Ocean Baths / Rock Pools

Ivo Rowe Rock Pool – South Coogee, NSW 2034

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Named after a local resident who worked to improve the pool from the 1930s onwards. My experience in the pool The waves were crashing into this tiny, round rock pool south of Coogee when I first arrived, so for a change I decided to go for my coffee and cake before the swim instead of afterwards. By the time I got back there around midday on a hot February day, there were already two other guys in the water, and that makes this pool pretty full. That’s how small it is. They squeezed Read more [...]

Newport Rock Pool – Newport, NSW 2106

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I couldn't see any evidence of the times when this place got its name, as Sydney's new port on the northern beaches. My experience in the pool The surf was strong enough to close Newport Beach on the February morning I turned up for my rock pool swim. The pool was perfect, though, with warm water - over 20C - and no sign of bluebottles or beached whales (a reference back to the dead hump back found in the rock pool after a big storm in 2012).  I love Newport Beach Rock Pool for its simplicity. Read more [...]

Wylie’s Baths – Coogee, NSW 2034

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The oldest surviving communal sea baths in Australia My experience in the pool They'd closed Wylie's Baths the day before I came in February 2016. Strong surf from the remnants of Cyclone Winston was battering the east coast of NSW, making swimming dangerous, even in ocean pools like this one. Winds had dropped by the time I turned up and the pool was open (thankfully, because I'd come a long way for this swim), but lifeguards were on hand to make sure visitors didn't go anywhere near Read more [...]

Bulgo Pool – Bulgo, near Otford, NSW 2508

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Two swimming opportunities in one place – if you get the right tide My experience in the pool It took about 25 minutes to walk down the cliff from Otford to reach Bulgo Beach, but it was definitely worth it. Bulgo is one of the few remaining shack communities inside the Royal National Park. Thankfully the locals were friendly and were happy to send us in the right direction to reach the little rock pool at the southern end of the beach, because without their help, I think we’d just Read more [...]

Currarong Rock Pool – Currarong, NSW 2540

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The remains of the shipwreck ‘Merimbula’ (1928) can apparently be seen at low tide My experience in the pool This is a real rock pool. Basically it’s a sandy channel, deep enough to swim in, in between two sets of rocks along the edge of the bay. I got there about an hour after high tide, and it was perfect. The pool is about 30m wide (ie running parallel to the coastline rocks) but only three or four metres long. So it is strictly speaking possible to do laps, and I did do a few, Read more [...]

Mona Vale Rock Pool – NSW 2103

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Some say Mona Vale is named after a place in Scotland, but where is Mona Vale in Scotland? My experience in the pool There were half a dozen lap swimmers already in the water when I turned up at Mona Vale at about 11am on a sunny February morning. And lots of grandparents were in the toddlers' paddling pool next door - with their toddlers, I should add... It was a warm morning without the searing heat of some days recently and no sign of thunderstorms for the first time in a while. Read more [...]

Giles Baths – Coogee, NSW 2034

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Named after a Mr Giles who owned the Hot Sea Baths here from 1929 My experience in the pool It was a hot, humid morning when I turned up at Giles Baths, at the northern end of Coogee Beach in Sydney's eastern suburbs. A visit to Giles Baths is a great experience, from the moment you pass under the big archway with the word Baths engraved up high, and the poignant memorial to the locals who died in the Bali bombings 13 years ago now. Walk through the arch and you see the water below. Read more [...]

North Narrabeen Rock Pool, NSW 2101

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Narrabeen beach gets a mention in a Beach Boys song… My experience in the pool North Narrabeen rock pool is something of an icon among Sydney's regular rock pool swimmers, and it's easy to see why. The 50m laned pool is separated from the rest of the pool area by a wooden boardwalk which has apparently been there since the pool was built in the 1930s. I think you can swim under the boardwalk to get from the general swimming area to the main pool, though nobody seemed to be doing that Read more [...]

Collaroy Rock Pool – Collaroy, NSW 2097

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Named after a ship that ran aground here in 1881 My experience in the pool By arriving here on a hot Friday morning towards midday when schools are soon to finish for the summer, I learned a couple of things at Collaroy Rock Pool. First thing was just how hot the concrete next to a pool can become in the midday sun, so should have brought my pool shoes, but for a completely different reason to normal. Second thing is that Australian school classes at this time of year on a Friday are Read more [...]

Malabar Rock Pool – Malabar, NSW 2036

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Named after a ship that ran aground in 1931 My experience in the pool As you walk along the southern edge of Long Bay to get to Malabar Rock Pool you first pass signposts warning of snakes being seen in the area and then a ‘pool wildlife’ board with images of various marine life from tiddlers to stingrays via Port Jackson Sharks (don’t worry, these are not lethal and don’t get bigger than about 1.5m long, though thankfully there were none in the pool when I got in). Actually, Read more [...]