Tag Archives: ocean pool

Sawtell Memorial Rock Pool – Sawtell, NSW 2452

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Mr Sawtell was a local landlord in the early 1900s. My experience in the pool Sawtell Memorial Rock Pool sits at the northern end of a beautiful sandy beach, which we reached at low tide. The pool lay empty when we turned up early on a Friday afternoon in November, and from the cliff top where we parked it looked at first a bit shallow to swim in. But once we got down to pool level, we could see the deep end was actually probably about 2m depth, and when we got in the water down at the Read more [...]

Fairlight Rock Pool – Fairlight, NSW 2094

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Named after a village in Sussex near Hastings My experience in the pool Is it an ocean pool or should I call them harbour baths? Fairlight Rock Pool could be called either. There's no surf here; it's far too tucked away, protected from the ocean by Manly and the other stony outcrop that houses Balgowlah. But if they took away the pool wall at the eastern end and you just kept swimming, you'd end up out in the middle of the Tasman Sea heading towards New Zealand. It certainly has more 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 [...]

North Curl Curl Rock Pool – NSW 2099

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Is this the only NSW ocean pool with an 'island' in the middle of it? My experience in the pool Probably partly because it is a little less easily accessible than many other ocean pools, you don’t seem to get many travelling tourists in North Curl Curl Rock Pool. It feels like quite a locals pool, and when I told one guy it was my first time here, he asked me not to tell everyone about it… Actually I don’t think it was my first ever time in this rock pool. I have a hunch (though Read more [...]

Freshwater Rock Pool – Freshwater, NSW 2096

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In 1925, Freshwater rock pool became the first ocean pool on Sydney’s northern beaches. My experience in the pool Freshwater Rock Pool is a perfectly-positioned 50m Olympic Pool, with lane markings on the floor. It sits right under the cliff on one side at the northern end of Freshwater Beach, but unlike neighbouring Queenscliff, this doesn’t prevent the sun from warming the pool up pretty quickly in the morning because the cliff isn’t so high here. Its position also leaves you looking Read more [...]

Huskisson Sea Pool – NSW 2540

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Named after the British MP who was the first ever victim of a fatal rail crash (knocked down by Stephenson’s Rocket), though probably named here for his role as Colonial Secretary in the 1820s. My experience in the rock pool It’s a slightly strange experience to swim in a pool closely guarded by high metal fences on all sides, though this is apparently the result of the insurance industry (or local authority fears of such). I’m not sure why Huskisson has been victim of this rather Read more [...]

Cronulla North Rock Pool – NSW 2230

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'Place of the pink sea shells' My experience in the rock pool This was another pool it took me three goes to get into. First time in Cronulla, there was a cold wind blowing on a grey day and I was still nursing a sore shoulder so just went for coffee instead; second time here, there was repair work on the promenade so no access to this pool. On a warm winter’s day in June, though, it was irresistible. Even the paddle through the sand to reach a depth I could swim in was a pleasure, Read more [...]

Kiama Rockpool – Blowhole Point NSW 2533

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Kiama rockpool ‘Where the sea makes a noise’… My experience in the rock pool This is the pool I go to at the end of a long, hot day since it’s a short walk from my home in Kiama. Although not the size of an Olympic pool, it never feels full, even with 60 tourists messing about on a summer holiday weekend. It’s not the kind of pool you’d do laps in, except on cloudy days when you get the chance to swim alone, but it is a fabulous spot to cool off and just feel the joy of 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 [...]

Woonona Rock Pool – NSW 2517

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‘Place of young wallabies’ , though the swimming group that meets here on Sundays through winter is called the Ockies… My experience in the pool This is a breathtakingly beautiful pool, perched up on a rocky headland; it’s not really a rock pool as such anymore, as it has been built into a proper Olympic size pool with lanes (though the lane markings are largely faded now). Water quality and temperature were excellent for my visit in early March. And there’s a great spirit Read more [...]