Dive in! Two ocean swims to conquer in March
March 13: First Era ocean swim By Heather Eiszele Era Surf Life Saving Club will host its inaugural ocean challenge on Saturday, March 13, and offer swimmers a tour of the nearby historic beach shacks when they come ashore. The picturesque 2.2km...
March 13: First Era ocean swim
By Heather Eiszele
Era Surf Life Saving Club will host its inaugural ocean challenge on Saturday, March 13, and offer swimmers a tour of the nearby historic beach shacks when they come ashore.
The picturesque 2.2km swim starts at Garie Beach and runs south into the Royal National Park over rock shelves that provided food for the community during the Depression. Swimmers will pass the Little Garie Cabin Community, the North Era campgrounds and finish at Era Beach, an area usually the preserve of divers.
Organising committee member Elissa Hancock said quite a few Era SLSC members competed in ocean swims and decided to host their own.
“It’s such a beautiful spot – it’s ideal for something like this,” she said.
The event is being held in conjunction with the Heritage Listed Local Cabin Community, which will conduct tours of a few shacks. The cabin community has existed since the 1920s when the land was originally farmland; the Era Surf Club was built in 1938.
Era Beach is about 2.5km from Garie and accessible only by foot – or sea! Non-swimmers are welcome to attend, cheer on competitors and look back in time.
To take part, competitors must be at least
16 years of age and confident in the ocean. If the seas are high, getting out from Garie will be challenging.
Swimmers will be provided with a small bag for belongings, which will be transported to Era Beach for the walk back to Garie Beach carpark.
Registrations (capped at 300) begin at 8am and the first group of swimmers will start at 9am.
For more information, visit eraslsc.com.au
March 21: ‘Big Swim of the South’
By event coordinator Anthony Ashley
It is the start of a new year and with it comes new hope for a brighter, healthier start to 2021.
After the chaos of 2020, it’s time to put the swimmers on and get back in the water. The weather is perfect, the water temperature is spot-on and the Stanwell Park Equilibrium Healthcare Ocean Swim is back on. Save the date – Sunday, March 21, 2021 at 10am.
The Swim will be running in its traditional course, starting at Coalcliff Beach and finishing at Stanwell Park Beach.
Running 2.3km, the event showcases some of Australia’s most beautiful scenery as its backdrop.
Feel safe knowing that the support of Surf Life Saving Volunteers from Helensburgh-Stanwell Park and Coalcliff will be with you the entire way,
so don’t forget to look around and take in the experience as you power towards the finish line.
Thanks to Equilibrium Healthcare for supporting the ocean swim again this year. The event will have several awards for top place finishes and the newly introduced “Teams of 3” award, which is given to any team of three swimmers
(any age or sex) that completes the swim in the fastest combined time.
Helensburgh-Stanwell Park Surf Life Saving Club will host the awards ceremony at the conclusion of the ocean swim, along with food, drinks and, of course, the picturesque view from the upstairs Surf Club bar.
Need some training? It’s OK – we have that covered too. As we get closer to the big swim there will be some Sunday morning training sessions in the water just in front of Helensburgh-Stanwell Park SLSC Club. Keep an eye on the Equilibrium Healthcare Ocean Swim Facebook page or email the team at oceanswim@stanwellparksurfclub.com for more information.
This will be one ocean swim you do not want to miss. If you are ready to get off the couch and get in the water, register now at oceanswims.com or contact the team at oceanswim@stanwellparksurfclub.com
See you in the water!
