney International Regatta Centre (Ripples St Marys SC) - website
NOV 16, SUN: Terrigal - Swimming NSW Marathon Series
Terrigal Beach (Gosford Stingrays SC) - website - We're not sure what's happening with this swim. It was on the NSW Swimming calendar but now has disappeared. Gosford SC's February swim also is not listed.
NOV 16, SUN: Canberra - Swimming NSW Marathon Series
2.5km, 5km, 10km, Lake Burley Griffin (Telopea SC) - open to all swimmers - website
NOV 22, SAT: Honeysuckle Harbour Swim, Newcastle - CANCELLED 1 km - Part of Newcastle Olympic Triathlon Festival (HEvents) - Website
NOV 23, SUN: Balmain - Dawny's Cockatoo Challenge - Featured Swim 1 km, 2.4 km - Balmain (Balmain Water Polo). Website
NOV 23, SUN: (NEW SWIM) Cooks Hill - Baths2Bar - Featured Swim Merewether - Cooks Hill (Newcastle, Cooks Hill SLSC) - Website for online entries
NOV 29, SAT: Toowoon Bay Ocean Swim - Featured Swim 400 m, 1 km, 2 km - Toowoon Bay, central coast beach (Toowoon Bay SLSC) - website and online entries.
NOV 29, SAT: Pool to Peak 2 km - Newport, northern Sydney beach (Newport SLSC)
NOV 30, SUN: Tweed River Swim (The Killer Swim) - Featured Swim 2.5km, 1.2km, 400m - Murwillumbah (Murwillumbah Brass Monkeys SC) - email Marc Vining - This is the classic pre-Xmas northern NSW swim. Do two of three swims, or just one, of 400m nominated time swim, or either longer distances.
Organisers say of conditions: "River swim, gentle tides, some assistance for half the course". Min. age 12.
This will be your chance to meet the famous Killer. Don't let the pic at right put you off. He's smaller than this now, although still very, very colourful.
Killer and his cohorts swear blind that a weekend -- even just Sunday -- in Murwillumbah is a ripper of an experience. We're hoping oursleves to d this swim this season, providing we can get decent airfares in schoolies week.
NOV 30, SUN: Island Challenge, Coogee - Featured Swim 1 km, 2.4 km - Coogee, Sydney eastern beaches (Coogee SLSC) - Website for online entries
DECEMBER 08
DEC 6, SAT: North Curl Curl - 3 Points Challenge - Featured Swim 2km swim and/or total 900m swims/6km runs, km - North Curl Curl (North Curl Curl SLSC) - website and entries online.
DEC 7, SUN: Bondi-Bronte 2 km (Bronte SLSC)
DEC 13, SAT: Long Reef Ocean Swim - Featured Swim Long Reef, northern Sydney beach (Long Reef SLSC) - website and online entries.
DEC 14, SUN: Bilgola Big Swim - Featured Swim Bilgola, northern Sydney beaches (Bilgola SLSC) - Website
DEC 14, SUN: Jim Kerry Classic, North Wollongong
1.2km, Boat Harbour to North Beach - more info and online entries coming soon.
DEC 28, SUN: Yamba - Convent to Main Beach Swim - Featured Swim
2km (11am), 700m (10am), Dash for Cash (200m, Noon), Yamba, North coast (Yamba SLSC) - Website.
1st of 3 legs in the North Coast Swim Series, the other two being Coffs Harbour (Mar 1) and South West Rocks (Mar 29). Complete all three legs and enter the draw for excellent holiday packages at Yamba, Coffs and South West Rocks.
Growing in popularity in recent years, particularly amongst holiday-makers on the NSW North Coast over Christmas, this swim offers a beautiful location with terrific beaches. Excellent way to get oneself feeling good again after Xmas indulgences.
There is a good alternative course (above) if conditions close out the ocean beach, too.
