Category: Ocean

South coast swimming at Gerringong’s ocean baths

Dec 05 2011

There were plenty of surfers in wetsuits in the Werri Beach waves last Sunday but only one swimmer in the ocean pool. The cool, wet weather discouraged most from diving in but as lone swimmer Margaret commented: “It’s warmer in the water than outside.” So after taking a few snaps I joined Margaret in the[…]

Jul 01 2011

Tomorrow (2 July) is the last chance to catch an exhibition of photos taken at Sydney’s Bronte Pool on show at the Iain Dawson Gallery in Paddington. As the blurb says: “Wayne Fogden’s painting-like photographs capture the quieter moments, in which lone swimmers do their laps or rest on the edge of the pool, pondering[…]

Mar 26 2011

A story I wrote on some of Australia’s heritage pools entitled ‘Treasured pearls of the past’ is in the travel section of The Weekend Australian, 26-27 March, 2011. The featured pools are Manuka Pool, Canberra, Spring Hill Baths, Brisbane, Tobruk Memorial Baths, Townsville, Wylie’s Baths, Coogee, Newcastle Ocean Baths, Dawn Fraser Baths, Balmain, North Sydney[…]

Mar 04 2011

The Illawarra area, south of Sydney is blessed with many beautiful ocean baths. Between Coalcliff in the north to Shellharbour in the south there are around 24 pools built into rock faces by the sea. One of these beauties is the double ocean pool at Austinmer. With my good friend Marg and her son[…]

Nov 08 2010

On the weekend I immersed myself in the Palm Beach rock pool. Built in the 1920s, the ocean baths are at the southern end of Sydney’s Palm Beach in the area known as Cabbage Tree Boat Harbour and Kiddies Corner. Overlooking the rectangular space are palatial homes, which these days are mainly owned by the rich and famous.[…]

Jan 14 2010

It only costs 20 cents to get into McIver’s Baths, a lovely sea pool nestled in a protected curve of the coast at Coogee. There’s no turnstiles or reception desk at this peaceful place so making a contribution relies on honesty and trust. Reserved for women and children only, no men are allowed at this[…]

Jan 10 2010

Visiting Coogee’s Wylies Baths last week with three of my nieces, I was reminded of the ‘marine biologist’ episode of Seinfeld in which George Costanza proclaimed: “The sea was angry that day, my friends … like an old man trying to send back soup to a deli.” Swimming in the turbulent waters of the[…]

Dec 04 2009

If you love pools, you’ll love the exhibition at the Meyer Gallery in Darlinghurst, Called Saltwater, it showcases paintings by Cindy Goode Milman and photographs by Ian Lever of Sydney’s ocean and harbourside pools. Cindy Goode Milman’s colourful oil paintings are the result of her year-long study of ocean and bay pools from the Northern[…]

Nov 20 2009

On a road trip to Brisbane this month we stopped overnight at Yamba on the NSW north coast. As well as having a lovely dinner at Pippi’s restaurant, the stopover provided a great opportunity for this pool-obsessed person to investigate the Yamba Sea Pool. After a long drive from Sydney I was really looking forward[…]

Nov 17 2009

For as long as I can remember I have had a fascination with swimming pools. Whenever I am near one I have a terrible urge to dive in. After I have been in one, I have trouble tearing myself away from the comforting, womb-like, liquidy space. As a child I spent hours poring over the[…]

Ocean

South coast swimming at Gerringong’s ocean baths

Bronte baths featured in photographic exhibition

Swim into history at Australia’s heritage pools

Austinmer’s double ocean baths

Salt water bliss at the Palm Beach rock pool

Ladies-only at lovely McIver’s Baths

Wild waves at Wylies Baths

‘Soulful’ ocean baths in Saltwater show

Discovering Yamba’s sea pool

A lifetime connection with pools