Almanac Swimming: More Lorne Pier to Pub – Shark bait!

 

 

 

 

Following up a piece I wrote in the Footy Almanac about my recent Pier to Pub swim, a comment from Anson Cameron referring to  year round swimming at Lorne reminded me of a pre-Covid swimming episode that confronted my mate Tony and myself.

 

Unknowingly, we had Loutit Bay to ourselves for a swim – or did we? Discovering the reason why it was so certainly scared the living bejeezus out of us!

 

Back at that time, we were very keen participants of ocean swims, entering most of the events along the coast from Point Lonsdale to Apollo Bay.  Besides our usual pool training sessions, we endeavoured to fit in some ocean swims at Lorne in the lead-up to those swims as often as we could. We recognised to perform well in these swims it was  important to become more accustomed to ocean swimming, acclimatised to the water temperature, and to also increase our stamina levels for ocean swimming. We are well away of energy sapping conditions such as tides, rips, rough surf, choppy water that can easily affect swimming rhythms.

 

Time and distance had made it difficult for us to adopt a regular training routine in the ocean at Lorne.

 

So it was one mid week, ten or so years ago, we were able to block in a time for a swim in Lorne.

 

As I remember, the day was overcast but humid with minimal breeze, so conditions were very good for a 1.2km swim from the pier to the beach.

 

After the rigmarole of getting our wetsuits on, we checked, and made any necessary adjustments to, our goggles and ear plugs, had a final drink then a short walk to the ramp where we enter the water parallel to the pier.

 

We chatted about our strategy, determined our guiding line of direction to be the flagpole on the building half way up the hill to the right of the surf club. Our main strategy was to remain close to one another with Tony leading and me following close behind on his left. Tony is much bigger than me, stronger and a quicker swimmer and leads the way in all our swims.

 

Unusually for that time of day we noted, and were mildly surprised, by the absence of other swimmers, and also an eerie silence but didn’t give  either a second thought as we entered the water, keen to commence our swim. 

 

A chopper was circling over the beach in the distance. They are a common sight over the summer holiday period and we thought nothing more of it.

 

Water temperature felt ok and was not any concern for us.

 

Shortly, we were both stroking strongly with a good rhythm in place, though I needed to work harder to keep up with Tony.

 

We maintained our pace and rhythm to roughly the half way mark recognisable as The Point. This is an entry point for surfers so we needed to keep our wits about ourselves to avoid a collision with a surfer and their board and possibly have a serious injury inflicted by a skeg or two. A quick look confirmed no surfers in the water. Again, I was baffled by the absence of bodies in the water. Obvious questions should have alerted my brain something was not quite right. My brain only had words for my swimming.

 

With breakers forming in front of us it was hoped to catch one for an easy body surf to the beach but it was not to be. Extra energy was summoned. 

 

Tony had stopped, was standing up and looking around him as I swam to him. I quickly realised why Tony had a  puzzled look on his face.

 

There was no one else in the water!

 

A sense of urgency hit us.

 

But there was a hell of a lot of spectators on the beach looking at us with bemused looks on their faces.

 

Tony and I looked at one another as the realisation hit us – we sprinted to the beach as fast as our weary legs could carry us.

 

We were immediately informed the beach had been cleared and closed because of a shark sighting! 

 

I don’t know about Tony but my legs turned to jelly and I started shaking.

 

We looked at each other in stunned disbelief. 

 

A helicopter hovered overhead; media vans, cameramen and reporters seemed to be everywhere.

 

The shark bait shivered on the sand.

 

 

 

Col Ritchie, Dave Lamming, and Tony Forbes after a Pier to Pub in 2020

 

 

More from Col Ritchie can be read Here

 

 

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About Colin Ritchie

Retired teacher who enjoys following the Bombers, listening to music especially Bob Dylan, reading, and swimming.

Comments

  1. Bloody hell Col!
    I was exhausted just reading your piece on the Pub to Pier swim and now you’re adding sharks into the mix!
    Jeezus!

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