JAN 11, SUN: Hawks Nest - Bay to Breakers + Jimmys Splash
800m swim + 500m sand run + 1.1km swim or just 800m swim, + 300m Dash for Cash, Hawks Nest, Lower North Coast (Hawks Nest SLSC). Hawks Nest, northern side of Port Stephens, get there through Karuah (Hawks Nest SLSC). Hawks Nest is such a beautiful place, quite breathtaking. It's also the start of the North Coast, with aspects over Port Stephens, to the south, and along the beach northwards towards Seal Rocks. Two choices of swim: along the bay inside Port Stephens, then across the sand dunes (it's not that far, really), and along the ocean beach back to the surf club (Ithat's the main event), or along the vbeach inside tyhe bay, whcih is a gentle sweim with weed tickling your belly (if you're like us, with a deep keel).
If conditions are difficult, both swims will be run inside the bay, in the shelter of Port Stephens.
Open Men/Women $200, Under 18 Men/Women $100.
More info, contact Stephen Howell 0417 664071 or Debbie Booth on 02 4997 0647.
JAN 11, SUN: North Bondi - The Roughwater - Featured Swim
2km, eastern Sydney beach. Website and online entries.
JAN 11, SUN: Avalon Beach Surf Swim - Featured Swim
1.5km, northern Sydney beach, 10.30am - Website and online entries.
JAN 11, SUN: Regatta 2km Challenge - Penrith
2km, 10.30am, Sydney International Regatta Centre (NSW Sport and Recreation with Penrith Swimming Club) - website - email. 2km swim along the length of the Regatta Centre at Penrith Lakes. Min. age 10. $10 for entry by mail or $15 on the day ($20 or $30 for Families). Organisers say: "Good water quality, flat water." This gives you the chance to swim along the course used before Xmas for the Australian Open Water Championships.
JAN 18, SUN: Warriewood-Mona Vale Mighty Marathon - Featured Swim
1.6km, 10am. Registration Warriewood Beach, finish Mona Vale Beach. Website and online entries.
JAN 18, SUN: Wharf 2 Waves - Tathra
1.2km, 600m, far south coast (Tathra SLSC) - website.
JAN 25, SUN: The Big Swim, Palm Beach - Whale Beach - Featured Swim
2.7km, 10am, northern Sydney beach (Whale Beach SLSC) - website
JAN 26, MON: Lake Glenbawn - Swimming NSW Marathon Series
Lake Glenbawn, Upper Hunter (Scone SC) - website
JAN 26, MON: Newcastle Harbour Swim - Featured Swim 1.4km, 700m, entries/registration closes 8:45am (700m - Stockton side), 9:45 for 1.4km (Queens Wharf, Newcastle side) (organised by Stockton SLSC). Website. One crossing of Newcastle Harbour, from Stockton Ferry Wharf to Queens Wharf, or two crossings, Queens Wharf to Queens Wharf via booees arrayed before Stockton wharf.
This is one of oceanswims.com's favourite swims. Why? Because as little tykes, our dream was to be a ferry boy on the Stockton Ferry. We spent our earliest years at Stockton, and you can still see our Nan's pitched roof whilst you're waiting for the ferry on the Newcastle side, although Nan doesn't live there any more. We spent our youths, too, crossing Newcastle Harbour on the Stockton Ferry. Our great grandad, Dadah, was an engineer on the ferry as well as being mayor of Stockton, in the days when places like Stockton had mayors.
Don't be fooled by the smooth-ish waters. There can be a current running through Newcastle Harbour, to be sure. Make sure you sight your target swell, for it will drag you one way or the other if you're not careful. Thus, it is a challenge and a lot of fun.
Make sure, if you're swimming in the 700m swim, that you check in on the Stockton side. You can't enter or register for this swim on the Newcastle side.
Prize money for Open Male, Female & Club Challenge only. 1st Place - $500, 2nd Place $ 300 and 3rd Place $100.
Remember to order your event commemmorative t-shirt when you enter online!
JAN 26, MON: Illawarra Australia Day Aquathon
200m-2km (Jrs), 400m-3km, 800m-7.2km. Belmore Basin, Wollongong Harbour, 80 km south of Sydney. 10th anniversary of this event.
JAN 31, SAT: Across the Lake, Coal Point-Belmont, Lake Macquarie
3.8km, 9.30am, registration and finish at Belmont 16' Sailing Club (Swansea Belmont SLSC) - be early: you need to catch the ferry across the lake to the start.
