President's Prattle - May 2021

Welcome to new member Steve Hutchinson, who, as our third Steve, puts us very close to having a "Steve" relay team. And a warm welcome back to Karen. Hopefully, you have settled in after the upheaval of moving to the "big smoke".

The recent wet and cooler weather contrasts with the blue skies and 30 to 35 deg days our Lake Argyle team of swimmers and supporters experienced, especially when the Mandurah maximum temperature does not even reach the minimum temperatures we enjoyed! Thank you to my fellow Manna swimmers and supporters for making a great trip even better. With COVID curtailing our horizons, I would recommend you consider adding the Lake Argyle swim to your "bucket list". The relaxed and fun atmosphere, as well as the fantastic scenery and camaraderie of travelling with friends, make this a truly unique experience.

From all reports, the May highlights would appear to be frolicking with the Dolphins, some outstanding swims at the Stadium 1500 Meet and a very relaxed and enjoyable night out at the Thai restaurant.

Thank you, Helen and Glenda, for organising another sensational social event. And thank you to all the members who were able to attend. Please keep Saturday 19 June free for our next social event - the Winter Solstice Swim and BBQ.

It is great to see the revived interest in the Sunday morning training sessions and Vorgee Swims. A big thanks for all their hard work and enthusiasm to Coaches Wayne, Mike and Des, and Recorder Kirk. We encourage you to join them as winter is an ideal time to enjoy a swim in the warm water of either the outdoor or indoor pool with a coffee and chat after. If you find the outdoor pool too cold in winter, you might also like to know Tuesday night training will soon be moving to the indoor pool, but more on that to come.

Congratulations to record breakers Deb, Kirk and Anwar, who most ably represented Mandurah at the Stadium Masters 1500 Meet on 15 May. Recorder Kirk reports (subject to confirmation):

"Deb set a new Club record for the 1500 Backstroke. Unfortunately, the timers messed up her 400 and 800 splits.

Anwar Moreno set a new Club record in the 1500m Backstroke and was within striking distance of both State and National records.

I managed to set new State and Club records for the 1500 and 800 Backstroke split and just missed the 400 by 7 seconds."

A 1500 m is a tough swim anytime, let alone doing backstroke. Well done - Deb, Kirk and Anwar!

On the open water front, Doddi's swimmers cannot stop talking about the day the Dolphins came to play. The numerous close encounters and spectacle of Dolphins leaping and twisting in the air have left special memories that will last forever, especially for Bill and Gabby.

Finally, winter heralds a time where we need to make a special effort to look out for each other. Forget the bravado, and please wear your wetsuit if you need to. Please be aware that during winter and early spring, the risk of Hypothermia increases. To find out more information about Hypothermia, please follow the link to Information on Avoiding Hypothermia. Don't forget to sign the Swimmer's Register before each swim, and, if you haven't already, while you are in the Storeroom please take time to read the Emergency Response Plan Safety Officer Ross has displayed on the wall.

Enjoy your swimming.

Steve