Many of the team woke up with butterflies on Wednesday, as the morning of the much anticipated Ocean Swim dawned hot and sunny. Very few had experienced surf racing, but as former ironman champ Graeme Brewer had kindly invited the Abb swimmers to participate in his weekly splash off Noosa Main Beach, it was a great chance to learn from the best – especially as the water was choppy with a strong current. Graeme not only took the whole team under his wing but led the swim after imparting some valuable tips. His top 5: always swim with a buddy of the same speed; hug the shoreline so you can stand up if necessary; keep your head down; don’t let your legs sink or the current will carry you away; and always wear a cap as well as goggles. As Graeme expertly guided the group around the point and back over 1.6 km, water safety was at a premium as they were also watched over by Jordy, Genevieve and Riley, experienced members of Noosa SLSC, on their surf skis.
Then, for the girls, armed with phones and money, it was the hustle and bustle of Eumundi Markets, with many fabulous wardrobe purchases – “only $10!” – showed off on return. A big big thank you to ever-patient Brandon, who waited in the heat for two hours under a tree until it was time to drive the chicks home again in the bus.
With no pool swimming today, it was still a a busy afternoon, with the boys off on kayaking safari and the girls heading back down to the beach for a surf with Leanne, followed by ice cream.
Team activity after dinner (tacos and apple crumble) was Trivia, with all groups showing off their creativity via themed dress ups. With point scores climbing, the competition is hotting up!
