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Surf Life Saving Club

Nobbys to Newcastle Ocean Swim

On Sunday 18th Dec Newcastle Surf Club hosted its first ever ocean swim. The week leading up to the swim saw race director Lee Howes question her enthusiasm to stage this event. The 3-4m southerly swell and strong southerly winds until and including the Saturday gave her more than a few anxious moments. Then come Sunday morning the swell had dropped as promised to 2.5m and the light breeze had swung north providing great conditions that were still a little challenging but extremely doable.

186 competitors donned their caps and strapped on timing chips at Newcastle surf club then took the 10min stroll around past the ocean baths to Nobbys beach then up the break wall to the base of Nobbys lighthouse the starting point of the swim.
The first wave of swimmers set off right on 9.30am out between the reefs and out to the first can. They were soon to be followed by the 2nd wave of swimmers. An army of water safety guided the competitors through the reef and out around the grouper then past the cowrie hole and the ocean baths. The last can was set further south than our race map to compensate for the swell and to try to find a passage in through the solid 4 footers. Quite a few swimmers caught some boomers to the beach with more than a few rumbling in the white wash. The final run up the beach saw them complete a course that was 2.5kms.

There were a few soft jellies along the way and a couple of blue bottles but when all said and done it is the ocean!

The open divisions were won by local talents Isak Costello 26.18 and Eliza Smith 26.50 each picking up $500 for their efforts. Congratulations to everyone that took part it was great to see swimmers from 14 to 70+ take this one on.

Following the big swim we reset the cans for a 500m swim which due to the swell turned out be be more like a 800m swim. A small field of 14 swimmers battled the breakers at Southy before rounding the cans and heading back through the break to the finish arch.
This was a tough one so well done to all.

The crew at Newcastle Surf Club hope that everyone enjoyed this exciting event as much as we enjoyed hosting it.
See you all next year!
Lee Howes