swim

What an incredible day.

Up at 0400, at Cottesloe by 0500.

The orderly panic on the beach was amazing. We watched people coat themselves in wool fat as the sky lightened.

The first wave left at 0545: we were too busy interviewing to notice.

But we were soon on the media boat and interviewing (ie yelling questions at canoeists as they shepherded their swimmers) some more.

We noted the Channel 10 team coming last, the editor of The West in a four-man crew, a certain reporter who had to retire below decks to sign a liquid sea shanty: the media were hard at work on the water.

A few hours later at Thomson Bay we watched the early arrivals come in. They were absolutely buggered.

The atmos on the beautiful island was superb.

How do you get in on on of these four-person teams? It looks like a lot of fun.