JAN 31, SAT: Penrith - Bridge to Bridge and Berry Rickards Swims - Swimming NSW Marathon Series
Sydney International Regatta Centre (Penrith SC) - website
FEBRUARY 09
FEB 1, SUN: The Cole Classic, Manly
2km, 1km - website - If you wish to provide Feedback to the Cole Classic organisers, click here
FEB 7, SAT: Canberra - Swimming NSW Marathon Series
2.5km, 5km, 10km, Lake Burley Griffin (Telopea SC) - SC members only - website
FEB 8, SUN: North Bondi Classic - Featured Swim
2km - 10am, Bondi, Sydney eastern beach (North Bondi SLSC) - Website and online entries.
FEB 15, SUN: Caves Beachside Resort Ocean Swim, Caves Beach
1.5km, 10am (Caves Beach SLSC), eastern side Lake Macquarie c. 160km north of Sydney
FEB 15, SUN: Malabar to Little Bay Stockland Challenge - Featured Swim
2.7km, 10am (Rainbow Club). Eastern Sydney beach -
A new destination swim to benefit the special children of Rainbow Club Australia. Starting from the protected waters of Malabar Bay and finishing at picturesque Little Bay. The festivities will include a complimentary BBQ lunch hosted by Stockland. Website and online entries. (NB: Date has been brought forward one week.)
FEB 22, SUN: Canberra - Sri Chinmoy National Capital Swim 5km, 2.5km, 500m - Lake Burley Griffin, Canberra - solo or team relay - website - email
FEB 22, SUN: Jindabyne Lifesaving Energy Big Swim
7km, 1.5km, Jindabyne, Snowy Mountains (Clean Energy For Eternity) - website - email Matthew Nott
FEB 28-MAR 2, SUN-TUE: Penrith - Swimming NSW Marathon Series
Sydney International Regatta Centre (Aust Swimming) - website
MARCH 09
MAR 1, SUN: Sydney Harbour Swim Classic - Featured Swim
2km, 1km - registration, start-finish Man o' War Steps, by Sydney Opera House - website and entries online
MAR 1, SUN: Coffs Coast Swims, Coffs Harbour - Featured Swim
2km, 600m, 250m - NSW North Coast - website and entries online.
MAR 8, SUN: Sir Roden Cutler Manly Wharf Swim
2km, Manly Beach (Manly LSC)
MAR 14, SAT: Narrandera - Swimming NSW Marathon Series
Lake Talbot (Narrandera SC) - website
MAR 14, SAT: Harbour Swim, Newcastle 1 km - Queens Wharf to Horseshoe Beach, Part of Triathlon Festival (HEvents) - Website
MAR 15, SUN: Bridge to Beach, Sydney Harbour Bridge - Manly
11km - website
MAR 15, SUN: Shark Island Swim Classic, Cronulla
2.3km, 1km - Registration, start-finish Cronulla Beach (South Cronulla, Cronulla SLSC) - website
MAR 22, SUN: Stanwell Park Ocean Challenge
2.3km, Coalcliff - Stanwell Park, Sydney southern beaches (Helensburgh-Stanwell Park SLSC)
MAR 29, SUN: Gaol Break Swim, South West Rocks
2.8km, NSW North Coast (South West Rocks SLSC) - Make a weekend of it: South West Rocks is one of the most beautiful locations on the NSW Coast. Surf, swim, dive, cruise, eat, relax, yarn ... We're planning to run again our very popular pre-swim dinner at The Riverside Tavern on the Sat'dy night. It's a better night out than the cinema, and even better -- and this is saying something -- than a night in with The Iron Chef and Rockwiz.
MAR 29, SUN: The Balmoral Swim
1km, north side Sydney Harbour (Balmoral Beach Club).
