Tag Archives: 50m pool

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 [...]

Dee Why Rock Pool – Dee Why, NSW 2099

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When swimming in public first became legal, this area was all owned by the Salvation Army… My experience in the pool My first ever experience of an Australian beach was at Dee Why, back in 1967 – I was promptly sent flying by an incoming wave as I paddled along the water’s edge, expecting things to be like the North Sea back home in Yorkshire. This was the nearest beach to our home for that year but I only have that first memory still engraved in my brain all these years on… I Read more [...]

Newcastle Ocean Baths – NSW 2300

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They don’t rent out towels, costumes or handkerchiefs anymore like they used to when these pools first opened in 1922. My experience in the pool I love everything about this place, from the grand Ocean Baths entrance in art deco style, through to the viewing ramp, which looks out over the main 50m pool and the enormous leisure pool next to it. I hadn’t had a decent workout in a 50m pool for a week or two, so spent all my time doing joyous laps in that section rather testing out the Read more [...]

South Curl Curl Rock Pool – NSW 2096

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The name possibly comes from an Aboriginal phrase meaning ‘river of life’ My experience in the pool I was here on a bright, sunny morning in early October when you can almost feel the transition from spring to summer (and forecasts were for 30C the next day). The water was already a lovely temperature – no signs up, but I was guessing over 20C for my swim, making we wish I’d done the switch back to ocean pools a few weeks ago rather than waiting till now. This is a lovely pool, Read more [...]

Queenscliff Rock Pool – NSW 2096

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It is claimed that the first big wave surfing was at Queenscliff My experience in the rock pool Unlike the pool at the southern end of Manly Beach – Fairy Bower – Queenscliff rock pool is a 50m pool designed for serious lap swimmers. That’s not to say the fun-seekers can’t come into the water here. In fact when I last swam here I had the pool to myself, though it was a June morning, so the air temperature was about on a par with the water at about 16C. Some say they like this Read more [...]

Bulli Rock Pool – NSW 2516

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Bulli Rock Pool There’s been a rock pool on this site for almost 100 years. My experience in the rock pool I went to Bulli Pool while still under dire warnings from my physio about not swimming due to limited movement in my shoulder. So I was limited to floating around on my back and paddling with my feet and legs only. Still that in itself was a joy in this beautiful ocean pool set against the cliff on a headland with beaches stretching out to either side, and I think you can just Read more [...]

Bellambi Rock Pool – NSW 2518

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Surfer gliding past rock pool at Bellambi Bellambi Rock Pool One of the most recent rock pools to be built (in the mid 1960s) My experience in the rock pool I arrived half an hour after high tide, with the waves lapping over the edge of the pool, making for a fairly choppy look to the surface. So I decided to let the water recede a little before taking the plunge. By the time I was in the water, an hour after high tide, the waves were just entering the pool at the far north end, Read more [...]

Port Kembla Olympic Pool – NSW 2505

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  Famous now for its steel works, but back in 1770 Red Point near Port Kembla was Captain Cook’s first sighting of the East Coast My experience in the pool My first swim here was on a bright but very breezy day in early February. The wind off the sea was so strong that as I swam eastwards it whipped up small waves which made breathing more difficult (though it also just made me improve my head lift each time I came up for air in freestyle). This is a beautiful 50m pool, marked Read more [...]