All posts by Simon Duffin

Born in Yorkshire, now living on the beautiful south coast of NSW. Have lived and worked in eight different countries over the years and swum in nearly all of them. Now in Australia, I want this website to reflect a new life, where swimming takes centre stage and there's a pool in nearly every small community.

Auburn Aquatic Centre (Ruth Everuss) – Lidcombe, NSW 2141

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Auburn was named after a village in England that features in an 18th century poem. My experience in the pool The Auburn Swim Centre, whose official name is the Ruth Everuss Aquatic Centre, only reopened in April 2017 after major refurbishment. It was quiet here on a chilly May morning, but the sun was bright and the outdoor Olympic pool looked very inviting, especially with only one other swimmer doing laps when I arrived. The old tiles mentioned and loved by my fellow swim blogger Read more [...]

Forster Ocean Baths – Forster, NSW 2428

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Forster is named after a 19th century NSW Premier. My experience in the pool Forster Ocean Baths are an absolute delight. If you're heading north, as I am on this quest to swim in all the NSW outdoor swimming enclosures, make the most of Forster because there aren't many more genuine ocean pools between here and the Queensland border. Forster Baths must have been all the more amazing when they were first built, when they had tea gardens, a dance hall and, of all things, a casino, attached Read more [...]

Angelo Anestis Aquatic Centre – Bexley, NSW 2207

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Bexley was named after the south-east London borough of the same name My experience in the pool I like the new aquatic centre in Bexley, not far from Hurstville in Sydney's south. It's named after the local councillor who apparently pushed for a super, modern swimming complex to be built, but very sadly, the lady at reception told me, Angelo Anestis passed away just a few months before the new centre opened its doors again in January 2017. It's still possible to see the sign Read more [...]

Clifton Gardens Baths – Chowder Bay – NSW 2088

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My experience in the pool I was the only one swimming at Clifton Gardens Baths in Chowder Bay on a sunny but chilly May morning. Well, unless you count the heron that kept bobbing up and down in the water around the shark net, or the school of pretty big fish - about 50cm long I'd guess - darting about around me in the water. Oh, and the scuba divers in their thick suits just outside the baths themselves. The air temperature might have been a brisk 13C or so but the water was warm, probably Read more [...]

Prize for artwork on Ocean Pools

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There is a $1,000 prize up for grabs, organised by the people who run the excellent All Into Ocean Pools website. Deadline for entries is 31 May, so only a few days left to get your favourite ocean pool painting or photo, or any other visual media, and submit it for the 2017 Sheridan Evans award. I just submitted an entry which took less than two minutes to upload so if you share our love of ocean pools, or just have an image of your favourite, why not have a go? Here's details of who Read more [...]

Oatley Bay Baths – Oatley, NSW 2223

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Oatley was named after a convict clockmaker - check out the commemorative clock tower in the village. My experience in the pool The kookaburras started chuckling as soon as we entered Oatley Pleasure Grounds and were in full cackling mode by the time we reached the edge of the water at Oatley Bay Baths. As we looked at the uninviting murky water and the cold breeze blew in from the river, we wondered if they were laughing at us for even thinking of having a dip in a pool where nobody seems Read more [...]

Oatley Park Baths – Jewfish Bay, NSW 2223

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My experience in the pool Oatley Park Baths in Jewfish Bay have so many unique qualities, it’s hard to know where to begin. For a start, the shark net here is 320m long so do 3 lengths of the netting and you’ve basically finished the 1km I normally do in my 20 laps of a 50m pool. And yes, the morning we popped down to Jewfish Bay, there were a couple of guys doing just that. One of them told us that on club days, if they want to run a 1km race, they get everyone to just do a circuit Read more [...]

Gymea Bay Baths – Gymea, NSW 2227

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The gymea is a type of lily. My experience in the pool Gymea Bay Baths have one of the most beautiful backdrops of Sydney's tidal baths, but boy you need to pick the right moment to come for a swim. So, first the positives about Gymea Bay. The baths are tucked away in a quiet cove surrounded by gum trees so when you get out of the car (and even more so if you catch one of the buses here which drop you off a good hike from the pool) you fill your lungs with the lovely eucalyptus scents. Then Read more [...]

Gunnamatta Bay Baths – Cronulla, NSW 2229

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Named for an Aboriginal word meaning 'sandy hills' My experience in the pool You can take your pick at Gunnamatta Baths between the 50m area and the more general shark-netted swimming enclosure along the sandy beach. Locals kept telling me the water can be a degree or two warmer at the northern end (ie away from the 50m pool bit), and there were a couple of guys in that section, but I opted for the proper swimming section, which was laned off with rope markers ahead of the local swim club Read more [...]

Botany Aquatic Centre – Botany, NSW 2019

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Botany was named for Captain Cook's botanists! My experience in the pool I had the Olympic Pool at Botany Aquatic Centre to myself for nearly all of my 20 laps on a cool Monday morning just a few days before the outdoor pool closes for the winter break. I really liked this pool, and not just because I was there by myself. It's set in beautiful grounds, with lots of grassy areas to loll around on after your swim in summer, as well as an intriguing set of slides right on the Read more [...]