APRIL 09
APR 5, SUN: 11th North Steyne Ocean Swim
1km, 2.8km, Northern Sydney Beach (North Steyne SLSC)
APR 5, SUN: Avoca Beach Ocean Swim 2.5km, Avoca Beach, Central Coast south of Terrigal (Avoca Beach SLSC)
APR 12, EASTER SUN: Rock to Rock Swim, Pacific Palms
1.5km, Noon, Lower North Coast (Pacific Palms SLSC) - Pacific Palms, lower north coast (Pacific Palms SLSC).
This is a delightfully quirky swim (see the course for why) and one of the tour's great discoveries.
Pacific Palms is a small, beautiful, north-facing beach which generally is gentle, kind and with gloriously clear water. Also a late start (Noon), which means you can drive comfortably from Sydney for the day. But don't arrive too late -- registrations close at 11.
APR 13, EASTER MON: Tamarama 2 Clovelly Swim 10am (Tamarama SLSC with Clovelly SLSC) - New swim! After last season's disappointment -- heavy seas forcing cancellation of their inaugural swim -- Tamarama SLSC is working with Clovelly SLSC to produce what should be a classic. Details still are being worked out, but organisers say those who entered for the Tama swim last season will get a 50 per cent discount on the $30 entry fee this time around.
APR 18, SAT: Shellharbour Ocean Swim
1.2 km, 11 am - from Boat Harbour at Shellharbour, around the point to the beach. (Shellharbour SLSC) - first leg of the South Coast Ocean Swim Weekend Away.
APR 19, SUN: Mollymook Ocean Swim
2km, 9.30am - South Coast (Mollymook SLSC) - 2nd leg of the South Coast Ocean Swim Weekend Away
APR 19, SUN: DY2K Ocean Swim and Duathlon, Dee Why
ocean swim 2km, Duathlon 2km swim + 4.5km run, 800m swim - (Dee Why SLSC) - registration, start-finish at Dee Why beach, duathlon run leg up to Long Reef headland and return. New date for this event: formerly run mid-February.
APR 26, SUN: Coogee-Bondi Swim
5km, 8.30am - more details to come.
APR 26, SUN: South Curl Curl Ocean Swim
More details to come.
APR TBA, SUN: Tilbury Classic, Culburra
1.9km, 10am near-South Coast (Nowra Culburra SLSC) - Tilbury Cove - Culburra Beach (Nowra-Culburra SLSC). Min. age 13. Entry $25. Brunch provided to swimmers.
APR TBA, SUN: Club to Club Swim, Forster
1km, 3.8km - Lower North Coast (Forster SLSC)
TBA: (NEW SWIM), SUN: Chowder Bay - NSW AUSSI Masters OW Champs 2km, 1km, 10am - Chowder Bay/Clifton Gardens (NSW AUSSI Masters-North Sydney AUSSI Masters) - phone Peter Gregory 0414 712 291.
Organisers say: Chowder Bay off Clifton Gardens is a calm open body of water with a gentle and shallow slope from a sandy beach. This swim is the Masters Swimming NSW Open Water Championships and is also open to the public. It is also the test event for the 2009 World Masters Games Open Water Swim to be held at the same venue in October 2009. Electronic timing will be used."Website and online entry.
MAY 09
MAY 3, SUN: 21st Byron Bay Winter Whales Ocean Swim Classic
2.3 km, 800m, Byron Bay, far north coast (Byron Bay Winter Whales Winter Swimming Club + Byron Bay SLSC). Icon event. Not to be missed. Website.
MAY 17, SUN: South Head Roughwater
10km, North Bondi - Watsons Bay
JUNE 09
JUNE TBA, SUN: Convent to Main Beach
1km, 10am, (Yamba SLSC with Clarence River Masters)
Stay @ Cecily's South West Rocks
One of our favourite ocean swimmers, Cecily Black, and her husband, Chris, have a lovely unit at South West Rocks, on the mid-North Coast of NSW, which they're happy to let for weekends and holidays.
Just a few minutes walk from the beach, and in the heart of one of the most beautiful places on the coast.
1.4km, 700m, entries/registration closes 8:45am (700m - Stockton side), 9:45 for 1.4km (Queens Wharf, Newcastle side) (organised by Stockton SLSC). 
This is a delightfully quirky swim (see the course for why) and one of the tour's great discoveries. 
